How to teach a cat to tag the area in the entrance hall

If you discover the cause, you must take measures, because the constant impregnation of urine leaves a persistent smell, from which later it will be impossible to get rid of at all:

How to teach a cat to tag in the apartment

Anyone can have a cat, but not everyone can tame it. Despite its cute appearance, it does not lose its natural instincts and seeks to show it by all means. In such a situation, it is important to understand how to make the cat stop marking the territory. You should start to think about this question at about 7-8 months of age. The kitten is now fully mature and shows by its behavior that it is the master of the house.

Sometimes the adult cat tags territory, expressing his resentment or jealousy, for example, because he was yelled at, or another person or animal appeared in the house. Otherwise The pet wants to draw attention to itself or shows that he needs a cat. However, the legend that a cat will tag until the first mating is often false. In most cases, he continues to frustrate his owners further by leaving an unpleasant smell on his clothes and in corners of the house.

What is a territory marker and why is it needed

Cats start marking territory regardless of the cleanliness of the litter box or their desire to go to the toilet. The marking process itself is different from urinating, with the pet squatting slightly to do its thing. The way a cat marks his territory is as follows:

Usually a cat tags clothes and shoes, which often makes it necessary to throw things away, as it is extremely difficult to get the smell out. Equally common is the tagging of vertical objects such as furniture and doors.

The composition of the liquid released to mark the territory is different from the usual urine. It contains crystals of uric acid, which give such an unpleasant smell. The scent becomes more pungent if an animal marks the same spot all the time.

Why cats mark the front door: 6 ways to solve the problem

Each individual tries to cover as large an area as possible, to mark it, as it is safe for him. At the same time, cats do this not only with a stream of released urine, but also by rubbing their muzzle. In the first case the tags are intended for congeners, and in the second case – only for themselves. Also, predators use tags to attract the opposite sex, experts said.

Why cats tag the front door:

1. There is a cat living in the dwelling who is in heat. 2. There is a cat living in the house claiming territory or wanting to breed. The problem is exacerbated with the end of winter, when the cats start having mass "walks". They look for mates, fight for the occupied territory, that is why cat cries can often be heard outside. Every time you go outside, you may find that some little furry has marked the entrance and the walls. On the surface remains unsightly stains, there is a pungent smell. Even if you wash the surface, the smell does not disappear so quickly, and literally the next day there will be new marks.

1. Sterilize your pet, which by its markings attracts others. Do this when it reaches puberty. 2. If you catch him doing this, grab him by the skin fold on his withers, lift him up and hiss right in his face. As it mewls, let it go. 3. Wash off all marks with a compound that destroys odors. Strong solution of potassium permanganate, 1 to 1 mixture of vinegar and water, pure alcohol or vodka will do. If you use an ordinary detergent, the smell of cat urine will not remain, but only for humans. Animals will definitely smell it.

The listed remedies will destroy the tags so that cats stop picking up odors. It is desirable to treat not once but several times. 4. Apply in front of the threshold, on the side of it, a layer of chlorine-based product, but not liquid, but gel-like. It will slightly dry, but it will exude a special fragrance, and predators cannot stand it. Every 2-3 days the layer should preferably be renewed for a couple of weeks. If no new tags appear for about 5-7 days, the renewal can be stopped. 5. Sprinkle a thin layer of a mixture of black and red pepper under the entrance. 6. Purchase a ready-made product in a pet store to make the predator stop tagging the door. It should be applied to the door marked by the cat once every few days. The product will not only drive away all cats, but also eliminate unpleasant odors. In some cases, cats tag the front door to get revenge on the tenants who have somehow caused harm, so you should not hurt the cute fluffy things.

