An unalterred male tom

steelheart

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My Sylvester is currently intact, until next month. He is going for his first set of shots on January 31st (when I have the cash for the appointment) and will be neutered 3 weeks later.

My question is....does a male cat who is unalterred often roam through the house howling. He does it often throughout the day as well as taken to peeing on everything he can. The last thing that got peed on was my son's school bag.

When he is fixed will the peeing stop? He has a frequently cleaned and available litter box which belongs to only him
and when I clean it out I have noticed that he does use it.
The marking items with urine seems to be random and we never know what will get hit next.

Also what is a good spray on produvt that wil get rid of the cat pee smell. I came home from doing groceries and when I walked in I noticed that my house reeks of the smell. I'm glad that I don't have company over.
 

kunalen

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Hi,
I have experience here in singapore in dealing with stray tom cats that had been fixed.In some cases they have continued to spray.This is interestion as it is often claimed that spraying should stop on being fixed.So you will have to take a chance.
 

carwashcats

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how old is your kitty? I would have asked for a payment plan or something
and already done the deed! I don't know I have always neutered mine before all of that behavior began! Good Luck, and as far as ilimitating odor... go to the cat shop, click on looking for cat products by Stacie Mantle reviews
then click on Feliway and cat urinating problems on Cats on the Prowl
hope this helps!!
Monique
 

larke

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There are new enzyme products which are really good about removing the odour, however they are not really spray-on (more like pour-on and wait til dry), and I had to order mine from the U.S. I would Google "Nature's Miracle" (supposedly the best of a similar lot) for the co. info. You absolutely cannot get them up here yet (if you ever will be able to), though there are many things called 'enzyme' cleaners.. not the same stuff!
 

epona

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All the behaviour you describe is because he is not neutered.

The pacing around howling should stop once he is neutered. However the urine marking may or may not stop - sometimes if the habit is already well formed then it becomes an ingrained behaviour. Hopefully this will not be the case with Sylvester.

You should be able to get some enzyme cleaner from a pet shop, everywhere he has peed needs to be thoroughly washed with it - you should also get a black light which when used in a completely dark room will make cat urine glow, so you'll be able to make sure you get it all.

One tip I have been told by breeders is that if a cat is marking an area, clean it well with enzyme cleaner to break down the urine, then with a slightly damp cloth wipe around the cat's face, where his scent glands are in his cheeks. Then use the cloth and rub it on the area he's peed. This transfers the cat's 'friendly' scent to the area he's been marking, and he'll recognise it as being 'his' rather than a disputed area that needs marking.

It is always better to neuter before these behaviours start - I know you've already got him an appointment booked which is great, so I'm posting this for the benefit of anyone who reads this who may be putting off neutering because of the cost: ... my Sonic was neutered at just over 6 months old (the youngest we can get it done here) and had already urine-marked a couple of times. I ended up spending WAY more on enzyme cleaner, carpet cleaning, and dry cleaning than it cost me to get him neutered. Get it done as young as you can, even if it means going without something else. Leaving it could cost a LOT more.
 

goldenkitty45

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Yes, what he is doing is "marking his territory" and doing a fine job of it too
The howling is wanting to get out and find that unspayed female.

He should stop once he's neutered, but keep in mind that it could take 1-2 months before he's cleared of hormones and sperm. So he cannot be left outside as he still can get females pregnant.

I recently read about neutered males taking as long as 2 months to be "clean" - so now I'll be recommending you keep the boy from any intact females for 2 months instead of 1 month
 
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steelheart

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Originally Posted by kunalen

Hi,
I have experience here in singapore in dealing with stray tom cats that had been fixed.In some cases they have continued to spray.This is interestion as it is often claimed that spraying should stop on being fixed.So you will have to take a chance.
He does not spray. He simply sits on something and pees.
 
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steelheart

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Originally Posted by carwashcats

how old is your kitty? I would have asked for a payment plan
Sylvester is a little over one year old...about a year and 4 months.
The vet does not have a payment plan. I asked and the answer was no so I have to wait until the 31st when I will have the cash.
 
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steelheart

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Originally Posted by Larke

There are new enzyme products which are really good about removing the odour, however they are not really spray-on (more like pour-on and wait til dry), and I had to order mine from the U.S. I would Google "Nature's Miracle" (supposedly the best of a similar lot) for the co. info. You absolutely cannot get them up here yet (if you ever will be able to), though there are many things called 'enzyme' cleaners.. not the same stuff!
I have seen Nature's Miracle in stores here. I will try it.
 

iluvdevons

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Perhaps there is a low cost neuter/spay clinic in your area? I would look into other options to get the surgery done ASAP.
Originally Posted by steelheart

Sylvester is a little over one year old...about a year and 4 months.
The vet does not have a payment plan. I asked and the answer was no so I have to wait until the 31st when I will have the cash.
 

jen

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Have you tried looking for low cost places? Here it costs $25-$35 for a neuter at about 6 different places I can think of right off. Shots are $8-10 I think, I do those myself so I am not positive. I would just have him vaccinated and neutered all in one trip, leaving and coming back for two trips might trigger more territorial behavior. And if he is squatting and peeing on things have him checked for a UTI also.
 
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steelheart

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Originally Posted by Jen

Have you tried looking for low cost places? Here it costs $25-$35 for a neuter at about 6 different places I can think of right off. Shots are $8-10 I think, I do those myself so I am not positive. I would just have him vaccinated and neutered all in one trip, leaving and coming back for two trips might trigger more territorial behavior. And if he is squatting and peeing on things have him checked for a UTI also.
There are no low cost spay and nueter clinics in the Hamilton, Ontario area. The SPCA here is just *considering* starting one.
The vet across the street from me is the cheapest one. $130 for a neuter and she wants him to be vaccinated first...wait 3 weeks then neuter him and give him his final set of shots when he is being neutered.
Trust me I have telephoned everywhere that I can physically get to on a bus.

He is not squatting and peeing on things every day. It is random and I believe he is simply marking his territory.
 

goldenkitty45

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Wow - $130 for neutering? What's the price on a spay? geezzz

Maybe you should make a trip down here to the states and get him done
 
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steelheart

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Wow - $130 for neutering? What's the price on a spay? geezzz

Maybe you should make a trip down here to the states and get him done
I assume a spay would cost more and this vet is the cheapest one I have found in Hamilton.

I'd bring him down but it would be a long walk. I don't drive. LOL.
 

jen

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You know, that is really a shame that vets charge so much. No wonder people put it off so long or don't do it at all. $130 for a neuter is absured. That is really too bad. Good luck though. I hope your boy stops marking. Remember that after he is neutered, it will take anywhere from 1-2 months for his male hormones to leave his system so he may still continue marking for awhile. He can also still get females pregnant, so if you are letting him outside, don't
 

artgecko

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off-topic- Hmm.. My vet charges $145 to neuter here and she is reasonably priced considering the other vets around town. We do however, have a low cost spay/neuter available through the humane society here but I was more comfortable w/ my vet doing it.

More-on-topic- I have used nature's miracle with good success, although not on spraying (my cat had a seizure and eliminated during it) it got rid of the stain and odor. One thing I'd suggust though is to carefully follow the directions. You have to soak the area, let it sit and dry and then I think it recs spraying it again.


Art
 
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