Making Their Mark Keeping Spot From Making Spots Indoors May Require Some Animal Psychology Or Possibly A Trip To The Vet

In polite company, there are certain, um, taboo subjects that are spelled rather than spoken, or cause awkward silences. Bodily functions top most people’s spelling lists. But it isn’t just a human problem; people hardly enjoy discussing the less-cute functions of their pets.

Of course animals “go” just like everyone else, and darn near anywhere they please in a pinch.

Unmentionables may best remain unmentioned in everyday conversation, and as long as a pet shows some restraint, it’s easy to leave well enough alone. Litter box, fine. Out in the grass, fine. In the garden? Hmm, maybe that can be discussed in the spring.

Usually, if pets hit the general spot, humans just deal with it. But if the cat starts to litter outside the box, or Spot does leg-lifts in front of the TV, then the subject is unavoidably and literally present.

The big question is, why? Why would your furriest, cuddliest friend in the world start urinating in the family’s den?

Dr. Robert Slack, a veterinarian at Manito Veterinary Hospital in Spokane, says the first charge of a pet owner when Spot suddenly starts living up to his name is to rule out medical problems, particularly if it’s geriatric.

Several medical problems are associated with inappropriate urination, Slack says. For dogs, the most common medical problems are bladder infections, kidney stones and tumors.

In cats, it’s most likely feline urological syndrome, which, if untreated, can actually kill a male cat within 24 hours when crystal formations block the exit of waste products.

Other medical causes include arthritis in the spine, which can affect the nerves in the animal’s bladder, or diabetes, which can cause greater thirst in the pet and thus more frequent urges.

Once the pet’s health is cleared and the behavior continues, an owner must wonder if the problem is accidental. Territorial marking has caused uncivilized behavior of many a cat and dog. A cat marking can be determined through observation.

“Spraying is backing up to a surface,” says Slack, whether it’s male or female.

“The tail raises, and the back-end shakes.” Spraying on a vertical surface is definitely a marking behavior.

Horizontal-surface urinating, when the cat leaves a puddle on the floor, is different. While it might not be a marking behavior, it can be part of a marking pattern, Slack says. Intact males tend to be the least tactful, and dogs don’t always discriminate between indoors and outdoors. If Spot sees a strange dog out the window, he’s likely to mark his turf on the spot rather than wait to get outside to his tree.

Marking isn’t entirely a male problem, and neutering isn’t always the perfect solution. Female cats, particularly those in heat, also mark, and neutered animals are physically capable. If marking is hormonal, which it often is, neutering will reduce or stop the behavior, but marking can be a learned behavior.

Carol A. Byrnes, director of humane education for SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. and co-owner of Diamonds in the Ruff dog training, says a dog’s personality and relationship with its owner must be considered. A dog that doesn’t respect the owner’s position as “top dog” may assert his dominance through marking.

“When it happens, he’s tagging things like a gang member around the house,” Byrnes says. If a dog doesn’t respect the owner as master, the whole relationship needs to be examined so the dog understands its role in the pack.

Byrnes combats marking behavior directly with enzymatic cleaners, which neutralize the urine.

“I do make a display of pointing it out and masking it with my scent, my spray bottle,” she says. It’s important to use an enzymatic cleaner, though. The main goal of cleaning the spot is to keep the animal from smelling its own odor and remarking the territory.

Some animals, says Slack, are anxiety sufferers and will have “accidents” when they feel anxious. Animals might start to wet when scared, when their environment changes or when a new animal enters the home.

Usually, if the change is a onetime stress, like a move, the animal eventually will adjust to the change and behavior will return to normal.

Sometimes nervous problems are treated with anxiolytics, stressreducing drugs for animals. But not all nervous pets need drugs, and it’s important to alter patterns and environments to soothe the animal, Slack says.

Some dogs wet in submission as a sign of deference to their owners, Byrnes says. Submissive wetting can also be addressed through behavioral modifications.

Building a dog’s confidence through the owner’s body language, socializing the pet and desensitizing it to the triggers (like doorbells) that make it “go belly up” can reduce submissive wetting.

“The more life experience and friends the dog has” the better, Byrnes says.

And what about a finicky cat? That feline personality trait is evident even when it comes to litter boxes, Slack says.

Sometimes they don’t like the color, scent, texture or location of their box. Simple experimentation can go a long way toward pleasing your kitty if you suspect a preference problem.

However an owner spells the problem, just remember, animals aren’t as embarrassed about “going” as humans, and if Spot’s owner gets home later than usual, Spot might have needed to “G-O” really bad.

If it happens frequently, though, a little investigation into the causes can help keep the topic from coming up in polite conversation too often.