Will neutering a male cat change its behaviour? - Page 1

I have a 4 year old male cat in the kennel that is in need of a new home. He's an orange tabby, and very friendly. Unfortunately, like most un-neutered males, he gets excited when you pet him, and will bite. It may be just a 'love bite' to another cat, but when he did it to me today, it drew blood!

Will neutering a cat at this age get rid of this behaviour? He doesnt seem to spray indoors, the way many toms do.

I've always wanted an orange tiger cat, but what's the point of having one if you can't pet it for fear of being bitten? 

We had an orange tiger cat like that! No, he won't change that kind of biting. That is an "overly stimulated" response by the cat. You can learn the tells, and try to read into the behavior. However, belly rubs are a big trigger. Try a gentler beginning like a chin rub or an ear scratch to see how far the affection can go. The neutering will help with the territory spraying, which is nasty.

No. I'm with beetree, that it's a stimulation response from the cat. Cats aren't as easy as dogs as far as behaviors go, at least in my opinon. Best thing neutering a cat will do is help stop spraying, and of course prevent FIV, which is a STD for cats that is similar to HIV in humans.

No!!!

I have been doing rescue and TNR for cats for many decades.  I had a huge tomcat like that I took in and had to keep as he was FELV+.  Of course, he had to be kept seperated from the other cats in the house due to his FELV until I could introduce him into my leukemia room.  He bit and bit and bit.  He would start from the moment I entered his room.  I briefly entertained the use of a whip and a chair..... but then thought no.  I used to have to send the dog in first to help manage him. 

In the long run it turned out he was just an extremely sociable cat that was highly intolerant of so much time spent alone.  I ultimately was able to incorporate him into my leukemia room where he had other cats to be with and I was able to spend more time with him.  His aggression totally disappeared when he no longer had to be isolated.  Stupid me, as much as I am around cats, I forgot just how highly sociable  they really are. 

Feral cats live in huge colonies, helping raise each others kittens.  They are not the solitary creatures so many think that they are.  Most cats do not do well in solitary confinement.

I suspect your orange cat is biting because he is wants more attention and affection.  Bring him into your home and love him, spend some time with him, and watch him blossom.

Oh, just wanted to add, it is absolutely not normal for an unneutered male cat to get excited because you are petting it.  I don't know what is causing the excitement, but it has nothing to do with him being intact.

Well, I've had 4 neutered male cats as pets in the course of my life so far, and the only time I've ever been bitten, it was in play.

When I was a kid, my kind-hearted next door neighbour fed a stray male tom, and THAT'S when I found out that un-neutered males would sometimes bite when petted, because touch sets off their hormones.

This cat is in a cage with its long-time (spayed) female companion, so there is no reason for it to feel lonely. His is quite social, though, and comes to be petted when I open the door. The female avoids me.

The owners want to rehome the male and keep the female. I don't understand why the can't keep them both.

At any rate, I'm going to pass. I'm too afraid the male might mark in the house.

 I think neutering would solve any spraying issues.  Do you have any other cats in the house?

It is excellent that the cat has his friend, but if he is as social as you say he is, he is really wanting more human contact than he is getting.  I think this cat is very frustrated, between the hormones, confinement, and lack of human companionship.  

I have two unneutered males in my home, they have chronic breathing issues and are at risk for surgery.  Neither one of them spray, but I do admit I am lucky in that aspect.

Little known factoid:  Female orange tabbies are extremely rare. They almost always are male.

http://www.sdhumane.org/site/DocServer/BT_Cat-Overstimulation_and_Petting_Aggression.pdf?docID=628

http://www.littlebigcat.com/behavior/overstimulation-petting-related-aggression/

If neutered, he will begin meowing at a much higher pitch.

A cat, castrati?


Oh, nutz!