spraying

besides rubbing their scent glands on surfaces, a cat also marks its territory by spraying tiny amounts of urine against upright surfaces like trees, fences, walls and the like. when a cat is spraying, it holds its tail erect and it appears as if the tail is trembling.
intact tomcats start spraying when they reach their sexual maturity (at about 6 month of age). the scent is very strong and is also designed to attract females in season.

problem

whereas spraying outside in the garden doesn't have much affect on us humans, markings in the home, done by an entire tomcat, is almost unbearable. unless you plan to breed from your male kitten, you should consider neutering it before this behaviour can be established. usually at 6 month of age. neutered males and females are less likely to spray.

however, spraying can also occur for different reasons. stress is one factor, overcrowding in the home another.

solution

• neuter your cat before sexual maturity sets in (at about 6 month of age)
• if your cat is already neutered but starts spraying suddenly, check if anything might stress it out. frequent spraying tends to occur also in multi-cat households with more than 4 cats
• minimize stress and changes of routine
• if the problem persists, ask a vet for advise to rule out any illnesses that may cause this behaviour