There are several cats that live in the fields near my parents' house. It all started with one, Bobtail that I had found as a kitten at my apartment. I had it out there en route to a shelter when my dad accidentally opened the carrier. It now lives on their property and has attracted 2 female cats who have since had kittens. We've gotten most of the cats spayed/neutered that we could trap, luckily all of the females. We have a total of 7 now that live on our property. We have two unneutered males, Bobtail and Cletus. Cletus is the sweetest boy, stays around the house much of the time, but Bobtail wants to run him off. He used to not care much about Cletus, but now he corners him and runs him off. Cletus was gone for two days, but finally came back, and now we have him in the garage. It's been really snowy so he's hanging out here with the kittens (we have two 7 month old cats that stay in the garage at night and in inclement weather). We'd like to get Cletus neutered since it would likely keep him from roaming after female cats. I just want to know if this will keep Bobtail from running him off. The vet seems to think that once Bobtail sees him as an enemy, he'll run him off upon sight. But I thought they responded to scent? Even though Cletus is in the garage, Bobtail knows he's around because he's spraying around the deck. He doesn't mind Fuzz, who is our neutered 7-month old. But will that change once Fuzzy grows up? We should've gotten Clet neutered before he became an adult, but he was so docile and Bobtail never minded him. He still never fights back when Bobtail goes after him. I really want Cletus to be able to stay here since it is his home, but Bobtail is conditioned to run off male cats. He ran off his son, Longtail, who found a home at the farm next door. We are probably going to go ahead and get Cletus neutered now that we have him here, but will things change? I wish we could keep him indoors, but my cat is very difficult and detests just the smell of other cats. I plan on moving out to an apartment again soon, so maybe my parents can move him indoors then. He is a very sweet boy, the friendliest cat I've ever seen. I don't want him to get toughened up by being chased all the time. I'm afraid he'll start fighting and get harmed. Will things change once he is neutered?
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Male cats and territory issues
- Thread starter maiseycat
- Start Date
He is far more likely to get hurt in a fight if he is NOT neutered than if he is.
I'm confused though - why not neuter Bobtail too? You don't want him to roam or get stray females pregnant either do you? Bobtail will be less territorial if he's neutered, so you'd run less of a risk of him trying to run off Cletus. Neutering them stops the wandering, stops the drive to fight for females and makes them less territorial and less aggressive - so why not neuter them both?
I'd get them both neutered!
Laurie
I'm confused though - why not neuter Bobtail too? You don't want him to roam or get stray females pregnant either do you? Bobtail will be less territorial if he's neutered, so you'd run less of a risk of him trying to run off Cletus. Neutering them stops the wandering, stops the drive to fight for females and makes them less territorial and less aggressive - so why not neuter them both?
I'd get them both neutered!
Laurie
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
We can't catch Bobtail. He is quite wild, much more than Cletus. We have a humane animal trap, but he will not go in it. He really would only visit our house once or twice a day and spend the rest of the time in the fields, but only has been hanging around because he's trying to run off Cletus. Even if we could trap him, we're afraid Longtail or another male cat would come and claim his territory.Originally Posted by LDG
He is far more likely to get hurt in a fight if he is NOT neutered than if he is.
I'm confused though - why not neuter Bobtail too? You don't want him to roam or get stray females pregnant either do you? Bobtail will be less territorial if he's neutered, so you'd run less of a risk of him trying to run off Cletus. Neutering them stops the wandering, stops the drive to fight for females and makes them less territorial and less aggressive - so why not neuter them both?
I'd get them both neutered!
Laurie
But to trap and neuter him - and release him - he'd only be gone for like a day or two.
There are ways to trap kitties that are difficult to trap. If you're interested, we've got suggestions you may not have tried.
In the meantime, I'd go ahead and get Cletus neutered.
Laurie
There are ways to trap kitties that are difficult to trap. If you're interested, we've got suggestions you may not have tried.
In the meantime, I'd go ahead and get Cletus neutered.
Laurie
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
No, I mean as a neutered cat, he wouldn't fight anymore to keep his territory. He'd likely be run off by Longtail or another male. I've heard it's always good to have one tomcat around to keep away other males. He may eventually roam to find females, and I guess that is what he'll have to do. I just hope he doesn't bring them here! We've spayed at least 6 cats already, and I seriously don't think can afford to take anymore in (I know I can't!). Cletus will be our last one if we decide to get him done.
I don't know where you live, but there may be shelters, groups or services within a reasonable distance that can provide low-cost spaying/neutering services.
I've been working in cat rescue for six years now, and unfortunately I think you've been misinformed about keeping an un-neutered male around. I've never heard anyone recommending this, and certainly there are no groups practicing trap-neuter-release that would recommend this strategy. It's very unclear to me why you think Longtail or any other cat would run him off the territory.
It's really wonderful of you and your family to have spayed/neutered the cats on your property - but I find it really sad that you'll go to this extent and then leave an un-neutered male able to get a female pregnant - creating more homeless cats that can have more homeless cats - and just hope it becomes someone else's problem.
Someone that's been working in cat rescue for probably close to 20 years at this point has pointed this out to other people:
I really encourage you to rethink your strategy here.
To search for low-cost spay/neuter services:
http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html
http://www.pets911.com/services/spay.../locations.php
To search for shelters, groups, or programs in your area that may help or that may have low-cost spay/neuter services:
http://www.pets911.com/organizations/organizations.php
You can also search for TNR groups that may have access to low-cost spay/neuter services:
http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html
http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/
Best of luck,
Laurie
I've been working in cat rescue for six years now, and unfortunately I think you've been misinformed about keeping an un-neutered male around. I've never heard anyone recommending this, and certainly there are no groups practicing trap-neuter-release that would recommend this strategy. It's very unclear to me why you think Longtail or any other cat would run him off the territory.
It's really wonderful of you and your family to have spayed/neutered the cats on your property - but I find it really sad that you'll go to this extent and then leave an un-neutered male able to get a female pregnant - creating more homeless cats that can have more homeless cats - and just hope it becomes someone else's problem.
Someone that's been working in cat rescue for probably close to 20 years at this point has pointed this out to other people:
It is the caring of a colony in and of itself that attracts the cats - and having any animals that are not neutered or spayed that will encourage the fighting. Having an un-neutered male is not preventing other cats from coming to the property - it is simply increasing the chances that there will be aggression, fighting and injuries among the cats there and the cats that come there. If there is a source of food, if they're around, they'll come - fertile Tom or not.
I really encourage you to rethink your strategy here.
To search for low-cost spay/neuter services:
http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html
http://www.pets911.com/services/spay.../locations.php
To search for shelters, groups, or programs in your area that may help or that may have low-cost spay/neuter services:
http://www.pets911.com/organizations/organizations.php
You can also search for TNR groups that may have access to low-cost spay/neuter services:
http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html
http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/
Best of luck,
Laurie
About your first question: Neutering Cletus. Yes, of course.
He will not be chased as much by fertile tomcats being neutered.
who knows, perhaps even your own homecat will accept him.
But over all; he is apparently a first rate candidate to be a home cat. With you, your parents or somebody else.
But neuter preferably Bobtail too.
He will not be chased as much by fertile tomcats being neutered.
who knows, perhaps even your own homecat will accept him.
But over all; he is apparently a first rate candidate to be a home cat. With you, your parents or somebody else.
But neuter preferably Bobtail too.
