Skip to main content

Banner Sponsors

No Monkey Biz - Domain name registration, hosting
Intercal Trading Group - Your mohair supplier

momanimallover Taber, Alberta
Posts: 1,795

I have a 2 year old fixed male cat and recently I noticed that on occassion he will just stand there, start howling and twitching his tail. It makes me a bit nervous since he can be a biter but I don't know if this behaviour is actually the start of wanting to attack. The other cats go up to him in curiosity as to what all the noise is about. He is very affectionate cat and I also notice he is a real cling on to me lately. Anyone know about this behaviour? I have another 12 year old fixed male and the other 4 are fixed females except for one. This male has been fixed since 10 months old, I'm assuming it can't be hormonal???

Gemma82 Wakefield
Posts: 177
Website

With behaviour changes it's best to get them checked at the vets just to be on the safe side, cats dont always act ill if there's something wrong with them.  I know even neutered cats can still have their old instincts, some still spray and my friend has a cat that tries to mate with her girl cats, he was neutered as a young kitten...  it isn't pleasant for them!!

If you ask on this forum:  http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ they might be able to help, it's a brilliant place to go for advice!

I hope he's fine and just becoming a talker!  Let me know!

momanimallover Taber, Alberta
Posts: 1,795

We got him fixed before he started spraying and showing any interest to the females, even now he shows no interest to the unspayed female we have. The older fixed male we have has never stopped spraying and still takes interest to the unspayed female bear_wacko I'll check out that site thanks!

Gemma82 Wakefield
Posts: 177
Website

Cats make me feel  bear_wacko lol.  One of mine likes to tell us when she's been to the toilet but we have no idea why!  At least we know to run and fetch the air freshener!

KJ Lyons KJ Lyons Design
Seattle, WA
Posts: 1,413
Website

Brenda, Is it at night? I know my older cat gets lonely at night when we're sleeping and will start howling. Also cats are noctural by nature and their wild side tends to come out at night. Sometimes they just want to shake things up and get some action! He's a teenager after all!
Gemma, think of her as a proud kid -Mom! I did again and I did it right!
Karen

Gemma82 Wakefield
Posts: 177
Website

I'll try to remember that Karen!  :crackup:

millie PottersHouse Bears
Ohio
Posts: 2,173

From what you are describing, it sounds like my some of male cats act when they are looking for a fight.  For some of them, being neutered does not matter.  Some of the males just like a good fight, while others will stay as far away as possible.

thumperantiques Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,643

Our orange and white neutered male cat, will prowl and howl through the house occasionally, especially if he hears another cat howling outside.  He used to be an outdoor cat but now he's an indoor kitty, and I don't think he appreciates the safely of being inside at all! :crackup:

                                         hugs,

                                         Brenda

bearlykidzbears Bearly Kidz Bears
Lodi, Ca.
Posts: 166

Some cats just like the sound of their own voice and once they start they don't want to stop. My male likes he's around midnight  :crackup:

momanimallover Taber, Alberta
Posts: 1,795
thumperantiques wrote:

Our orange and white neutered male cat, will prowl and howl through the house occasionally, especially if he hears another cat howling outside.  He used to be an outdoor cat but now he's an indoor kitty, and I don't think he appreciates the safely of being inside at all! :crackup:

                                         hugs,

                                         Brenda

This one is orange and white fluffy guy bear_grin  and Karen, it's happening in the early afternoon. It's happened 3 times so far so not very often yet, it's just odd to hear and see him do it. I've only had him and another male that I've rescued all the other ones have all been female so this behaviour is new to me bear_happy

Us Bears Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,479

I think Brenda is onto something.
Sounds like some kind of territorial thing to me.

I don't know...  Maybe there is another cat in the area and he is making it known that THIS IS HIS HOUSE!

