Hermaphrodite Cat

cmrethwisch

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Okay everyone,

I recently took in a 14 yr old cat that was about to be shipped off to the pound(the home found out the new daughter had a severe allergy to cats).

It turns out she has both parts, but is predominately female. She's been having some bizarre behaviors and I haven't gotten her into a vet yet. (still processing financial assistance paperwork) I found out this cats previous owners never took her to a vet but I was wondering if there is any information that would be helpful with this type of cat?

I have had cats my whole life but never one with this special situation. Until I can get her to a vet I am really at a loss for some of her behaviors.

Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? I would love to hear from anyone and especially anyone with this type of cat!

Thanks!

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jcat

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I don't suppose you know whether she's been "fixed"? We took in a " spayed female" that turned out to be a hermaphrodite - the original owner didn't understand the vet due to a language barrier. Anyway, ZsaZsa was a cryptoorchid (had undescended testicles) and had to have exploratory surgery to be castrated, too. It wasn't necessary due to behavioral issues, but because of an increased risk of cancer.
 

mservant

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I don't have experience of a cat with this situation but jcat's experience and thoughts are certainly what first comes to my mind.

Because of the cancer risks from  undecended testicles is certainly be something to have checked out as soon as you can  if you think she may have these.  

Are you able to describe her behaviours at all?  Do you think they might relate to hormone differences?

One thing I am very sure of is that this cat looks absolutly gorgeous.  Very pretty and very fit. I hope you find she is well regardless of her ususual physical situation and that you are able to make sense of the behaviours you are observing.  
 
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cmrethwisch

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I don't suppose you know whether she's been "fixed"? We took in a " spayed female" that turned out to be a hermaphrodite - the original owner didn't understand the vet due to a language barrier. Anyway, ZsaZsa was a cryptoorchid (had undescended testicles) and had to have exploratory surgery to be castrated, too. It wasn't necessary due to behavioral issues, but because of an increased risk of cancer.
Her previous owner said she was told she was fixed before she got her at 12 weeks old. So before the kitten was 12 weeks. 
 
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cmrethwisch

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I don't have experience of a cat with this situation but jcat's experience and thoughts are certainly what first comes to my mind.

Because of the cancer risks from  undecended testicles is certainly be something to have checked out as soon as you can  if you think she may have these.  

Are you able to describe her behaviours at all?  Do you think they might relate to hormone differences?

One thing I am very sure of is that this cat looks absolutly gorgeous.  Very pretty and very fit. I hope you find she is well regardless of her ususual physical situation and that you are able to make sense of the behaviours you are observing.  
Her behavior's:    

Constant meowing and I mean absolutely CONSTANT!

- she meows for hours on end most of the time. Unless she is eating or sleeping... she's meowing. This is the worst problem. It is like having a new born with colic and im losing my mind.

She drools a lot? and when she shakes her head she almost spits drool all over.

- I've never had a cat do this (it could be completely normal)

She refuses to eat dry food, she wouldn't eat for two days because all I gave her was dry food.

- I've even tried mixing dry food with wet food and she isn't having it.

She wont stop pooing in the tub.

- I've gone through 4 litter boxes, and she still tries the tub. She will use the box just fine but if anyone leaves the bathroom door open I come home to a disaster in the bathroom.

She throws herself down...

- she never just lays down its always this dramatic throwing of herself (which is very funny to me but also bizarre)

She WILL NOT drink any water except the running faucet.

- I've tried those bowls that have constant running water... nothing. I obviously cant leave a sink running all day so I'm having to remember to grab her a few times a day and take her to the sink.

She seems to be semi-nocturnal, she is active a lot at night I can tell and when I'm at work all day I have no idea what she does. (I almost want to record her for the day to make sure she isn't sleeping all-day.

She is up every stinking morning at 5 am meowing her dang head off.

- my boyfriend wont stay at my house anymore because we absolutely cant sleep in.

- even if I get up and feed her at 5am as soon as she is done she is back in our room meowing and walking all over him(she seems to prefer men)

- I've tried feeding her and then shutting the door to our room, and she sits outside the door scratching it and meowing.

I don't know if she's just a pain in the butt or if some of this is hormonal based. I've had cats my whole life, and I've never had a cat do these behaviors and maybe that's why they are so bizarre to me.
 
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cmrethwisch

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We do love her to pieces, and I feel the need to add that even though I'm complaining about her! HAHA

She's so pretty and just a classy old girl, but some of these behaviors don't work.
 

mservant

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The poop in bath thing I experienced once before - a flat I used to visit with a former partner whose sister rented there.  The landlady's cat did this.  NO idea why.  I figured it was easier for cleaning up than some spot on the carpet, or if she peed everywhere (which she dutifully used her litter for) but really not a nice thought.  Only thing I could think of was she somehow liked the smooth surface and the poop not being covered as a kind of territorial thing - or maybe she learned that humans cleaned up quicker after her if she did it there? I don't think anyone there was bothered enough to try and change the behaviour sadly.  Have you tried leaving her a tray without any litter in, in the bath tub?  (You'd probably need a rubber mat or something to stop it slipping).

