Cats are felines and as such, share certain behaviors with larger felines. Precisely, territorial marking is one of these natural behaviors in cats and it is a form of social communication performed by these animals.
There are several ways in which cats can mark their territory and among them are urination. When these are performed in inappropriate places, they can be a problem for cat owners. We will see in this article the types of territorial marking that cats have and how we can avoid problems. This will help us to better understand the behavior of our cat pets.
Territorial marking in cats
In general, territorial marking in cats is a way of communicating. A cat that rubs its chin or its head or side against any surface is performing such a marking. Translated in other words, it means that it is warning of its presence.
However, there are other types of markings on our domestic felines that can be more annoying. For example, scratching surfaces. This can be avoided with a rescuer and, of course, you will have to teach your cat to use it. It is important to know that while cats often scratch to sharpen their nails, at other times they scratch to mark their territory. This is because the scratches leave both a visual and an olfactory signal of the animal’s passage through the area.
However, the most annoying of the markings is when the cat urinates outside the indicated places. That is, out of their sandbox. For example, he may urinate on chairs, beds and other places. In general, a cat with this behavior simply wants its scent to be related to its marker. You will be able to tell that this is a marking because he will urinate with his tail up and standing, as opposed to normal urination in a crouching position.
On the other hand, cats with this type of behavior tend to always mark in the same place with small drops of urine. It should also be known that cat urine contains pheromones that can give other cats information about the cat’s condition. For example, it may indicate if she is in heat.
How to avoid it
- Clean the affected areas. Cleaning the areas that your cat has marked is the first way to prevent it from doing so again. This may require the use of an enzyme cleaner, which can be found in pet stores. In reality, a common cleaning is usually not enough, as the cat may still think that the place is suitable for marking and continue to urinate the same.
- Sand boxes. Cats can sometimes be tricky with litter boxes. You may not like a particular litter or the smell of your crate. That’s why you need to provide more than one litter box and make sure he uses it. If you have more than one cat, you should know that each cat should have its own litter box.
- Reduces stress. Sometimes, cats mark because they feel stressed. If you reduce your cat’s stress, he will most likely stop marking territory.
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