trying to understand this cat

I have 2 tomcats in my colony....

The one was very aggressive towards the others for months.... however once I started petting him he stopped.

This other cat is worst... he has hissed at me a few times and I've seen him attack the others more viciously than the other cat ever did

In fact these 2 used to go after each other.... until one day I saw them rubbing each other. Now every morning they run to each other and then walk side by side. But this 2nd guy is still attacjking the others. What is going on??

He has rubbed my leg quickly. Do I need to show him affection also or do I even matter in all this

Here the other thing.... it took him a long time to get close to me.... now that I can see his ear... it doesn't look clipped... he may not be fixed. I am planning on trapping him in the next week to be sure

Thanks....

If he's not neutered, that explains it. He's still got his territory horomones running at full tilt.

Yeah, I think Im mostly confused about why he is now best friends with the other tom.

I dont know much about this (obviously) but i would think the territory issue would be mostly between them.

Its really cute though - but I was saddened to see him go after another cat again - I thought he was over it completely.

Even tomcats can have buddies. Especially if one of them is neutered. In my groups, there's one tom I can't catch, and he and one of the neutered males are best friends. Hopefully, the one tom will stop going after the others once he's neutered.

Cats can have really complicated social structures. However, hormones do play a big role. My guess is the one he's friendly with is just the right mix of aggressive and submissive, and whoever he's attacking isn't.

Our Chumley was so aggressive outside the ferals stopped coming to eat. It took them three days to come back after he was removed from the colony. We trapped him, got him neutered - found out he was FIV positive. Did a slow intro - but now that he's inside, he is mister I love cats. I think neutering will go a long way to help your tom.

Originally Posted by m935

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ow that I can see his ear... it doesn't look clipped... he may not be fixed. .

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Do you mean that the cat's ears are clipped after neutering? I didn't know that.

Originally Posted by Primula

Do you mean that the cat's ears are clipped after neutering? I didn't know that.

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It is common on TNR:ed cats, they do clip a little when the cat is still asleep, usually an invards pointed triangle, in one of the ears.
So it will be plain visible this cat IS neutered, and thus - no need to catch it again for TNR-neutering.

That makes total sense. I did not know that and will look out for it in future since there are lots of stray cats in Hartford.

Yeah when i first saw this guy he wouldnt come anywhere near me. i used binoculars and saw his ear was cut....

Months later - when I was sure he was fixed I just happen to look closely at his ear and realized... it didnt look clipped at all - maybe a bite wound. in fact its the shape of a "w" but not deep enough to be the normal cut.

HOWEVER, this is a weird looking cat and I remember trapping a cat thinking how odd looking he was - none of the others look like him. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN PICTURES!!!

SO.... thats why Im so confused on this one. AND i did try to trap him a few months ago when he was hurt and he wouldnt go anywhere near the trap. Its seems to me like neutered cats are more nervous of the traps.

But i guess when i think about it - his ear should tell me everything - UNLESS and i did ask this before.. if the ear could grow back?

Thanks LDG - you explained that well. I do get a laugh seeing these 2 tough guys together -especially when they rub each other and then start walking together still touching.

AND he did rub my leg again today - Im a bit nervous of him though because hes MUCH nastier than the other once was. Ill give him a few more days and then.... try to pet him. In my other post it was suggested that maybe that will work to help him deal w/ the others since the other tom was just like that.

And when you pet him, he'll probably put his tail up, and you can take a peek back there to see if he's neutered or not .