Thread: My cat...

ATTENTION - this post will sound lame and whiny to all "dog-people" and general pet-lovers that don't have, never had cats or do, in fact, have cats but don't have them sharing the bed and chairs with yourself in a small flat and living a life of mild loneliness... Therefore, with no further ado:

I'm the very proud owner of a remarkable cat. He was just a few weeks old when he came into my life, a bit under a year ago. He's always been active and playful. He grew to be a beautiful 4 kilogram cat with a healty apetite, a sweet temper and a nose of his own. The moment I saw him I was totaly caught. I love my cat to bits...

However, the past few months have been a little strange for me because I've been thinking about neutering him. He is a house cat that has access to the yard and nearby yards... and there are other male, bigger cats around. You see my point... My problem has never been having him "knock up" a little maiden-cat. My problem is having him run-over, beaten to death by other cats or having him sick because of fights and brawls.

But I've been debating with the idea that his temper might change because of the removal of his "gentlecat" bits... That frightens me. Because I love him. He is my pal, my companion, the thing that keeps me company all day. Sure, I have friends and a lovely girl by my side. But a cat has this unique way of loving and being loved. I can say without any fear of lying that my cat has been the strength that helped me shake away the mild but constant depresion in which I lived... I love my cat.

The past few weeks have been complete hell for me and my buddy. He has discovered his sex impulses and spent every hour of the day meowing in that funny (at first...) but utterly annoying (after a few days...) way. He fought other cats, he tried everything to reach two pretty neighbours that live nearby. He marked all the things of my house as being his own - even the garage! I have had trouble sleeping because of the noise. My neighbours have had trouble as well... And I've been in anguish because I would hear him "sing". And then I would hear nothing... and after that I heard him fighting other cats. He came back home bruised, tired and thin. I don't think that, having this relationship with my buddy I can cope with this. He got aggresive with me. Attacked my feet when I was playing. And I mean attack! He lost sight of what was play and what was fighting...

Today he made a trip to the vet. He has been neutered. And now I feel that I might have done him some harm... I know it is normal that, after the intervention, he will be strange and sleepy and roaming around with no meaningful objective. He has been quiet all day... and he meows a lot. He "speaks to me" all the time... His eyes are empty. He looks at me in a strange and stoned way. I am genuinely scared that I might have broken the "soul" of my buddy. I know, I know... I'm over reacting, right? Might be... but I really love my cat. I feel guilt... I feel that I might have made a mistake. I'll have to wait a few days and see how he reacts...

The vet (also a man and owner of a neutered cat) asured me that he would not change his temper. he will be more of a house cat, sure - but that is the point. He will lose the urge to go out and fight other cats and make lovely serenades to maiden-cats. But he will hunt, run, meow and defend his turf as before. But I cannot keep myself from wondering if this thing that I have done to my beloved and precious little buddy has not been - in truth... - an act of selfishness. Am I really protecting him? Or am I just protecting myself from the grief of his death or the anguish of his absence and the prospect of having him return wounded and sick? Please note: the cost of treatment is not an issue; I am not rich, but I will not avoid the vet because of the cost of treating my buddy's illness.

Now I turn to you. I'm sorry if all this sounds un-masculine in any way but... well... you understand right? Do any of you have neutered cats? Can you share some experiences? I beleive what the Vet told me, but I would like some input from you as well. Please, ease my feelings of guilt... Tell me that my buddy will snap out of it and turn back into my little trouble-maker... Am I over-reacting? Am I humanizing a cat? Am I projecting my mental constructions into a creature that is "just an animal"?

Thanks!

dont worry. I have my sisters 2 cats in my house right now. I threaten to kill the smaller one multiple times a day and he is neutered.

I'm not sure if that was meant to be humorous, but i enjoyed reading it!
I'm a dog man, but love cat's too.
My lab has everything still. He's a big fella too. Never seen anything like it on a dog actually! I've never wanted to have stuff removed, but i don't think it does any lasting harm. Your buddy will be fine. Just give him some time.
When we were boys, my brother had a cat who was nearly 7 kg. He was bloody enormous! He was done & was fine. He even carried on battering any dog who was walked past our garden! Great cat.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

I'm not sure if that was meant to be humorous, but i enjoyed reading it!
I'm a dog man, but love cat's too.
My lab has everything still. He's a big fella too. Never seen anything like it on a dog actually! I've never wanted to have stuff removed, but i don't think it does any lasting harm. Your buddy will be fine. Just give him some time.
When we were boys, my brother had a cat who was nearly 7 kg. He was bloody enormous! He was done & was fine. He even carried on battering any dog who was walked past our garden! Great cat.

