URINE MARKING PROBLEMS
Much like the miners during the Gold Rush, dogs and cats are territorial
animals. They "stake a claim" to a particular space, area, or object.
They let other people and animals know about their claim by marking it
using a variety of methods at different levels of intensity.
For example, a dog may bark to drive away what he perceives to be
intruders in his territory. A cat may mark a valued object by rubbing
her head against it. Some pets may go to the extreme of urinating or
defecating to mark a particular area as their own.
Urine-marking is not a house soiling problem. Instead, it is considered
territorial behavior. Therefore, to resolve the problem, you need to
address the underlying reason for your pet's need to mark his territory
in this way. Before this can be done, however, take your pet to the
veterinarian to rule out any medical causes for his behavior.
House Soiling or Urine-Marking: How to Tell the Difference Your
pet may be urine-marking if: The problem is primarily urination. Dogs
and cats rarely mark with feces. The amount of urine is small and is
found primarily on vertical surfaces. (Dogs and cats do sometimes mark
on horizontal surfaces.) Leg-lifting and spraying are dominant versions
of urine-marking, but even if your pet doesn't assume these postures, he
may still be urine-marking.
Any pet in your home is not spayed or neutered. Intact males and females
are both more likely to urine-mark than are spayed or neutered animals.
However, even spayed or neutered animals may mark in response to other
intact animals in the home. Your pet urinates on new objects in the
environment (a shopping bag, a visitor's purse), on objects that have
unfamiliar smells, or on objects that have another animal's scent.
Your pet has conflicts with other animals in your home. When there's
instability in the pack hierarchy, a dog may feel a need to establish
his dominance by urine-marking his territory. If one cat is intimidating
another cat, the bullied cat may express his anxiety by urine-marking.
Your pet has contact with other animals outside your home. A cat who is
allowed outdoors may come home and mark after having an encounter with
another cat outside. If your pet sees another animal through a door or
window, he may feel a need to mark his territory.
Your dog marks frequently when you walk him. What You Can Do Spay
or neuter your pet as soon as possible. Spaying or neutering your pet
may stop urine-marking altogether. However, if he has been urine-marking
for a long time, a pattern may already be established.
Resolve conflicts between animals in your home. (See our tips on Solving
Aggression Between Family Cats.) Restrict your pet's access to doors and
windows through which he can observe animals outside. If this isn't
possible, discourage the presence of other animals near your house. (See
our tips on Discouraging Free-Roaming Cats.)
Keep your cat indoors. He'll be safer, live longer, and feel less need
to mark his territory. Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Don't use
strong-smelling cleaners because they may cause your pet to "over-mark"
the spot. Make previously soiled areas inaccessible or unattractive. If
this isn't possible, try to change the significance of those areas to
your pet. Feed, treat, and play with your pet in the areas he is
inclined to mark.
Keep objects likely to cause marking out of reach. Items such as guests'
belongings and new purchases should be placed in a closet or cabinet. If
your pet is marking in response to a new resident in your home (such as
a roommate or spouse), have the new resident make friends with your pet
by feeding, grooming, and playing with your pet. If you have a new baby,
make sure good things happen to your pet when the baby is around.
For dogs: Watch your dog when he is indoors for signs that he is
thinking about urinating. When he begins to urinate, interrupt him with
a loud noise and take him outside. If he urinates outside, praise him
and give him a treat. When you're unable to watch him, put your dog in
confinement (a crate or small room where he has never marked) or tether
him to you with a leash.
For dogs: Practice "nothing in life is free" with your dog. This
is a safe, non-confrontational way to establish your leadership and
requires your dog to work for everything he wants from you. Have your
dog obey at least one command (such as "sit") before you pet him, give
him dinner, put on his leash, or throw him a toy.
Establishing yourself as a strong leader can help stabilize the
hierarchy and thus diminish your dog's need to mark his territory. For
cats: Try to monitor your cat's movements. If he sniffs in an area he
has previously marked, interrupt him with a loud noise or squirt him
with water. It's best if you can do this without him seeing you. That
way, he'll associate the unpleasantness with his intent to mark, rather
than with you.
What Not to Do Don't punish your pet after the fact. Punishment
administered even a minute after the event is ineffective because your
pet won't understand why he is being punished. Pets Aren't People Dogs
and cats don't urinate or defecate out of spite or jealousy.
If your dog urinates on your baby's diaper bag, it's not because he is
jealous of, or dislikes, your baby. The unfamiliar scents and sounds of
a new baby in the home are simply causing him to reaffirm his claim on
his territory. Likewise, if your cat urinates on your new boyfriend's
backpack, it does not reflect his opinion of your taste in men. Instead,
he has perceived the presence of an "intruder," and is letting the
intruder know that this territory belongs to him.
Dominance or Anxiety? Urine-marking is usually associated with
dominance behavior. (See our tips on Dominant Dogs.) Some pets, though,
may mark when they feel anxious or upset. For example, a new baby in the
home brings new sounds, smells, and people, as well as changes in
routine.
Your dog or cat probably isn't getting as much attention as he was used
to getting. All of these changes cause him to feel anxious, which may
cause him to mark. Likewise, a pet who is generally anxious may become
more so by the presence of roaming neighborhood animals in your yard, or
by the introduction of a new cat or dog into your household. If your pet
is feeling anxious, you might consider talking to your veterinarian
about medications to reduce his anxiety while you try behavior
modification techniques.
Adapted from material originally developed by applied animal
behaviorists at the
Dumb Friends League, Denver, Colorado. All rights reserved.
If you have questions or need our services, please contact the shelter
at
618.346.5213 or contact us today via
e-mail
Copyrights 2009 WARREN BILLHARTZ ANIMAL SHELTER OF
COLLINSVILLE. A KTLLC Communications Solution