This invention relates to an animal urine spray monitor and, more specifically, to an animal urine spraying detection and alert device for mounting on generally vertical household surfaces and the method of utilizing the animal urine spraying detection and alert device for alerting an animal owner immediately when urine spraying occurs. 
When an animal releases a spray of urine against a vertical targeted area, the behavior is called “spraying”. Animal spraying, particularly among felines, is a widespread problem, particularly in multi-cat households. When a new animal is introduced into the environment, as an instinctual reaction to protect its territory, an existing resident may begin to spray immediately or at a later time. Left untreated, urine spraying typically causes severe damage to household furnishings, creates extremely unpleasant home odors, and reduces the resale value of the home. 
The owner of a urine spraying animal is faced with the difficult choice of either getting rid of the offending animal or trying to contain and control the problem. Most pet owners would choose to control the situation, given effective tools for doing so, rather than parting with an animal with which they may have closely bonded. 
Spraying behavior in felines can be unpredictable and difficult to monitor. Many cats are nocturnal in nature and may spray while their owners are asleep. Quick and difficult to follow, a cat can spray within seconds and disappear, making detection by human observation very difficult and time consuming. 
Existing products and treatments to address the problem of spraying are varied. Cleaning products are marketed specifically for treating and eliminating offending stains and odors. Sterilization of the animal is promoted as a solution. Other methods include: a product that simulates cat's facial pheromones (U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,863); a shield for protecting areas from urine spray (U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,188); and garments with absorbent pads that are worn by the animals (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,005,525 and 5,226,386). Treating cats  with drug therapy and working with professional animal behaviorists are also commonly advocated as corrective measures. Each of these methods has limited effectiveness. 
As male cats reach sexual maturity, they may start marking their territory. Females in heat may mark areas with their scent by releasing their urine when in heat to attract males in the vicinity. Cats already in the habit of spraying may continue that behavior after being sterilized. Because urine spraying is a form of territorial marking, neutered male and female cats feeling threatened or stressed may begin spraying even after they have been sterilized. Sterilization often reduces the incidence of feline spraying, but in many cases the spraying behavior continues. 
The stress level of the animal is often a factor in spraying behavior. Stressful events, such as fighting with another resident animal, may cause the animal to become more defensive and protective of its territory, thus initiating spraying or causing more frequent spraying. Veterinarians often recommend anti-anxiety medications to reduce the stress level of spraying cats. While some cats respond positively to drug therapy, others do not respond, become lethargic, or have negative reactions to the medications, most of which were originally prescribed for humans. As with humans, extended administration of these drugs can endanger the cat's health; monitoring the cat's health through repeated trips to the veterinarian becomes extremely expensive. 
Professional therapists who attempt to stop a cat from spraying may or may not be successful, depending on the individual cat. Furthermore, most cat owners cannot afford the expense of a personal cat therapist. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,863 (Pageat) uses a chemical composition formulation that mimics cats' facial pheromones. The product is designed to calm the feline, and is designed to prevent repeated spraying in a particular area. This product is applied directly over any sprayed locations as well any possible future spraying locations and can to be beneficial in reducing or curing spraying. Some cats however will ignore the pheromone, depending upon their stress level and spraying habits. To be effective, the product must be applied frequently in many locations, becoming too cost prohibitive for many cat owners. Successful use of the product is difficult in situations with a prolific spraying cat, or in households with multiple cats displaying marking behavior. The lack of a means for easily monitoring a treated area adds to the difficulty of follow-up evaluation. 
In an attempt to prevent urine damage to surfaces, U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,188 (Corley) addresses the urine spraying issue via a shield device. The device, a spraying property  protector, is comprised of a splash wall and trough to catch the urine. Narrow vertical objects, including most furniture legs, could not be equipped with this device. The device has no means of notifying the pet owner when the spraying occurs. If left unattended, urine collected in the trough produces an odor intolerable to many cat owners. 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,005,525 (Stanton) and 5,226,386 (Thomas), disclose an animal marking and urination control training device and an absorbent urine detecting device, respectively, that are worn by a dog or other domesticated animal to prevent marking or to train the animal to be housebroken. These animal garments both include absorbent panel assemblies for absorbing urine and the Thomas garment also includes electronics for detecting urine in the absorbent panel that activates an audio alarm. Although these garments can prevent urine spraying by an animal, to prevent urine spraying, the animal must wear these animal garments. The placement of these garments on an animal can be stressful for the animal and make an already disturbed animal more anxious causing additional behavioral problems. The use of such garments also requires the washing and other maintenance of the garments and the disposal of the absorbent pads. 
While the above discussed chemical treatment, shield, and absorbent animal garments are useful to varying degrees in combating the urine spraying problems encountered with certain animals, there has remained a need for a monitoring device to detect a spraying of urine by an animal and immediately alert the owner of a spraying occurrence without requiring the animal to wear a garment. 