Cat question - I'm serious

[Snoggera]

I have a great male cat. He is now one year old. He has taken to peeing on things in the house. I will not tolerate that. I have lost cats in the past that I loved for many years, and so refuse to allow him to roam free outside. He, for the past few days, has spent his time either in the laundry room (fairly spacious and comfortable), or on a 20 foot leash that is ties to the doorknob.

He seems happy with being able to go outside, but I still feel guilty for some reason.

Should I set him free and hope for the best and expect the worst?

Should I continue with my little compromise?

[Mick Knox]

1. is he fixed?

#1 cause of this is not being fixed.

[NMDemDist2]

3. bingo!

[BlackVelvetElvis]

2. Sounds like he is marking his territory

Has he been fixed? If you let him outside, do get him fixed! If you go to a spay clinic, it shouldn't be expensive.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. Has he been fixed?

Unaltered cats often behave this way.

Also, if he was a good litterbox user, and recently started peeing elsewhere, he might have a medical problem like stones in his urinary tract. You might want to get him to the vet...

[NYC]

5. Is he castrated?

Uncastrated males will sometime urinate or spray inside the house.

If he is castrated, this is probably an indication that something is wrong. Either he is sick, or he has been upset or disturbed by some change you have made in the home.

If you have not recently made any changes, or brought a new person or pet into the home, you should take him to a vet to check for illness.

If he is not castrated, he should be.

[oxymoron]

6. Do not set him free

I do not understand people who would let a cat roam free in an urban setting. Cats live much longer lives if kept indoors. It is cruel to expect a cat to live outside around cars, feline leukemia, etc. I see absolutely no justification for letting a cat outdoors in an urban setting.

There are many things that can make a cat start peeing outside of the litter box. Is he fixed? Are there any other cats in the household? Is the litter box scooped twice a day?

I have recently been through this with a fixed male cat. The problem was a due to another cat being in the house, and adding another box took care of the problem.

PLEASE, contact me for more ideas. It is beyond cruel to let this animal roam free.

On Edit: I have frequently seen people on DU lamenting that their beloved pet has been hit by a car. Dog or Cat, it is irresponsible and downright idiotic to let any animal roam free in the US. I can't think of a region that is sufficiently unpopulated or unspoiled to be safe for an innocent animal.

[smiley_glad_hands]

7. You need to get him neutered before this becomes

learned behavior, he is reaching adulthood and is marking his territory in preporation to mate. Thus, you need to get him fixed asap.

[KT2000]

8. Another compromise:

Do you have a deck or porch? I screened in my deck so the cats could sit outside and still be safe (the worst danger came from people who hated cats and trapped and killed them when they came in their yard.)

Another person I know had a small screened in area - about 3 feet high that was on the porch and she cut a hole in the wall of her house so the cat could come in and out.

Letting him roam free is so risky and dangerous.

[oxymoron]

9. Thank you...

a very smart alternative.