How to stop a female cat from spraying while in heat

While it is more commonly known that male cats spray, some female cats may also practice this unwanted behavior. No cat owner likes it when their cat sprays but this behavior is often displayed because a cat is trying to say something. Knowing why your female feline may be spraying and what you can do about it can help ease some stress and frustration for both you and your cat.

Female cats may urinate outside their litter box and practice inappropriate elimination but when they pee vertically instead of on the ground it is referred to as spraying or marking.

When a cat marks, urine is sprayed against a wall, a piece of furniture, or another surface. Your cat will stand up, raise its tail, quiver, and back up to the item it is about to spray. It is typically only a small amount of urine that sprays out instead of a steady stream that is produced during a normal, squatting, urination.

Like a male cat, a female cat may spray urine for a variety of reasons but these reasons can typically be classified as either a response to an environmental stressor or a territorial behavior. Intact females may also spray urine while they are in heat to attract male cats.

Environmental stressors may include new people, such as a baby in the home, a new puppy or other animal that is annoying or upsetting your cat, construction or remodeling in your home, boredom in the feeding regimen or lack of playtime, litter concerns such as scented or dirty litter, a litter box that your cat doesn't like, such as a covered or automatic cleaning box, and more. Basically, if your cat is upset or stressed about something it may spray but it may also be hard for you to figure out exactly what your cat is upset about.

Territorial reasons for spraying can include outdoor cats that your cat can see or hear while it is indoors or even new cats in your home. Spraying tells other cats that the space has already been claimed by them and they are not to be messed with.

Spaying a female cat will decrease the likelihood that it will spray but a small percentage of cats will still spray after having this surgical procedure performed. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, 5% of female cats will continue to spray even after they have been spayed. Spaying a cat especially helps to decrease territorial reasons for spraying since less hormones are affecting it but if your cat is stressed or upset about something in its environment, it is still physically capable of spraying.

All types of inappropriate elimination, including urine spraying, can be difficult and frustrating to stop but there are a few things you can do.

• Spaying - The best way to decrease urine spraying in a female cat that sprays while she is in heat is to have her spayed. This is typically done at a young age but can be performed in older cats as well. Your veterinarian will recommend an age for your cat to be spayed.
• Neutralize the odor - If your cat has sprayed urine in the house, the first thing you'll want to do is eliminate the odor. But simply cleaning up and deodorizing the mess won't stop your female cat from spraying in the same spot again so you'll want to ensure you use an enzymatic cleaner to clean up the urine.
• Change the litter or litter box - If you suspect your female cat is spraying because of the litter or litter box, consider switching to an unscented litter in a shallow, uncovered litter box. She may also prefer a location with more privacy. Consider getting additional litter boxes if there are multiple cats in the home.
• Get rid of the stressor(s) - If something in or around your home is causing your cat to become upset or stressed, do what you can to get rid of the stressor or at least block your cat from being able to see and hear it. This of course isn't always possible though, depending on what the environmental stressor is.
• Pheromones - Sprays, wipes, and plug-ins are available to provide natural pheromones to your cat. Pheromones are scentless and help to relax stressed cats.
• Anxiety medications - If you are unable to get rid of your cat's stressor, prescription medications may be helpful to relax your cat.
• Anxiety supplements - Similar to anxiety medications, various supplements such as L-theanine and milk whey protein may help to calm your cat and decrease the incidence of urine spraying.
• Special diets - Therapeutic diets are available from your veterinarian that may help to decrease urine spraying. These diets often contain calming ingredients, similar to anxiety supplements.

Why Does Your Male Cat Spray Urine and What Can You Do About It?

If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.

1. 1

   Calm her loud meowing. When a cat's in heat, she advertises the fact to increase her chances of finding a boyfriend and having kittens. One way she does this is by vocalizing incredibly loudly and constantly. To an inexperienced owner, it may seem like she's in pain, but this is perfectly normal behavior. You can either choose to deal with the extra noise, or try to calm her down.

   • Try plugging in a Feliway diffuser before your cat comes into heat. This synthetic feline pheromone surrounds her with safe, familiar scents.[2] Pheromones are chemical messengers — a similar idea to the pheromones a female gives off to advertise she is in heat. But the ones in Feliway might have a calming, soothing effect on her.
   • It doesn't work immediately, but the pheromones build up the cat's sense of well-being over a couple of weeks. As such, it's best to plug the diffuser in early and leave it running constantly in the background, so she gets the benefit by the time she comes into heat.