Bubble-Up Bears Bubble Up Bears!
Murrieta, California
Posts: 1,804

Brenda my 14 year old cat started doing the same thing about 6 months ago and then he would grab this little squirrel toy and walk around the house with it in his mouth howling. Really funny to watch but he has never attacked anyone. There could be many reasons like Gemma was saying that he is doing this. I know it's expensive to take them to a vet for something like this but I would be watching him like a hawk until I could figure something out.
Please let us know what you find out. bear_original

momanimallover Taber, Alberta
Posts: 1,795

Ya he has to go to the vet anyway, heavily sedate him and get his matts out (he's too nasty for me to do it bear_happy ) I have a 12 year old fixed female that sounds like she's in heat sometimes but this other is a low kind of fighting howl. Maybe his adult personality is surfacing, he can be a big bully

Bubble-Up Bears Bubble Up Bears!
Murrieta, California
Posts: 1,804

It will be interesting to hear what the vet says. bear_original

thumperantiques Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,643

Brenda,
     Sounds like your cat is similar to ours in temperment   ie "a big bully" lol.  Our guy is quite small but would tackle a great dane and my money would be on the cat!  He was a semi-feral 3 month old kitten when we found him and he's always been a bit on the nasty side and taking him to the vet is a challenge too.  Thank goodness we could get him 3 year rabies shots, when he was an outdoor cat.  He's mellowed somewhat over the years, but is still very unpredictable.  It will be good to have your kitty checked out, but I think it's just a bit of testosterone bear_grin   Watch for the howling in the spring, when the mating season starts.  We have lots of un-neutered outdoor cats in our neighbourhood, and even though ours is fixed and indoors, he still gets excited and howls a LOT!

                                                                                              hugs,

                                                                                              Brenda

Pat Klein Faux Paw Bears
Tallahassee, Florida
Posts: 167

Brenda,

Several questions: 

When your male was neutered did he have two descended testicles?
The female who is not spayed?  Is she in heat...(possibility of silent heat).
Is there another cat outside your house in the yard that could potentially be seen or smelled by your young male?
You mentioned biting behavior in you cat...how severe?  Drawing blood? under what circumstances?

When the tail goes up...does it quiver?  And how does he react to the queries of his roommates?

Your boy is now socially mature and he may be reacting to things in the environment that did not perturb him before or (hopefully) there is something new in the enviroment that is attracting his attention.

In the meantime, try Bach Rescue Remedy...rub on hands and around his neck to calm...or administer a drop or two in mouth.  Feliway diffusers can also be effective and work on the entire feline social community without having to give anyone 'kitty drugs' and is a natural way to keep the peace in a multi-cat household. 

When your kitty is showing this behavior, best not to touch or approach...intervention if you feel it is necessary is best done from the distance through distraction, and something the cat will not associate with you...for your own safety.

momanimallover Taber, Alberta
Posts: 1,795

~ He had both descended testitcles but never showed any interest to our unspayed female

~ The female seems to ALWAYS be in heat. I'm waiting for the chance when to spay her 2 weeks after heat cycle

~ The neighbours cat ( fixed female) likes to come in our yard and will fight with my 12 year old fixed male

~ He does affectionate biting when he's being petted, he did my partner though when we were trying to cut his matts out


When we found him in our driveway he was so friendly and walked up to us, he was wearing a collar with a number but we couldn't leave a message because it was full. Never tried again since we fell in love with the big boy. It's odd though when he did the behaviour last time he was looking at ME when he did it yet he's only extremely affectionate to me and looks to me for everything, lol

Pat Klein Faux Paw Bears
Tallahassee, Florida
Posts: 167

Wow Brenda,

You have ALOT  bear_ermm going on in the cat community from the kitty perspective.  And it sounds like your boy was already a functioning tom (big boy) if not a practicing one, when you neutered him.  That would explain the play biting when he is engaged in petting epidsodes... bear_wub

The territorial female next door mixing it up with your 12 year old male is significant as it may indicate a hierarchy pattern here.  I don't know how long you have had your boy...but he may be thinking about changing his position in the family.  Since he has attained the magical age of social maturity for a male kitty (two) (no matter neutered or whole cat)...this may also have spurred his need for greater 'voice' in the proceedings.

