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I've taken in a stray cat who is an intact male. I'm estimating his age at less than 2 years, but I don't have experience with young cats. He is at the vet today and will hopefully be neutered (it depends on their schedule).
Since intact tomcats are notorious for territorial marking, how long will that behavior last after he's been neutered? We've been keeping him in the garage, but it would be easier to keep him in a spare bedroom. I just don't want him to spray inside my house.
From http://www.vetinfo.com/why-cat-spraying-after-neutering.html#b
Cat spraying is a common problem and in most cases may be stopped by neutering the cat. Typically, over 90% of cats stop spraying within 6 months after the neutering procedure. However, even neutered cats may spray; typically this is due to a medical condition or stress.
Please note though that there is a small chance the cat will continue to spray out of habit:
In rare cases, cats may continue to spray and this behavior is not linked to any medical condition. Typically, these cats are neutered at a more advanced age, when the cat has already developed a habit out of spraying.