Generally the behaviours do sound like natural cat, but more natural Siamese cat given Siamese and Oriental cats tend to be somewhat more vocal than others.  That and possilby some heat behaviours in there as her meowing could be linked to calling.

The nocturnal habits, early morning wake-up and looking for a love-in with her favourite human, and being particular about what food she will eat all make for very regular reading around TCS and I have my own experiences with the fussy eating and night time crazies.  

For the drooling, it can sometimes relate to dental / mouth health issues, but is also linked to treading / kneading behaviours with some cats and I have read this is most often when a cat has been seperated from the mother very early.  I have had a couple of friends with cats who have done this.  They didn't find a way to stop it but once you were aware you could prepare and always keep tissues handy so you could catch the saliva before it got to your clothes.

Running water is this home's drink of choice too.  Nothing but tap will do thank you - unless it is a human's fresh glass of bed time water when they're not looking.  (Never ever take a sip from a glass of water by my bed if it's been there over night LoL).  Kitchen tap or bath tap he doesn't mind, but tap it must be.  He will drink from a little syringe if it's hand held too - thank you. Poor neglected soul of a cat that my critter is. 
   He will even try and wake a human up in the middle of the night if he's particularly in need of some fresh water, so they will go to the kitchen and turn the tap to a drip for him.

The one behaviour which is different is her throwing herself down.  LoL.  Drama queen.  
   Have you ever noticed anything different about how she moves or walks, to suggest any stiffness in her back or in her rear legs?   My previous cat had to sort of throw herself down as she got more arthritic and her joints stiffened.

If you can get to a vet with your gorgeous girl I think it would be good for her - esp to check out her mouth, her joints, and any possible residual hormones along with internal organs that should be checked for possible health concerns.   I couldn't agree with you more - she is one pretty and classy cat. 
 

mservant

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   Yes, I do think you have a sassy cat!   And the other funny thing I just remembered is that the kitty that used to poop in the bath here was a white cat with tabby tail, she looked very like your diva!  (What is her name by the way?)   So happy you are now feeling there isn't something wrong with your cat - she is special for sure, but I don't think there is anything wrong with her.  Best getting a couple of things checked out health-wise but other than that she sounds like a real character and your home is going to be a fun (if early rising) place to be with her about. 


I hope you can persuade her that a tray is a better place for her to poop, if only because it will be easier cleaning for you.  

One thing with Mouse is he seems to prefer food and water that is on the move - he has a strong play drive / hunt instinct despite having no idea what to do with a prey if he gets it - he likes his dry food thrown and on the move almost as much as he does his water running.  I sometimes think this is related to his having feline herpes and a rubbish sense of smell to go with his not so great cats' eyes.  It would be interesting if you find your cat prefers to have her food on the move too - if Mouse does give in and eat food from his bowl he generally picks the biscuit out and paws it around before he crunches it.
 
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cmrethwisch

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Victoria Rose is her new name! My daughter made a list and narrowed it down to a first and middle name she said it was a serious job HAHA... very important. The previous owners named her (a$$hole) which would NOT cut it for this pretty girl. What do you think about her possibly having some Siamese ancestry/genes?

She wont even go near dried food anymore... She was starving this afternoon when I went to check on her at lunch. She looked sluggish this morning so I stopped by and she was starving(or at least acted like she was seconds from dying of starvation). I ran out and was going to pick up more wet food after work but she has a full bowl of dry food.... I even offered her some dry salmon treat biscuits and nothing.... My friend stopped by and made her some scrambled eggs as well in case she needed some extra protein. Nothing! wasn't having it. This cat is a brat LOL!
 

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I guess wet food is for her then.  
  She knows what's good for her.  
 

Most cats will have some sort of general resemblance to Oriental / Siamese,  Persian, British or American shorthair / longhair, or Foreign cats and show stronger elements of the body type and head shape, and often some of the stronger personality traits of these different ancestral links.  Ultimately I think current theory places all these domestic cats as related to Felis Silvestris the Arabian Wildcat.   Could well have got that wrong though as I am no expert.  The chatterbox disposition certainly makes me think of Siamese behaviour although her appearance does not.  Our cats do tend to be a wonderful mix of genetics which is what makes them so interesting and individual.  
 

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I'm guessing a bit of Siamese in her, too. Which might mean she's a little too smart for her own good, lol.

Is it possible her pooing in the tub and drinking from the faucet, even her being chatty, all forms of mimicry? After all, YOUR "litterbox" is this porcelain thing, YOU drink water from the faucet, and of course, I'm assuming you talk? [emoji]128527[/emoji]

Odd as it sounds, any chance you can place her litterbox in the tub? One of my sisters did this for her cat for years. He also was a tub poo-re. Funnily enough, he looked a lot like Victoria Rose. And that's a great name, by the way!
 

