Urine spraying and marking in cats is a normal communication behavior that often indicates welfare problems including stress, social conflict, and inadequate territory, requiring environmental rather than punitive solutions.
Cats that spray indoors are typically experiencing significant stress, most commonly from social conflict with other cats or inadequate territorial resources. From a welfare perspective, spraying is a symptom requiring investigation rather than a behavioral problem to suppress. Punishment is entirely counterproductive, increasing anxiety and potentially damaging the human-animal bond. Addressing the underlying cause - whether social dynamics, new animals in the neighbourhood, or environmental stressors - is both the ethical and effective approach.