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Avoiding Cat Spraying and Dog Marking

Vet Talks 3 min read
Avoiding Cat Spraying and Dog Marking

Potty training is a great way to avoid pee accidents around the house, but it might not be enough when it comes to cat spraying and dog marking. Most pet parents think that inappropriate urination in kitties and pups is a hormonal response more commonly seen in intact males. Although that is part of the reason, these “territory markings” can be a sign of behavioral issues, stress, or even an underlying health condition.

Why do cats spray and dogs mark?

Even though our furkiddos don’t speak our language, they communicate with us daily. Many kitties and pups are very expressive furmily members and let us know how they feel in different ways. Some tell us their needs vocally with adorable meows or loud howling. Others may use body language to communicate that something is wrong. Many times, cats and dogs express themselves by spraying or marking their territory.

Knowing the root cause behind this marking behavior is the first step to addressing these accidents and stopping them from happening again. However, the reasons behind cats spraying and dogs marking can differ.

Why is my dog peeing everywhere?

Have you ever noticed that when your pup stops to pee a few times during your walks around the neighborhood it seems like they’re not releasing much urine? These small puddles or even drops of pee are only one of the manners in that dogs send a social signal to other canine companions.

Urination is not the only way a dog can demonstrate marking behavior. Some pups may also use feces or pheromone expression to claim their favorite toy, their bed, a bush in the park, another pet, or even their pawrent.

These unnecessary and sometimes stinky expressions can best be prevented with a series of changes, including training. You can potty train your little one at home, with the help of an experienced behavioral trainer and/or accompanied by a veterinary behaviorist.

At times, the training process can be very stressful for our doggo. In these cases, consider adding NHV Lesstress supplement to their meal, twice daily. This all-natural aid has anti-anxiety properties which may aid in naturally reducing your little one’s stress levels so that they can better participate in their training sessions.

What does cat spraying mean?

In our feline kiddos, this behavioral output is more commonly referred to as spraying. Kitties display this behavior mainly through inappropriate urination, which contains their unique pheromone signature.

Studies have shown that cat spraying, also known as “territorial marking”, is mainly associated with social problems between cats in a multi-cat household. Indoor or outdoor kitties in a single-cat home might also respond to an outside cat roaming around the house by spraying.

Other times, cats display this spraying behavior due to anxiety. Feline kiddos tend to be more sensitive to changes, and they might react to this stressful situation with inappropriate urination. If that’s the case, look back and try to find out what changes occurred recently and if you can avoid them in the future. For example, if you have recently bought a different type of litter, consider going back to the original brand, and observe if the behavior was corrected.

Our all-natural calming aid for cats, NHV Matricalm, would also be helpful, in such cases. This herbal supplement can help address stress and anxiety while you make the environmental adjustments necessary.

Do female cats spray? What about female dogs?

However, urination, feces, or pheromone expression are more commonly seen in intact males.

Both male and female dogs can display a marking behavior. However, urination, feces, or pheromone expression are more commonly seen in intact males. Unlike dogs, both male and female cats can display spraying behavior, more so if they are intact.

With this, consulting your local vet on when it is best to spay or neuter your little one can be helpful. As a matter of fact, we always recommend speaking to your local veterinarian whenever you notice any changes in your little one’s behavior. A visit to a specialist can help rule out any underlying health concerns that could be causing excessive peeing.

akita puppy

How to stop a cat from spraying and a dog from marking?

Seeing as both our feline and canine kiddos can display such behaviors with urination, ensuring a healthy kidney, bladder, and urinary tract is a great starting point. NHV Tripsy helps promote proper renal and urinary function.

Lastly, both marking in dogs and spraying in cats can be related to pheromones. Seeing as these displays tend to have a hormonal factor associated with them, NHV Natures Immuno can be really helpful. This medicinal mushroom blend supports overall endocrine health, the powerhouse system in charge of hormonal outputs.


If your little one is marking or spraying, and you wish to be guided on which supplements are best for them, reach out to our Pet Experts! We are more than happy to help guide you and your precious furmily on our all-natural supplement line.

Vet Assistant Setti

Vet Assistant Setti

Setti completed her Bachelor’s degree in General Sciences with a double major in biology and anthropology from Simon Fraser University in 2017. After struggling with her own dog’s misdiagnosis, Setti found her passion for helping animals and pet parents. She completed the pre-veterinary medicine program at Dalhousie University in Truro, Nova Scotia, in 2018. Setti worked as a Vet Assistant in veterinary clinics for three and a half years before joining the NHV Pet Expert team.

Published: August 24, 2022

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