2x Male Kittens humping? Possibly spraying?

Hi,

New to the forums and happy to have found them. I adopted two male kittens from the same litter (Nemo & Nala). They were born in the middle of August 2004 and I've already had their shots done but was waiting for the Spring to have them fixed.

Last night while watching television, I noticed that Nemo was walking around and he suddenly jumped on the chair where Nala was sleeping and started humping him. I put an end to it pretty quickly and decided to put the cats in the basement with their litter, food, blankets and toys for the time being. I've booked an appointment to have them fixed this coming Monday, January 17th 2005. I'm scared that one or both cats will spray my furniture or carpets now and that's why I've put them in the basement. We just bought the house this summer and I haven't finished the basement yet so its all concrete floors and framing, they have about 2200 sq. ft. of room to play but I was wondering if I'm going too far? Is it too early for them to spray even tough I've caught one humping the other?

I appreciate any help!



Cheers,

Hugues Mackay

Originally Posted by huguesmackay

Hi,

New to the forums and happy to have found them. I adopted two male kittens from the same litter (Nemo & Nala). They were born in the middle of August 2004 and I've already had their shots done but was waiting for the Spring to have them fixed.

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Welcome!

Since they are now about 5 months old, they are at an age where they are beginning to have the hormones run and the sooner you neuter them, the better for all concerned. Best not to wait until Spring.

Originally Posted by huguesmackay

Last night while watching television, I noticed that Nemo was walking around and he suddenly jumped on the chair where Nala was sleeping and started humping him. I put an end to it pretty quickly and decided to put the cats in the basement with their litter, food, blankets and toys for the time being. I've booked an appointment to have them fixed this coming Monday, January 17th 2005. I'm scared that one or both cats will spray my furniture or carpets now and that's why I've put them in the basement. We just bought the house this summer and I haven't finished the basement yet so its all concrete floors and framing, they have about 2200 sq. ft. of room to play but I was wondering if I'm going too far? Is it too early for them to spray even tough I've caught one humping the other?

Click to expand...

From what you are describing, it may be as simple as dominance behavior, but you should know that this behavior in a male is normally brought on by the beginning of sexual maturity - you should wait about a month for the hormones to be completely out of their systems after neutering. It doesn't happen overnight.

It is not too early for them to start spraying, but it probably won't start if you are getting them neutered soon. You will know spray smell if and when you encounter it. It is unlike anything else and can be readily identified. Take my word for it! *grin*

Confining them in your unfinished basement might not be a bad idea, but what bothers me about it is that you probably aren't down there with them very much if at all. Kittens of this age need almost constant human interaction or else they go all instinctual on you and get skittish of humans. Do you not have a smaller room upstairs where you can interact with them more often where they can be confined for now? Barring that, you could get an extra large dog crate and confine them there in a room where people come and go, sit or fix dinner - what have you and talk to them frequently. Go to Wal-Mart and get a package of their store brand incontinence pads. A package of 10 costs about $5.00 I think. Also get two or three boxes of the small document binder clips ... clip the underpads around the sides of the crate leaving an inch or two open at the top, do not cover the top of the crate with anything and leave the door areas free as well. Instead, place one of the underpads on the floor in front of the crate to catch any spray if they direct it that way. Give them plenty of supervised out time each day, but when you are unable to supervise, crate them. Change the underpads wrapping the crate as needed.

Once they are neutered, like I said, you will need to give it about a month or so then you can allow them free access to the house.

Hope this helps,

Gaye

This is not going to help you in any way, but I've got to say that picture of your boys in the basket is absolutely Hallmark Card adorable.

Get the spaying done ASAP, but remember, you will have to accept that your boys are gay! Happens in the best of families! LOL!

Mom of Frantz- you read that wrong, she said SPRAY not SPAY-

Hugesmackey, the sooner you get your boys fixed, the less likely they are to spray your home. Depending on what cross-breed they are, some kittens just reach sexual maturity before others. I took a litter of 5 month old kittens in to be fixed a few years ago. The kittens had been isolated upstairs away from the general population. I had bottle raised them. One of the sisters was pregnant, the vet's office called during the procedure to let me know this. I was surprised and told them to go ahead with the spay as I don't want inbred cats-

Hissy I was commmenting on the two male cats humping each other...it was a joke!

Your babies are beautiful - what a lovely photo. I also have two male litter mates about the same age as yours - 5 and a half months to be precise, born 27th August. One of them (strangely the littlest and less mature looking) has started humping as well and although they aren't spraying yet, they do give off quite a pungent musky smell when they start romping about and play fighting with each other.

They've got an appointment for 21 January for neutering. I've had a male cat before but this time the "masculine" behaviour seems to have started earlier - I don't remember this happening before - last time we just took him because he was 6 months and the vet said 6 months. I can only assume it's because we have two males together, our last cat was on his own at this time, we got a companion for him later.

Let me know how their "op" goes - it's silly, I know it's routine for vets, but I get butterflies thinking about my babies going in for it.