Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice regarding a bit of a problem. I have two neutered male cats: Romeo, who will be 4 in two months, and Titou, who will be 3 in a month. For about a fortnight now, Romeo has been mounting Titou as if he’s trying to mate with him. Titou is completely submissive but lets out a meow that sounds like he’s in pain or scared – I can't quite tell which, but it’s obvious he’s not happy about it. Naturally, I don’t let Romeo get away with it.
They were both neutered when they were young, so it’s not as if it’s a habit he’s kept from before the op. That said, there has been a bit more bickering between them since the start of the year, though they still regularly sleep together and groom one another.
Does anyone know why this might be happening and, more importantly, what I can do to calm things down?
Thanks in advance for any help!
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He was neutered at 3 months, so very early on. My vet was actually surprised that another vet had done it at such a young age. He was picked up by the rescue when he was about two and a half months old and was kept shut in a rabbit cage until he was nearly five months old, because a lady who is a foster carer took him in ten days before I adopted him as she felt so sorry for him. He was stuck in that tiny cage 24/7. So, I don't think he had much of a "love life" before then.
No, I don't shout; I just use a firmer tone than when we’re having cuddles lol.
If it comes in capsules, it might be tricky. I’ve never managed to get him to take any medication, even when it's crushed up in tuna to really hide the taste and smell; he’ll swallow it, then bolt and bring it back up outside or under the sofa...
I'll have a look anyway; with a bit of luck, it might work. Thanks for your advice in any case.
Sorry, I misread your reply and thought Romeo had been neutered just 3 months ago rather than at 3 months old.....😡😡😡
So it’s definitely possible that the new scents Titou is bringing back from the neighbours' are playing a part..... but the treatment remains the same; there’s also Bach Rescue Remedy.
Nearly 4 years old is quite late in terms of a cat's sexual development... they usually reach sexual maturity between 6 and 8 months! 😀😀😀 They can be neutered from six months onwards, so he was definitely done quite late.
Since you mentioned he came from a rescue, he likely had a "love life" before and has kept the habit of wanting to mate, even if he can't have kittens anymore. Plus, it's peak mating season right now, so he's probably picking up the scent of females, and any new smells from your neighbours could definitely be unsettling him too.
Don't let him "mount" Titou; be very firm and don't hesitate to isolate him for a bit... he'll eventually get the message... all of this without shouting, of course.
You could also look into Zylkene, which you can find online (on sites like Pets at Home or Viovet, for example). It comes in capsules that you can just mix into his wet food.
Thanks for the advice. Roméo was neutered at just 3 months old – I didn’t even realise they did it that young. But the manager of the rescue where he was caught found him so aggressive that they wanted to calm him down, or so she told me. My poor boy was actually just terrified, but because of that, I don't think he's ever actually done anything with a female. I’ve plugged in a Feliway diffuser and as soon as we catch him trying to do that, we stop him straight away.
I struggle to understand why Titou doesn’t defend himself, though; when they’re playing or even when things get a bit rough, Roméo is usually the first to back down. But since January, we’ve had new neighbours (it’s a house split into two flats) and the slightest change upsets Roméo, who is very scared of people. Meanwhile, Titou used to go over for cuddles and a nap at my old neighbour's place and he’s doing the same with the new ones who have been very welcoming; I’m wondering if it’s perhaps their scent that’s upsetting him. There haven't been any other changes.
I can tell my poor Titou isn't happy with the situation at all. Usually, I separate them, then they stare at each other for a few minutes; Titou lies down and Roméo sits there with his tail tucked around him, ears flat, looking grumpy. Then it passes and they either have a nap or one of them goes out for a wander, but at those times they don't fall asleep curled up together. Yet when they’re just having a bit of a scrap, they always end up cuddling afterwards.
Evening,
It’s hard to say what’s causing this sudden change in behaviour... especially if your cats were neutered a while back. In my opinion, it’s probably just lingering sexual instincts, but your cat shouldn't have any hormones left if he was neutered a long time ago. That said, if he showed mating behaviours when he was young, he might have held onto a few of those habits.
I also think it could be a dominance thing; I’ve got two neutered cats as well and they have the occasional scrap at my place too—they seem to be playing "who’s the boss" 😀.
The best thing is to stop him as soon as he starts—clap your hands and give him a very firm "NO", and if needed, you can put him in another room for a short time out.
Finally, you could try using Feliway or even Zylkene tablets to help calm everyone down.
