aww they are both beautiful  :buttrf:

Gorgeous fur babies.

DO NOT use EO's as they are toxic to cats very, very quickly.  When I had a cat that was misbehaving I used vinegar and baking soda.  The vinegar does eliminate the scent and the cat won't go back there because they don't like the scent.  Baking soda boosts the scent absorption.  Something else you could do is put some citric acid on the spot and then add a water/baking soda mix.  This will work like Oxy Clean to help lift the stain as well.  Once you've absorbed all the water/urine spray it with vinegar to try and keep him from spraying there again.  If you see him back up on something with his tail up and then "quivering" - he is spraying...

I so can see why you are adopting him though - he is gorgeous....

oooh i can help here! To see exactly where he has been spraying, you need a "blacklight" UV light bulb - you know the kind that makes everything glowy? Get one and shine it around. Cat pee will show up. And then you can treat the spots with more certainty.

Also.. if that little cutie has been spraying on wood surfaces, floors, etc. you're done for as the only solution to that is to replace the offending boards :/

well, whatever it was that made him more tame, has worn off. He has reverted to ferral. I barely see him now and he has stopped spraying inside. The smell is slowly fading. The animal rescue is supposed to come round this morning, but I haven't seen a glimpse of him. He also calmed down a lot and is no longer calling and shouting all the time. He still chirps when he is outside my kitchen door to let me know he is here, but no endless crying and he no longer comes inside the house. I think I will have to cancel the animal rescue, there is no chance she will catch him.

Some travellers have moved in nearby, which I didn't know. I wonder if he came from the camp and is just lost? He still doesn't eat cat food. He doesn't even sniff at it. I have no idea what he lives on. He is skinny, but not emaciated and I saw my cat teaching him to catch grasshoppers the other day. No idea what to do about that, and just hope he finds enough food. I can't leave a bowl of food outside for him as the other 4 cats in the neighbourhood seem to think it's a free-for-all and I don't like leaving windows open for him when I am at work all day.

Awww he's gorgeous :buttrf:

Hopefully you'll find him in time for the welfare lady to pick him up.

Oh he is gorgeous!  :buttrf:

Well, I had to cancel the welfare lady. She seemed a bit miffed. But nothing I can do, he isn't a pet, I can't call him when I need him. I hope he comes round occasionally, as he is sweet and funny, but I have a feeling that he may be chased off by the resident Toms once he reaches adulthood. They only tolerate him as he is a teenager. And winter is a worry. We will see. I told the woman I will call her once he is a bit tamer. Right now trapping him (if we even get close to him) may traumatize him anyway. I know, they are keen to get him snipped so he doesn't contribute to the feral cat-population and I understand and agree, but what can we do?

Hi Lindy, hope your well.
I use EO's in dilution for a room spray and I have a cat who is a house cat, I think it is dependent on which EO's you use, and of course EO's should NEVER be directly put onto a cat, because they are, like you say toxic to cats.  Room sprays with EO's diluted in 2 1/2 x water should be fine. xx  :buttrf:

Ah good point Lisa.  Thanks for the correction.  I'm a bit reactive because there are some people who are telling people to use essential oils on cats!    I tend to stay on the side of caution... 

It's all good - Squeak has come back, although he is more often away now. He comes in to sleep, right by the window and the moment something moves he is out like a shot. I might make him a cat bed there, so he gets used to our smell.

I know about the EOs, but what makes me wonder is commercial room sprays. There are no ingredient lists on those. They could contain all sorts (and probably do), but no warning about cats.

I would never use an EO directly on a cat - what smells good to you and me most likely stinks to them, and manky old rotten fish would be a much more acceptable perfume...  :mwaha: They'd lick it off immediately anyway and I know about the fact that they metabolize smells in their liver, so I am always careful. Citronella is completely banned here.

Surprisingly the smell of the cat pee disappeared quite quick. I get a small whiff occasionally, but nothing like it was before. I am assuming he isn't re-spraying, as cats sense of smell is much better and he can still detect it. Makes me wonder if he isn't snipped after all. I am just using up my Yankee Candles for now, that will cover it for me.

I have been diuting Lavender EO in water to repel the fleas. Can't say I have noticed the difference, but it is great to spray on my ankles when they have been bitten.