Neutered male cat sexually aroused by his feather toy?? (LOL!)

[jfed]

My sweet little Gus is an incredibly playful cat, he loves to roughhouse, chase toy mousies, play with strings, laser pointers, jingleballs, hair elastics, you name it. He got a new toy a few months ago: a plastic stick with two long feather strings that dangle from the tip. Well, boy does he ever love this toy! 

At first I thought it was cute when I'd tease him with it, he'd play like normal and groom the feathers when he'd catch them. Then he started to make funny meows at it and would carry it around with him in his mouth. The last two times he played with it he started to get really weird! He was chirping like crazy at it, would take the feathers in his mouth and drag the whole toy to underneath the table where he would straddle it and rub up on it! If I tried to take it away or got too close, he would let out really panicked and distressed howls and even got aggressive with me. Both times that I finally got the toy away from him, he started to lick his little penis which became visible. 

So,  what gives? He's been neutered, although I'm not sure when... I rescued him when he was 5 and he was already neutered. I've never seen this behavior from him before with any other toy! The feather strings kind of resemble cat tails so maybe that's why?

Is it uncomfortable for him when he gets aroused like that? He seemed very distressed when I would interrupt him. Is it best that he doesn't play with this toy anymore? I mean, he (clearly) really loves to play with it! Even before the funny business begins, he can jump about 4 feet in the air trying to catch the feathers!  I just want to make sure that it doesn't cause him any discomfort or like...sexual frustration. 

Thanks in ad***** for your input! 

 

[Ms. Freya]

For some reason a few cats do seem to retain sexual behavior patterns even after their neuter. I know we have a few members here with cats who occasionally hump stuffed toys.

It may be a dominance thing - for some reason he sees playing with this toy as an act of dominance and responds accordingly. I doubt it's uncomfortable for him, but maybe try stopping play before it gets to that point? It may also be that he gets so into playing with this toy and he becomes overstimulated, hence the reaction and howling.

Hopefully some of our other members will be along soon with more suggestions.

 

[gaveston]

Our Snorkles used to hump. He was neutered when we got him at 2, but don't know how mature he had been when clipped. He showed no other aggressive male behavior, just horniness.

 

[Norachan]

My cat Marley still humps too. I had him neutered at 8 months old and had four 6 month old female cats neutered at the same time. (Busy day for my vet!) The female cats had just come into their first heat cycle though, and Marley had been doing what any male cat would do. One year later and he still tries to scruff the female cats from time to time. They all do a good job of letting him know it's not acceptable though.

 

[misssweetkitty]

Maybe he should take a break for a while from playing with it?