Neutering my male cat did not change him at all

When I say, in the title, that neutering did not change my male cat at all I mean in terms of his characteristics and personality. Obviously it changed him in terms of his ability to procreate and it changed his anatomy slightly!

People ask a lot of questions about neutering male cats. Below are some of those questions. They are taken directly from Google. Google tells us the questions that people ask and the topics about which they are seeking information.

Does neutering male cats calm them down? Does neutering male cats stop spraying? Does neutering male cat stunt their growth? Does neutering male cats change his personality? Does neutering male cats stop them growing? Does neutering male cats stop aggression? Will neutering cats stop fighting?

I can answer the questions based upon (a) first-hand experience and (b) research. I raised a male cat from about seven weeks of age. He is now four. Of course, he was neutered at the appropriate time (7 months old). What sort of changes in behaviour did I witness after neutering?

I can honestly say that there were absolutely no noticeable changes whatsoever. My cat did not change in terms of personality, sexual drive, aggression, territorial desires et cetera. He is the same cat as he was – less his testicles! Perhaps, “maleness” is hardwired into a cat at the embryonic stage and/or or in the early stages of life before being neutered and this carries through in some cats more than in others.

I guess it must depend upon the individual cat. Some cats have more testosterone than other cats. Castration or neutering removes the production of testosterone and therefore removes some of the maleness from the cat and the male characteristics that go with it. However, it is far from a black-and-white change as is evidenced by my cat, Gabriel.

In general neutering will not change a male cat’s personality accepted it may reduce or eliminate his desire to roam. It may also reduce his sexual impulses and the aggressive behaviour that accompanies them. Hunting instincts are unaffected. He may become more affectionate. He may wonder less and become involved in cat fights less often. Spraying is often eliminated.

I can’t comment about spraying. I know before he was neutered that he was spraying. At that time, he was an indoor/outdoor cat. Now he has his own large garden enclosure. I have not noticed him spraying. However, I’m not sure that neutering him has stopped his spraying. It probably has. But then, he has no competition within his enclosure and therefore there is less need to spray anyway.

As for his weight, there’s been no change in that regard as well. He is still pretty slender. He is still active. He still does not eat more than he burns up. His weight remained stable post neutering.







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4 thoughts on “Neutering my male cat did not change him at all”

  1. From experience: neutering a cat does affect the spraying. As his body excretes the pre-surgery testosterone, the desire to procreate will subside along with the need to mark his territory. Occasionally, some cats feel threatened by the outside environment (usually other cats) and may mark their territory. That’s not contingent on being intactor on gender. The only change in my male cat,post surgery, is the lack of the super strong ammonia smell.

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  2. Michael, I didn’t know that Gabriel was neutered. I recall reading some comments awhile back, and it seemed that you were opposed to it, for him. I must have mis-interpreted. This part of your statement is confusing to me: “a black-and-white change as is evidenced by my cat, Gabriel.” and this “Neutering my cat did not change him at all.” They seem to be in conflict with each other. Can you elaborate how it did or didn’t change Gabriel, besides physically? How is he adapting to the yard enclosure?

    Always enjoy seeing your pictures of him; he’s such a beautiful, very masculine and strong looking feline. And….you’re such a great photographer!

    Thanks!

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