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I'm guessing a bit of Siamese in her, too. Which might mean she's a little too smart for her own good, lol.

Is it possible her pooing in the tub and drinking from the faucet, even her being chatty, all forms of mimicry? After all, YOUR "litterbox" is this porcelain thing, YOU drink water from the faucet, and of course, I'm assuming you talk? [emoji]128527[/emoji]

Odd as it sounds, any chance you can place her litterbox in the tub? One of my sisters did this for her cat for years. He also was a tub poo-re. Funnily enough, he looked a lot like Victoria Rose. And that's a great name, by the way!
LoL, she does sound rather smart doesn't she.  
    Oh I am terrible, I forgot to say - Victoria Rose is a fine name for such a princess.  
 
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cmrethwisch

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I'm guessing a bit of Siamese in her, too. Which might mean she's a little too smart for her own good, lol.

Is it possible her pooing in the tub and drinking from the faucet, even her being chatty, all forms of mimicry? After all, YOUR "litterbox" is this porcelain thing, YOU drink water from the faucet, and of course, I'm assuming you talk? [emoji]128527[/emoji]

Odd as it sounds, any chance you can place her litterbox in the tub? One of my sisters did this for her cat for years. He also was a tub poo-re. Funnily enough, he looked a lot like Victoria Rose. And that's a great name, by the way!
Oh she is! I came home today and found that she now knows how to open my closet door and found a sleeping tree with my winter clothes shelves.... Turning out to be a little manipulator too.

It's hard to really know because shes had this full life already that I don't know a lot of details about, but maybe she is because her last owner said she didn't have a lot of these behaviors and she was a very shy timid cat that hid all day....

I'll be sure to let my daughter know that everyone approves her well thought out name! She's already super proud of it lol
 

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If Victoria Rose was quiet and hid all day and is now behaving the way you describe her I'd say she is in her element!  She probably can't believe she now has humans who respond to her every meow!  At 14 I think she deserves a little pampering and pandering to.  She does need to learn that being quiet at night is a must though as your human relationships should not need to suffer.  Of course some of this may be initial anxiety after her move so clear boundaries and consistent responses to her will hopefully help her learn what is and isn't OK.
 
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cmrethwisch

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Her old owners said they were pro spray bottle with her... That just sounds so mean to me(idk how common and effective that is) if she grew up with that as a means of communication/discipline though, I don't have to keep doing it do I?
 

mservant

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Her old owners said they were pro spray bottle with her... That just sounds so mean to me(idk how common and effective that is) if she grew up with that as a means of communication/discipline though, I don't have to keep doing it do I?
Oh no, please don't.  Spray bottles can result in all sorts of anxiety responses for cats.  Looking for postive reinforcement and motivation / incdentives for cats are much more effective in altering behaviours to those you would prefer to see. There is a nice article which talks about it here on TCS.  

This is another article which talks about litter box issues, though it doesn't talk directly about when your kitty decides the bath is the place to go...
 

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Her old owners said they were pro spray bottle with her... That just sounds so mean to me(idk how common and effective that is) if she grew up with that as a means of communication/discipline though, I don't have to keep doing it do I?
No youdon't. She was probably terrified all her life till she came to you and now she doesn't have to be scared anymore.
 
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cmrethwisch

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Oh no, please don't.  Spray bottles can result in all sorts of anxiety responses for cats.  Looking for postive reinforcement and motivation / incdentives for cats are much more effective in altering behaviours to those you would prefer to see. There is a nice article which talks about it here on TCS.  

This is another article which talks about litter box issues, though it doesn't talk directly about when your kitty decides the bath is the place to go...
Oh thank goodness, cause I told that lady I thought that was crazy and awful and she acted like that was completely normal!

We had a very good afternoon/night last night. She even came in bed and cuddled me! we still woke up at 5am for me to feed her an 6am to turn her faucet on....... -_-

All and all we had a very pleasant quieter night though!
 

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Nice to hear you had a positive day and a better sleep.

If things are going well, it is worth trying to adjust her time clock a little.  If you don't give her a little late feed before you go to bed you could hold back a little of her food and do this so she might not get hungry quite so early, and as wet food she might also delay wanting water as well.  You could also try what I do and leave a little bowl under the tap that has 'caught a few drips' (had a little water left in it) that looks like it's come from the tap:   she might venture in to the sink to lap a little from there, esp if you start off leaving the tap dripping just a tiny bit so she gets the idea.

Of course she might be enjoying the company and attention but as she settles it would be worth trying to stretch out how long you let her pester you to get up, and respond to positive things like treading / kneading and cute sounds rather than jumping on you, biting or loud calling.  That takes perseverance (and sometimes good full body and head cover under bedding).
 
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