Measures to be taken urgently

If some tenants categorically do not agree to resolve the issue peacefully, it is necessary to try to act smarter. To prevent cats from shitting in the entryway, it is recommended to suggest the following measures:

1. All animals must be neutered, otherwise the problem will increase with each new season on an unfathomable scale.
2. Moustached pets must be regularly protected against fleas and worms, otherwise the parasites will very soon get to the apartments.
3. Feeding bowls must be clean, otherwise they will become a source of insect accumulation and the spread of unpleasant odors.
4. Cats should be fed dry food, and drinking water should also be present. This allows the animals to stay healthy (during the hot season food spoils quickly and can cause poisoning and illness).
5. Food bowls should be hidden, as neighbors may mistake your entryway for a cat shelter. They will take all stray animals from everywhere.
6. It is necessary to educate the pets and train them to the litter box in case the front door is closed.

If all of these parameters are met, there will be no reason to get rid of animals in the entryway. Human kindness should manifest itself precisely in caring for our little brothers, not in empty talk about love. If the measures are still not taken and the cats crap in the stairwell, where to turn? It is worth contacting the management company or a cleaning company.

Motives that provoke such behavior

• ill-mannered animals;
• Dirty litter trays and food bowls;
• unfortunate fillings;
• Diseases causing involuntary urination;
• Diseases of the digestive tract;
• emotional upheavals (moving owners, change of habitat);
• Animals mark their territory.

Neighbor's cats pooping in the hallway doesn't mean they're just doing their own filthy business. It may be about marking territory:

• feces, when an odorous secretion is secreted;
• urine (when cats splash liquid and cats make puddles);
• odorous secretions (animals rub their faces because they have glands behind their ears or sharpen their claws, they are also present between their fingers).

Choosing a litter box and litter box seating

1. An open litter box with rims is good for any kind of litter. The higher the sides, the less litter will end up on the floor. Some pets like to clean their tracks too much, in this case it may be a good idea to choose a litter box with high curved edges. No matter how hard the cat tries, the pellets will not fly all over the floor.
2. A box with a lattice, which can be used without filler or by pouring a small amount of absorbent pellets.
3. Toilet in the form of a house, which necessarily fill expensive filler (silica gel).

Cats are very reverent about the emptying process and want to do it in a secluded place. In addition, access to the toilet should be free, that is, the door is constantly open. Installing the potty in the kitchen is unhygienic. Pets do not want to go to the toilet next to the food bowl. And for people, the cat's toilet in the kitchen is not a pretty sight.

The bathroom isn't very comfortable either. For example, someone from the family decided to bathe, and the cat wanted to go to the toilet. He won't wait long and goes to check somewhere in the corridor or under the couch. It's best to put the litter box in the toilet. To ensure that the filler stuck to the paws of the pet, not scattered in the rooms, under the bottom lay a mat.

The quality and smell of the filler may also displease the cat. There are several kinds of fillings, each with its own advantages:

• Absorbent wood sawdust pellets – are the cheapest option. The disadvantages are that they need to be changed often, scattered pellets stick to paws and tail, so they are spread around the rooms;
• bentonite filler – also has several varieties: small, large, medium, flavored herbs and odorless. The price of the filler is average, of the disadvantages – soiled paws of the pet and white traces on the floor of the toilet;
• silica gel – the most convenient, but also quite expensive type of filler. It absorbs the smell perfectly, does not smear the pet's paws and retains urine well. It is poured as a layer of 3-5 centimeters, and it is changed in case the pellets have changed its color. This type of litter is suitable for any type of litter box.

Tagging

Cats are attracted to their own marks on wallpaper, furniture and other things. To wean him off these marks, the smell must be removed. Wash the area with disinfectant and then place orange peel, lemon peel or ground black pepper, red pepper or allspice in that corner. Vinegar does not eliminate the smell, but, on the contrary, intensifies it, so it is undesirable to clean the marks with water and vinegar.

The pet store recommends buying a repellent spray. This spray is used to spray the places that the pet loves to tag. There is also another spray – for attracting animals. Its purpose – to accustom the cat to go to the toilet. Therefore, when buying, it is important not to confuse the names of sprays.