It was not meant to be humourous... I was deadly serious. But I'm really glad you enjoyed reading it. Really.

It's nice to hear that my little buddy will be back to normal soon. I've heard a lot of conflicting stories on this subject. I never had a neutered cat before. I've always had cats (males and females) when I was growing up. I even had a cat - a lady cat called Maria, the first - that had a "crush" on me! She sat and purred looking at me playing the guitar. Very strange... I've had dogs as well. I had a german sheppard that was 65 kg... He disapeared during mating season. I was chushed... When I think of him my eyes grow moist... And I'm a fairly unemotive chap! And the same thing has happend the other day when I heard my cat - Baltazar - fighting other cats! I even ran out trying to find him and save him from any danger, for crying out loud! What is wrong with me?! Maybe I've grown attached to one too many loveable pets while I was growing up... and I've lost one too many as well. Now I'm a "grown man" and my eyes still grow moist when I think of my long lost dog. And I've had trouble keeping myself together when the Vet gave my buddy his shot to make him sleep...
What a day... Sorry about this. I'll be allright as soon as my cat comes back from Woodstock - bad-trip-cat-style... only with less rock and two testies missing.

Again, thanks for the input.

I hope your cat snaps back.

I grew up with cats and loved it. My fiancee and I have had 2 for a few years now. I love them and always thought I was a lifetime cat person, until she talked me into getting a dog. Now, I'm a dog person. Go figure. It's still nice to have the cats too, and they do get along with the dogs (plural now) pretty well which is a plus since they are huskies which are not known for getting along well with cats or other small fur-bearing critters.

I think whatever the type of pet, as long as it has a great and interesting personality of it's own, it's hard not to become attached! And it sounds like your cat has a great one - a true companion.

Give him a few days and I'm sure your buddy will snap back.

Oh I can so relate with everything you wrote.
Don't worry!

I have cats for 30 years now and without my cats I would not be where I am.
I know that guilt feeling after having had one neutered in the eighties.
The poor little fella did not have a long life for Feline Leukemia.

With the one who came after him I wanted to change that,
so when he grew up and discovered who he was,
I just had him sterilized and everything else intact.
I had another female cat at that time and they lived
what I thought to be a natural love life for five years.

Lately I had to let him get neutered because this is just
TOO MUCH stress for the cats.
Not to speak of the markings and the neighbors complaining.
When he was neutered he remained the same sweet devil
and his behavior did only slightly change.
My girls were much happier as well.

You did well and your cat will wake up again and be a great friend,
living a hopefully long and healthy life.
Don't worry!

Neutering is always a good idea. It shouldn't change his temperament that much in the long run and it will prevent many unwanted behaviors/issues in the future.

Love the story too. My cat has been with me for a long time. I've recently added a big dog too so there is some adjusting going on but pets truly are part of the family.

My cat is neutered and I think he could pretty much care less, he doesn't have claws either and once again he could care less.

Frankenstein (my cat) was born on Halloween and he is pretty much the coolest cat ever he listens to commands, he weighs 20 lbs and he keeps me laughing all the time. When he sits with me and my fiance he will sit on her lap and put his paw on my hand he's like a little kid.

Your cat is probably just recovering from the anaesthetic and the op. He'll be back to normal in days. We neutered our cat and 16 years later he still attacks my hand and draws blood when he feels it's time to remind me who's the real boss.

And it didn't stop him fighting either. Maybe he eased off the fights a little, but he still rules his territory and fights off younger males.

The only behaviour it really changed was he stopped wandering so far. Which is a good thing when you live in one of the most populated cities in the world with the narrow/busy roads. I failed to neuter one cat 20 years ago and he was run over and killed. Trust me, you've done the right thing by him. Enjoy him for years to come!

+1 on not letting the cat out. Dustin is on the money as to the risks. He might also be exposed to diseases like feline leukemia from a stray cat. My cat was an alley cat and I thought that he would yearn to get out. He adapted to being an indoor cat perfectly and never has meowed or tried to get out. I guess he had enough of the wild side when he was out there.