Cat Behaviour Problems: Your cat's behaviour

Sexuality, Breeding, Neutering:

Question: Our cat is 6 weeks-old and has been neutered. Over the past two weeks he has become sexually aggressive towards our legs.

This only happens when we are in bed at night; never during the day, or when we watch television on the sofa in the evening. He will keep at it for 10-15 minutes, despite us firmly telling him no and lifting him off.

As soon as he wakes up in the morning, he is aroused again and starts this same behaviour.

We have had him since he was a kitten and he has never done anything like this before. Did we do anything to trigger this behaviour, and is there anything we can do to stop it?

Answer: I think you meant 6 months old as it is very unusual (although not unknown) to neuter kittens before 6 weeks of age. You also did not say exactly what you meant by ‘sexually aggressive’ so it is difficult to advise you.

If you meant that he is mounting your legs and making thrusting movements, I wonder if he has been neutered properly.

At 6 months of age, an unneutered tom will begin to become sexually active and there is a surge of male hormone which reaches higher levels than in the adult. Due to this, they can become ‘supercharged’ for a while and have lots of motivation for this behaviour.

If he begins to spray and have a very pungent odour characteristic of a tom cat, this will almost certainly be the case and you will need to visit your vet to have him neutered properly. If, instead, his behaviour involves tackling the ankles and wrestling with them as he would do another kitten, occasionally making sexual movements too, this is more likely to be playing to use up excess energy. This is particularly likely if he is not yet going outside.

It is also common behaviour for a young energetic cat at night when he has had enough sleep and wants to play. I suggest you buy some new toys for him and try to play as much as you can with him during the evening before going to bed so that he is tired at night.

When he begins unwanted behaviour, gently shut him out of the room and when you let him back in, offer him a game with a toy instead. You will probably find that this type of behaviour will rapidly diminish when he begins to go outside and is able to use up excess energy there.

You may like to read What is my Cat Thinking? for more information on understanding sexuality.

Question: My adult, female cat who has been spayed, is being sexually harassed by a tom cat. It seems to have made her quite anxious and she is now defecating on the veranda (where she sleeps) rather than in her litter tray. What can I do about this? Also, how can I make this tom cat lose interest in her and keep out of her territory?

Answer: It’s very difficult to keep other cats from attacking or harassing your cat.

If the tom cat is a stray, perhaps you could catch him with the help of the RSPCA and have him neutered and rehomed.

If he has an owner, perhaps you could persuade him or her to have him neutered – an offer to pay for the operation may make them more interested if they are reluctant.

If the owner refuses to consider castration, perhaps you could agree to a time-share arrangement so that you are able to let your cat out safely during a set period each day.

Talk to other cat owners in your area – are they having the same problem?

Perhaps they may all chip in with the neutering fee. Apart from this, your only alternative way to deal with the problem is to make sure that she has a safe haven to come home to by making sure the tom cat cannot get into your house. Fit a cat flap with a device that only lets your cat in if necessary.

Put her litter tray in the place where she leaves her mark at the moment so that it is easy to clean up. The fact that she has taken to leaving faeces in a strategic place, which is a very strong signal to other cats, shows the level of distress that she is feeling. I wish you success in resolving the situation.

You may like to read What is my Cat Thinking? for more information on understanding other cats in the territory & their effects

Question: My cat is one year and four months old and is not neutered. From around the age of four months I started letting him occasionally in the back yard while I watched over him. However, from around the age of six months he just wants to go out all the time and is always mewing that so I cant sleep.

Even when I go out with him he is not satisfied and will continue to want to go out all the time, which I wasn't expecting from a Siamese. What can I do? I'm hoping to mate him with my moggie when she is old enough so I don't want to neuter him just yet.

Answer: At his age, it is natural for him to want to go off to find a mate. Left to his own devices, he would wander far afield, fighting with other entire males along the way. Keeping him inside is frustrating his natural instincts. Even Siamese have natural instincts!

So you can choose between putting up with his behaviour or having him neutered. Personally, I would have him neutered as there are enough kittens looking for good homes as it is without adding to the problem.

If you do decide to keep him entire, you could help to use up more of his energy during the day by playing more with him. Wand toys that you can dangle for him to chase and catch are good. Playing little and often throughout the day, and more during the evening may help to tire him out at night.

However, if there is a cat in oestrus nearby, his howling will be caused by needs other than the need to use up energy.

You may like to read What is my Cat Thinking? for more information on understanding sexuality.

Back to Cat Behaviour Problems