Another trick to scare the cat away from undesirable corners: around the favorite places of visiting the pet on the floor, double-sided tape is glued. Sticky areas scare the animal, and it tries not to approach them.

Food and the toilet for the pet are incompatible concepts. You can go for one more trick. A bowl of food should be placed in the unfortunate corner with the marks. The pet won't think about shitting there anymore, because food is much more important than any principles.

Forbidden ways to fight

The fact that a kitty uses the corner of the entryway to pee can make anyone angry, and then different methods are used. But there are a number of things you absolutely must not do:

1. The use of chlorine. Chlorine helps to break up the smell of cat excrement and disinfect thoroughly, but only humans don't like its smell. For most animals the smell is completely neutral, and some cats even like it very much.
2. Cologne, perfume, toilet water and other scented liquids. There is no effectiveness of their use, the entryway murk their scents do not interfere with going to the toilet in the usual place. But the smell of cat urine or feces mixed with cologne or toilet water will give just a disastrously monstrous combination.
3. Aggressive household chemicals with ammonia and other reagents in their composition. This substance is extremely toxic and can cause poisoning not only to animals but also to humans.
4. Yelling at kitties .. No matter who the culprit of bad odor in the entryway – a pet or an outdoor cat – yelling at him or her and scolding him or her is not allowed. This will put the animal into a stressful state and will go to the toilet in the wrong place more often. Shouting and scolding can make the cat harbor a grudge and go to the toilet in the stairwell out of spite.
5. Washing out the spot marked by the cat with water. The method does not work. Urine crystals do not dissolve in water, which will only increase its odor after washing. When the urine dries, the intensity of its odor decreases and eventually goes away altogether. But the water will cause the door to start smelling again, consequently attracting the cat to it.

If you can't discourage a domestic cat from going to the staircase and no methods help, the cat may have certain mental or physical health problems, so you should definitely show him to the vet.

Why do cats poop in the entryway?

The persistent, ammoniacal smell in entryways is a common phenomenon, but let's face it, it's often not just animals that cause this inconvenience, but people as well. If you are the victim of an invasion of cats that are in the habit of shitting under your door or marking it, the problem must be solved, and the sooner the better.

There are not many variants: the absence of a door in the entrance hall or intentionally settling the cats in it. In the first case the situation is solved only by installing the door, because the constant control of outdoor cats is simply unrealistic. In the second case the situation is more complicated. The opinions of those around you are as follows:

You probably don't want to become famous as a vet or a cruel person. Nor do many people enjoy the scandals associated with the protection of animals and their role in people's lives. What should you do? First of all try to talk. An adequate person will understand the reasons for your discontent and will seek a way out. If the person is inadequate and thinks that you will suffer inconvenience, you need to act with more restraint and intelligence.

There is nothing wrong with cats living in the staircase, at least there will be no rats and mice in it. However, in order for the coexistence to be conflict-free, the "good man" should be offered the following measures:

• All cats living in the entryway should be neutered (males and females). If this point is ignored, the animals will tag the doors and breed. And very soon your problem will grow in population and scale.

• All cats living in the entryway should be treated for fleas and worming. Treatments should be done at least once every 3 months in winter and summer. Ignoring this point is very likely to lead to fleas in the basement, in the entryway, and then in the apartments.

• The bowls from which house cats eat should be washed daily and kept in a hidden place. Observance of elementary rules of cleanliness will save the health of animals and relieve residents from an unpleasant sight. Dirty bowls, especially in the summer, exude an unpleasant odor and attract insects.

Cats pooping under your door, how do you fight it?

Many owners do not know how to discourage cats from shitting in the entryway in the case when all the tails do their business under the door. Most often it's not about the necessities of nature, but about the odor tags. Cats can mark their territory:

• Urine – cats scuff their tails and splash urine, cats leave small puddles.
• Feces – during defecation, individual odorous secretions are secreted from the anal glands.
• Odor secretions from glands between their fingers and near their ears – cats sharpen their claws on doors and rub their faces.

