# male spraying



## Duster (Nov 27, 2009)

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this post or not but it does pertain to breading. Its something every breeder might have to deal with so I figured this is a good place for the post... Anyways I was wondering what is the chance a male cats will spray? I know that an unentered cat has a much higher chance that it will spray on things especially when its around other cats, such as the female and kittens. The reason I ask is because me and my girlfriend bought a perfect healthy little male persian and really want to get into breeding these cats as a fun hobby, but it sorta takes the fun out of it when the cat pees all over our house.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Unneutered male cats are very likely to spray. It's atypical for one not to.

I was going to move this thread to Behavior until I read your last line....there is a lot more involved in breeding cats than 'a fun hobby'. The first question is whether your kitten is breeding quality? You need to know the characteristics you're breeding for and trying to avoid...especially with Persians, crossing the wrong pair could create a litter of kittens with some really severe breathing problems. You need to make sure you are not inbreeding beyond a certain percentage. You need to understand genetics, what traits will be dominate and which are recessive. Are you prepared for the medical bills and financial commitment to breeding? Most good breeders will tell you that it's a losing proposition financially. 

If you're really interested in breeding, you should find a breeder who is willing to be your mentor. Who can evaluate your cat and teach you all the ins and outs. To do anything less would make you a backyard breeder (a nasty term in the breeding world) who is not breeding for the good of the breed and is doing nothing more than contributing to cat overpopulation.


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## Duster (Nov 27, 2009)

The question was more about spraying cats. If so many people breed purebred indoor non caged cats is this just something you all deal with? You have your cleaning methods and just constantly clean the pee? I understand all the risks. We did our research and found a reputable breeder. The reason I said hobby was because that's all it really is. I understand that a good breeder doesn't start breeding to make money. I agree a mentor would be a great idea we just haven't got that far yet. We mainly wanted to know how breeders deal with the spraying issue?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

It seems to me, that a lot of breeders keep an outdoor, climate controlled, easy to clean/sanitize "cattery" to house their stud-cats with an attached "yard" so the cat has room to play and exercise at ground level and shelves/perches higher along the sides of the enclosure and perhaps a tree limb/trunk to scratch/climb. I also think the stud-cats *are* allowed inside for socialization and family-time purposes, but the cat is *very* well watched to prevent any spraying in the house.
_The only problem I have with that particular set-up is that it limits the amount of time the stud cat gets to spend indoors with the family and weather can limit the amount of time the family spends outdoors in the enclosure with their stud cat._

Most breeders need to show their cats if they wish to be successful in their endeavor to breed cats that reach the "breed standard". Showing also helps to be certain they are breeding in the right direction and that their cats are growing into the conformationally correct cats the breed likes to promote as a whole. Showing your breeding stock is a way of *proving* your bloodlines and allows an impartial judge to evaluate your cats without any bias. Accomplishments in the show ring can translate to the determination of kitten-worth from your litters.


Please pardon us here at CatForum. Many of us rescue and volunteer to foster, tame and socialize cats who have suffered due to the rampant cat overpopulation problem and we are leery of peeps who say they wish to 'breed'. We are a bit gun-shy and tend to ask pointed questions to learn of a person's intents. No one here will have a problem with you if you are a conscientious breeder, breeding registered stock and selling organization registered, healthy vet-checked and conformationally correct kittens/cats that meet the breed standard to clients. All others ... we suspect and do have strong feelings about contributing to the cat overpopulation problem ... though we try very hard to remain polite.
h =^..^=


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## Sol (Feb 20, 2003)

Generally it's more likely a fertile male will sprat than that he won't. On the plus side for you, your cat is a Persian and they're quite known as "low fertile" cats meaning they often mature late and many males won't spray.

I've had both spraying and non spraying males and a spraying male is tough to manage. Here in Sweden most breeders keep all theor cats, even studs, indoors in their homes. Spraying males therefor often get neutered quickly. They breed a few females in a short time and are neutered.

Sometimes they're managed with hormones. Until now medroxyprogesterone has been widely used in studs and sometimes it stops the spraying, though not always. Nowadays more and more breeders here go with Suprelorin. It's an implant that excrete a gonadotropine agonist that'll chemically neuter the stud 'til the implant has dissolved. The stud is neutered for 6-12 months and then he's back to normal.

I put pants on my spraying male. The type you use on cats in heat. With a sanitary pad in the pants it actuarally worked well having a spraying male indoors.


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## Vanessa (Feb 26, 2009)

I have a 2 y.o. persian stud who doesn't spray (keep fingers crossed). When I was looking for a stud I was asking about genetics - whether father/grandfather sprayed etc. The breeder assured me my cat would never spray and seems like she was right (again, fingers crossed).

According to persian breeders it's much more common for a persian FEMALE to spray than for a male - something for you to consider.

I wanted to do the breeding but changed my mind - it takes too much emotionally, phisically, financially etc., and I'm just not ready for that. Although my cat is CFA Grand Champion and doing very well at shows.

My main problem with breeding that I get emotionally attached to my cats and I don't think I'll ever be able to "retire" a cat... and I do not see myself living with 25 persian cats and take care of all of them either. So now I have 2 cats, show them (fun hobby!) and... that's all. Eventually I may breed my male to my friend's female(s) and let the offsprings continue the bloodlines with their future owners.


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