Neighbourhood cats are spraying around our house, any suggestions?

Question

We have 4 cats of our own and I know they spray too therefore, this is a two pronged question.

1. Any helpful suggestions to get our cats to stop spraying. We have two male and two female. All except one male are neutered - the older female sprays the most. They even spray on the windscreen of the cars...it's disgusting!

2. We have many neighbourhood cats congregating in our backyard. We spray them with water and try to scare them off but to no avail. We don't feed our cats outside but it hasn't discouraged them. Any suggestions that doesn't include harming them in anyway would be gratefully accepted.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Spraying is a behavioral thing--you say the worst offender is the oldest female--she does it because there are too  many cats in the home and she is upset.  No, don't dismiss this.  It is a fact, spraying and other 'bathroom behaviors' are behavioral and the most likely reason is overcrowding.  The other cats in the neighborhood are spraying because it's a territorial thing and also because of the one cat that you do NOT have fixed/neutered.  That would be hormones.  Thin your herd man

Answer 2

garlic, smash it up and mix with water, it will keep them away!

Answer 3

First, I would get the one male cat fixed first.  That way the population isn't growing...some of those strays coming around could be his offspring.  Not good.  By having your cats outside spraying, it seems like a calling card to the other neighborhood cats to join in.  I would almost consider keeping your cats inside for awhile.  I would also consider talking to a shelter to see if some of the other strays could be trapped and taken in to be adopted out.  Spraying with water didn't help our situation either, and we still have cats roaming around.  The biggest problem is the growing population (all of ours are indoor cats)...until that goes down, you aren't going to have an easy time of getting the spraying to stop.  More and more kittens will be produced and the problem will continue.  The only thing I can suggest is mothballs placed in areas that the cats spray the most.  They smell horrible and if it's any place you sit, you won't want them placed there.  Good luck.

Answer 4

Put Vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it where they spray....they hate the smell of it and stop spraying there.....

Answer 5

There are products that you can spray to stop them from spraying there.The cats hanging around smell your cats and are hoping for a boy/girlfriend .I think if you stop your cats from spraying and destroy the smell the other cats will go away