The situation is very unpleasant and very hard to deal with…but the problem might be in your apartment. If you have an unsterilized cat living at home that walks around and calls for a male, and there is no door on the entryway, grooms will come just under your door. Since the cat won't be able to get to the female, he will leave a "letter" in the form of a tag.

The smell will attract the attention of other males and a pilgrimage will begin at your door. Similar behavior can be observed in females who are looking for a cat.. However, females tag for attention much less often than males. In addition, it is easier for a cat to find a mating partner outside.

Important! If you do not have a cat, ask your neighbors if the former owners of the apartment kept animals. It is possible that the upholstery is covered with cat's markings, the smell will be invisible for you, but discernible for the animals.

• Castrate your cat – you will solve the problem of screaming, tagging and unwanted behavior once and for all. In addition, your pet will become more affectionate and calm. Castration is known to reduce the chance of malignant tumors of the mammary glands and guarantees the absence of purulent pyometra.

• Castrate all the cats in the area – you will definitely reduce the number of stray animals in the area.

What are tags?

When cats start to pee, owners often mistake this behavior for uncleanliness. They stick their muzzle into the litter box and try to convince them that this is where they have to go. However, educational measures are ineffective, and sometimes make the situation worse. The point is that the tagging is a peculiar ritual that has nothing to do with the urge to empty the bladder.

If the cat is tagging in the apartment, the smell is intoxicating – it's not the "aroma" that comes from a dirty litter box. Studies of the fluid that males splash in the corners showed that its chemical composition is different from normal urine: there and ferromones, and hormones, and even seminal fluid. That is why it is important to distinguish between trivial unkindness and real markings. Since cats mark their territory in a peculiar way, you only have to observe the process: the cat turns its back to the object, extends its hind legs so that the liquid gets as high as possible, raises its tail and shakes it as the disgusting smelly jet splashes over the surface. Is this exactly how it works? Then you really need to know what to do if a cat is tagging corners. Or if he poops where he shouldn't, you might want to read "How to Train Your Cat to the Litter Box".

Why do cats litter?

Almost all owners, faced with the problem of tagging, think about how to teach the cat to tag territory. But few try to find out the cause of the "hooliganism". But only if we know the reason we can find the right solution in this or that situation. The main thing to remember: tagging is the strongest instinct and a way to transmit information. A cat, sniffing a stranger's mark, learns the stranger's age and sex, his territorial status, physical condition, and degree of sexual readiness. When cats start tagging their homes, they are trying to tell us something, without even realizing that humans are unable to understand the message by smell alone.

The desire to find a mate is one of the most common reasons for both cats and cats to tag. Unfortunately it is very difficult to educate our cats to overcome their natural instincts.

• Reduce the amount of protein in the food for a while;

• Treat the favorite places for "bullying" with lemon juice or a special repellent;

• put aluminum foil in the corners, on which almost all cats do not like to walk;

• Spray a liquid filled with "happy" ferromones (available at pet stores) around the apartment;

• Consult a doctor about the advisability of hormonal therapy. Blood tests are mandatory before using hormones.

But the best measure to combat the antics of a moustached cat-lover is castration. And the earlier this procedure is carried out, the better are the chances of total success (not earlier than at five months of age, because the sexual system of a cat has to be formed before the operation).

If a neutered cat flees immediately after the operation – don't worry. It takes some time for the hormones to change. A sharp decrease in sex hormones – a strong stress, so it is better to be patient, but keep the pet healthy, than to apply corrective drugs that literally shock the body. If more than three months have passed, and the situation has not changed for the better, ask the doctor why a neutered cat sweeps. Perhaps the behavioral peculiarity has nothing to do with the sexual hunt or there is a hormonal imbalance.