Male cats that have been neutered are generally unlikely to mark their territory, however there are some reasons that could cause them to urinate in an unusual place or way.
Unless it’s a behaviour that has already been learnt, or a serious medical condition, chances are that your male neutered kitty may be upset, either physiologically or psychologically, which causes him to do this.
It’s important to know the difference between a cat relieving the bladder, which is regular and healthy, and a cat using urine to communicate in the form of spraying.
“Spraying is the deposition of small amounts of urine on vertical surfaces. In most cases, the spraying cat will back into the area, the tail may quiver, and with little or no crouching, will urinate.” explains VCA Animal Hospitals [1]. This is different from ordinary urinating, which is when a cat squats on a horizontal surface to pass urine.
Reasons Your Cat is Urinating Out of Place
Habit
If your male cat is already in the habit of marking his territory prior to be neutered, then this behaviour is likely to continue. Work with him to address the issue, but never punish him for being himself as it can cause stress and further aggravate the situation.
Psychology and Stress
Have you recently moved, added a new pet to the family, lost a pet or human family member, or even just changed their food? These are seen as stresses to your cat and could be contributing to the problem.
Medical Conditions
Unexpected urination from a neutered male cat could be an indication of a serious health condition including:
- Pain which causes your kitty to avoid the litter box, and in many cases not being able to make it to the litter box
- Incontinence which affects senior and overweight cats especially
- Urinary Tract Infections may cause your cat to avoid the litter box. UTI’s can lead to Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) [2] which can be life threatening to male cats as it prevents them from urinating altogether
- Kidney infections can be preceded by a UTI. Signs to look out for include unusually frequent attempts to urinate over a period, little urine being passed and blood in the urine (more common in females than in males)
- Diabetes [3] is another disease that requires proper monitoring and treatment. Keep an eye out if your kitty drinks more frequently than normal, has increased urination, and sometimes get to the litter box a little too late. This includes spraying in unusual places.
How Can Your Help Your Feline Friend?
If you’ve noticed your feline furry friend exhibiting some of these symptoms, it’s important to get them to the vet right away. Your vet will be able to run blood tests, as well as take radiographs (X-rays) or an abdominal ultrasound to diagnose and treat the issue. If it’s not a medical issue, consulting with an animal behaviourist may be useful (your vet will be able to recommend someone suitable).
Sources:
[1] https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-behavior-problems-marking-and-spraying-behavior
[2] https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/urinary/feline_idiopathic_lower_urinary_tract_disease
[3] https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/diabetes-mellitus-in-cats-overview