The cat in heat is certainly not helping de-stress any of the kitty climate.  I do not know how long she has been cycling...but if she is in perpetual heat (depending on her age) try putting her in a dark room for a week or so...no light...this may interrupt  the cycle long enough for you to spay her. 

If she is not bouncing out of heat even then, you might just elect to go ahead and spay her.  We spay cats in heat at the clinic under these circumstances.  A perpetual heat can become a medical issue and you can end up with more then an emaciated kitty...a simple spay can become an emergency hysterectomy when a pyrometra enters the picture.  This usually occurs after "prolonged" and repeated heats although I have seen it develop as soon as three consecutive heat cycles. 

Ideally, your two males need to develop as a cohort and start patrolling their territory (especially the back yard) together...try fostering that relationship...the old guy needs the young one's strength anyway...he should be thinking more in terms of kitty social security at his age...you know...potato couch, tuna caserole, the whole deal bear_tongue   Leave the heavy lifting to the muscle.  If the youngster is willing to take on the usurper next door, he may just step aside and let him do it.  All it may take to convince her to "back down," is a little 'back up"...

Ahhhhh the joys of living with cats.   bear_wacko  bear_wacko  bear_wacko

momanimallover Taber, Alberta
Posts: 1,795

IMG_0320.JPGIMG_0322.JPGIMG_0412.JPGIMG_0144.JPGThe cat next door used to come and hang out on our deck til we got a puppy now I think she's not happy with that either. Julius ( the one I'm wondering about) was a wanderer before we got him, he was at a house a couple of blocks down and the lady said he used her for her food and then left, LOL  He hasn't been able to walk the streets after I took him, he can only go in the yard supervised and that's not very often ( over protective I guess)
The only ones that Julius doesn't bully is the older male and older female.

The unspayed female isn't in the full blown heat right now so maybe I should get her fixed this week if I can get her in. She's huge!! I swear if I didn't know her I'd think she was pregnant and there's no way she can get pregnant because she's never outside and she started getting big in the very beginning of her heat cycles. I'm almost worried that something could be wrong with her :o

That's good to know about the play biting, never knew that.
Here's a pic of all my kitties, Julius is the biggest one in the middle (orange and white) and Kitty, the oldest male is the black and white one


Couldn't resist posting these photos. Dakota squeezed herself beside Patches kitty, they never lay down together.

Mojo is ready to give the dog a swat. lol

This one of Dakota is my favourite, too bad the glass on the door was dirty

Bubble-Up Bears Bubble Up Bears!
Murrieta, California
Posts: 1,804

My favorite cat is that big black, white and brown one on the couch. bear_happy

Pat Klein Faux Paw Bears
Tallahassee, Florida
Posts: 167

Brenda,

So glad to see they are eating canned food and not dry...good for you...that should keep their waistline's (what they have of them) from becoming more commodious then they are  :crackup:

Yes...get that girl into the vet...good idea...although with winter and the diminished light she should stay out of heat through winter unless she has a cystic ovary which I suspect.

Your cats are beautiful...and so's the goggie.

Do pick up a feliway...I keep a diffuser going in the cat room and have for years...with my 'colony' it has been a godsend...I can always tell when the reservoir is empty by the hissing sounds bear_ermm that start to occur, so I know it has been working.  One of the first things I noticed was that more than one cat would share a cat tree with the Feliway in place...so they had greater tolerance of each other...which is the whole idea when you have 'many'...

Good luck...and keep us up to date with developments...I'm always up for cat conundrums bear_cool

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB

Banner Sponsors


Tedsby - Handmade teddy bears and other cute stuffed animals. Hundreds of teddy artists from all over the world and thousands of OOAK creations.
Johnna's Mohair Store - Specializing in hand dyed mohair and alpaca