Starting to absorbe the Idea

You know by now that I am having a difficult time with the neutering of my orange Tabby Tiger. Since my last posts and your replies I have been thinking it over. I sense that Tiger may be very preoccupied with thoughts of mating. I need a little push. I can't seem to grasp why male cats couldn't live happily without getting castrated. Tiger doesn't go outside other than when I walk him on his leash and harness.

A non castrated male cat is MUCH more likely to Fight, Escape to mate a female in heat .
He is NOT thinking about mating , cats do not think like humans in that regard but his constant hormones have him "smelling" for a female in heat .


Fighting = Higher chance of catching disease like Fiv , Felv and absesses from cuts ... all of which lead to a DRAMATICALLY decreased lifespan and VERY high VET bills .. Not to mention discomfort to him

Searching for a female in heat = Him roaming much farther from home if allowed out regularly ... HIGH possibility of him running out of the house if normally an indoor cat ... Risks are the same as fighting plus the roaming can also increase risk being hit by a car

For an indoor male SPRAYING is a big issue ... It smell s much worse than a castrated cat and is likely to be done all over the house

2. Please make sure to spay and neuter your cats. Unless you are a professional breeder and your cat is part of a professional breeding program, please educate yourself to the importance of spaying and neutering by the time your cat is 4-6 months old. If you take care of a feral colony, please make sure to do so responsibly by practicing TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) protocols within the colony. By spaying and neutering, you enhance a cat's quality of life and improve their longterm health. You are also proving your love for cats because in acting as a responsible pet owner/caregiver you are minimizing the problem of cat overpopulation.

Leaving him intact makes it far more likely he'll spray. If he does get outside, he will be adding to overpopulation, and could easily get into fights (getting injured, contracting disease, or worse yet getting killed). You decrease their risk of various cancers. I've seen hundreds of un-neutered males surrendered to the shelter here for aggression, spraying, & other behaviors that would've been stopped by neutering. Having 2 intact toms - should a female in heat be anywhere nearby (within miles), they are far more likely to fight with each other. If they know a female is in heat - they will try to get outside.

Honestly, it's a very simple procedure with many many benefits. I've been through many of my own cats & foster cats being neutered - most don't know the difference, and I do think their lives are better for it.

I do think you'll both be much happier if he's neutered. He won't miss anything, and he'd be far more content. I think it's mean to "tease" males by leaving them intact and not allowing them to mate....but of course they can't be allowed to mate because there aren't enough homes for the kittens.....much better to neuter them.

Plus, if you have another male, there's a chance they could seriously hurt each other because of that mating instinct. They'll be competing for the "chance" (even if there's no chance) to mate, and one or both could get hurt.

A cat can't miss anything, other than the company of another cat or person they have bonded with. That involves mental processes they aren't capable of.

A neutered male cat is less smelly, less aggressive, and less prone to any number of diseases and injuries.

The vast majority of cats that get thrown out of their accustomed house are intact males or females whose secondary sexual characteristics become unbearable for their well-meaning owners.

Do your cat a favor. Give him the snip.

What they said! There isn't any reason not to do it, and a ton of reasons in favor. Cats' sexual behavior is biological not mental. They don't think about sex. They have an urge to mate because their hormones tell them to do it. Once he's neutered that urge will leave him and he will be a much happier cat afterward.

My goodness, ditto everything! It is not even an issue to me. There are no good reasons not to neuter, unless you are a breeder. It goes without saying that all my cats get neutered. Have you ever smelled a house that has a male cat spraying in it? You cannot have company come over and is very very unhealthy. I know my neighbor's house is like that. Please don't have second thoughts. It is the mark of a responsible cat owner to neuter and spay. If you love them, it is up to you to give them a healthy, happy life.

I don't think you will be able to find a responsible, loving cat person who would condone leaving male cats intact. (other than breeders).

Please neuter him for his sake.

And do it soon, because if he starts spraying, it could be difficult to get him to stop even when he is neutered.

With male kittens, I prefer to wait to neuter them until they have JUST hit maturity, somewhere around 6 months. You can tell when their urine starts to smell strong, like a tom's. On that same day, the very first time I smell it (and I sniff daily), I try to make the neutering appt for the NEXT DAY. You can't mess around, or you end up with a spraying tom.

The advantage of this, I've read, is that you'll have a cat with more "male" characteristics, but not the spraying. His bone structure will be heavier, his face will be broader, with a more "masculine" look, and most important, his urethra will be more developed and wider, so he should be less likely to have problems with crystals and blockages later in life. Having had a cat who needed an orchidectomy (look it up or imagine the worst thing that can happen to a guy!), I consider it an ounce of prevention.

That said, it's a controversial choice; not everyone thinks it's necessary to wait or that urinary issues are preventable with later neutering. My newest kitten was trapped, neutered, and released before he was 8 weeks old (and then trapped again and adopted out to be me). A quality diet should help reduce the potential for urinary problems for him.

I must also mention that he's a very manly little guy, with a marked resemblance to George Clooney. There's nothing sissy about neutering a cat, if that's at the secret root of any of your concerns!

Here's another approach. Unless this cat is being bred (only pedigree cats should be allowed to!), he's not going to be happy intact, either. He won't be able to do what his hormones are telling him to do. Instead this could end up just making him more frustrated, and who knows where that could get redirected.

Get him neutered, give him less to worry about so he can just enjoying being a cat.

Has he been to the vet? Have you discussed neutering, for both health and behavioral reasons, with a vet?

Originally Posted by Bunnelina

I must also mention that he's a very manly little guy, with a marked resemblance to George Clooney.

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Definitely neuter him. You will both be much happier. If he is not neutered, he WILL spray. Once he starts, he may never stop even if you have him done later. Imagine skunk spray all over your house. Its that smelly.

He will also greatly decrease his chances of testicular cancer and many other health problems. Not to mention he will likely become a much calmer, friendlier cat. Until it is done, he can think of nothing but his hormones.

There is absolutely no good reason NOT to do it, and tons of reasons why you should, the sooner the better.