2. 2

   Deal with scent marking. Not all female cats do this, but some mark their territory with urine. Urine has potent scent markers that she uses to attract mates. Again, there's nothing you can do to stop this behavior without getting her spayed, so you just have to make do. A few things you can do to make life a little easier include:

   • Making sure she has a clean litter box at all times. Hopefully her house training will lead her to use the box instead of marking in the house.
   • Deodorize immediately if she does mark. This will discourage her from returning to that spot to mark it again.
   • Use an "enzymatic" cleaner to completely remove the urine odor.[3] The enzymes in these products break cat urine down better than any other cleaner. Allow the product to air dry for best results.
   • A home-made alternative is to dilute some biological washing powder in water. Use this to clean the area, then rinse it with water. Clean again with a solution of bicarbonate of soda. Finish by rinsing one last time.
     • Always test cleaning products on a small, hidden patch of fabric before treating a marked patch for odor.

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3. 3

   Be prepared for clingy behavior. Your cat goes on a massive hormonal roller coaster,which changes her behavior when she's in heat. One difference is that her body language and social behavior might change quite a bit.

   • She might seek out company far more than usual.
   • She may demand that you rub her lower back. When you do, she might flirtatiously hold her tail to one side to better expose her genital area.
   • She may 'commando crawl' across the floor by flattening her front half against the floor, then crawling with her rear end pushed up in the air.
   • She is also likely to squirm and roll around enthusiastically. When combined with the loud crying, it might look like she's in pain. Don't worry — she's just flirting.
   • There's nothing to be done about this behavior. It's perfectly normal, and as long as no males are able to reach her, she'll be fine.

4. 4

   Give her extra attention. Tire her out with regular play sessions. This may lessen her energy and help her to settle down and sleep instead of writhing around and yowling. Some female cats enjoy an extra fuss or even a massage when they are in heat. But don't be surprised if she starts acting flirty with you and presents her backside!

5. 5

   Don't change her feeding routine. Many female cats don't eat properly when they are in heat. This can cause them to lose weight and body condition, which worries their loving owners. But don't try to make up for her lack of appetite with higher calorie cat food. This will only supply her with even more energy to cry and call.

   • Instead, leave large amounts of her regular cat food available for free-feeding. She can snack whenever she feels like it.

6. 6

   Decrease the stress on your other cats. If you own more than one cat, think of how stressful it is for the others to have a calling female in their midst for one week out of every three. This can be unsettling for them. The Feliway diffuser you use to calm the behavior of the cat in heat will also make your other cats feel better.

   • Again, Feliway takes a couple of weeks to build up in your cats' systems, so plug in the diffuser before your female goes into heat.

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1. 1

   Keep her indoors. If your cat is normally allowed to wander outdoors, you have to put a stop to it as soon as you realize she's in heat. While she's indoors, you can control whether or not male cats have access to her. While she's outdoors, every male in the neighborhood is going to be drawn by her yowling and scent marking. She is very likely to get pregnant.

2. 2

   Isolate her from your male cats. If you own an un-neutered male cat, he will likely be drawn to her like a magnet when she's in heat. You must keep all males away from her until her heat has passed.

   • Keep either the male(s) or female isolated in a separate room.
   • Spruce the room up so the isolated cat doesn't grow anxious. Put a litter box in there, along with a comfortable bed, food, and plenty of toys to keep them occupied.

3. 3

   Lock your doors and windows. Even if you keep her inside, the neighborhood males will still be able to hear her yowling and smell her scent marking. You may notice a suspicious increase in tomcats lurking around your home.

   • Leaving doors or windows open, even with mosquito mesh acting as a barrier, can be dangerous. A determined male will claw through the mesh to reach your female, and she can get pregnant without even leaving the house.
   • Block off any cat flaps in your doors.

4. 4

   Consider spaying her. Rescue centers are over-flowing with unwanted kittens and cats. It's morally questionable to let your cat get pregnant for no good reason. Spaying female cats can be done at any stage in their hormonal cycle. If cost is an issue, many cat rescue or welfare societies offer vouchers towards the cost of surgery. Your local veterinary clinic will be able to point you in the right direction to make inquiries.

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• Question

  Can a cat be spayed when she is in heat?

  

  Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
  Veterinarian

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
  
  

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  Yes. Unlike dogs, it's fine to spay a female cat when in heat. The surgery is considered safe, despite the slightly greater blood supply to the womb, and when the ovaries are removed, she will come out of heat.

• Question

  How long does a cat stay in heat?

  

  Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
  Veterinarian

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
  

• Question

  How long does a female cat stay in heat for the first time?

  

  Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
  Veterinarian

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
  

  Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

  If she's not mated, the heat lasts between 1-7 days, with an average being around 2-3 days. Be prepared for this to repeat again in 2-3 weeks time, and possibly all year round if she lives indoors.

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This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. This article has been viewed 591,355 times.

Co-authors: 32

Updated: August 15, 2022

Views: 591,355

Categories: Feline Reproductive System Health

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  "I'm fostering a mother cat and 4 kittens, now 4 & 1/2 weeks old. Mom has started "flirting" and crying, and I was afraid she was in pain. Came upon your article, and am relieved to learn that her behavior is normal and that she's not hurting. Afraid it's too late for the Feliway, though! Thanks."..." more