spraying

I am at the end of my rope. I have 4 cats, all female. One of them has been spraying in the house for over a year. She is 2 years old, spayed. She was bron and raised here at my home. She trys to dominate but is unsuccessful. She and one of her sisters are in a constant battle. Honestly, none of the other cats really like her.
she will mark anywhere. Against the wall, the couch, the door etc. I clean and clean and clean. \
She is on mediccation to control her anxiety but it has stopped working. I am trying to place her in a single cat house but with no luck. She is very sweet with me but otherwise is pretty miserable. Any ideas??

RESPONSE:

Poor baby! She likely can sense that "nobody likes her" and lashes out as a way of feeling more in control. She needs to have her confidence and sense of security built up.
Feed her in a seperate area from the others (like the other side of the room). Make sure there are plenty of high up places and hiding spots so all of the cats can get away from each other. Provide more interactive play and provide solitary play toys like little mice, feeder balls, puzzle boxes, etc.
You might also want to try some Bach Flower or Spirit Essences (click the links on the left to read more) for all of the cats to calm the tension in the household. Often, just trying to treat one cat does not work. The rest of them are feeling anxiety and stress as well which increases the stress in the already unhappy cat.
Be sure you are using an enzymatic cleaner specifically formulated to get out cat urine odor. Not any cleaner will do the trick.
Make sure she is not being prevented from getting to the litter boxes. Place several boxes in different areas of the house that provide some privacy so she will feel safe and secure doing her business there. Using the litter box makes cats feel vulnerable and she may be uncomfortable using them.
These are just a few basic suggestions. Try them for a few weeks and see if you notice any improvement. She has learned that this behavior works for her and has been doing it for a long time so it will take a while before she feels secure enough to stop doing it.

Donna
House Full Cats Mom