Evaluation
of urine marking by cats as a model for understanding veterinary diagnostic and treatment approaches and client attitudes.
It also helps to prevent undesirable behaviors such
as urine marking and aggression.
The most common triggers
for urine marking include a new cat in the household, free - roaming cats outside, or social conflict between family cats.
Male dogs might also
urine mark when they find themselves in the presence of rival males.
Helping families cope
with urine marking and understanding the many reasons it may be occurring in their home with their particular cats is important in my role as a behavior consultant.
You can help stop
urine marking by having your cat spayed or neutered and coming up with ways to keep her happy and entertained.
They might also
urine mark on spots that aren't vertical surfaces.
30 % of female cats that are not spayed will
also urine mark their territory.
It's useful for getting cats to
stop urine marking and, as such, is believed to help with cats who mark with their claws, too.
A cat
who urine marks will regularly eliminate in her litter box, but will also deposit urine in other locations, usually on vertical surfaces.
We also see
less urine marking in the house and better litter box habits for cats and rabbits.
It's best to spay or neuter your puppy before he's old enough to begin engaging in behaviors
like urine marking and mounting.
These and all other medical causes should be ruled out before evaluating or treating a dog for
urine marking problems.
Other events and situations that cause stress and
trigger urine marking include the absence of a family member, whether human or animal, or conflict between pets or family members within the home.
It is also speculated that cats
use urine marking to assist in the «time - sharing» of resources such as when hunting in a field.
It also eliminates obnoxious romantic behavior such as roaming, fighting,
excessive urine marking, and mounting visitor's legs.
Typically, these dogs will
not urine mark on vertical objects as seen in the «I was here» social media style marking, but will mark on the new items in question.
In wolf packs, a greater concentration of male
urine marks appear to be distributed along the peripheral buffer zone of the pack's territory compared with the core of the territory.
Sometimes cats
urine mark if they are frustrated, such as when they are denied access to outside or haven't gotten enough attention from the owner.
One of the most common problems with cats is
urine marking around the house and sometimes, right outside of the litter box.
Both my spayed female and neutered male will
urine mark given the chance, and they're definitively not searching for a mate!
Cats
urine mark primarily to advertise their presence to other cats and to establish and maintain territories.
If your dog has newly acquired the habit of
urine marking since bringing a new baby home you will need to reassure him that he is still loved and part of the family.
Many veterinarians recommend neutering sooner, as
behavioral urine marking increases in frequency as the male puppy grows older.
Dogs can learn a lot about each other
from urine markings, even avoiding conflict by making a no - stress social connection.
A dog is especially likely to
urine mark when visiting a home if another dog has previously marked in that home.
Dogs
who urine mark might do so in a number of situations, including while on walks, when in their own homes and yards, and during visits to other locations.
For example, roaming, aggression and
urine marking behaviors are all more problematic issues in intact male cats vs. neutered ones.
Some kitties express their outrage or fear of a new home with some not - so - nice displays
including urine marking and scratching.
Cats also mark territory by body rolling in the location they wish to «mark» and this behaviour can help take the place of
urine marking behaviour.