Hello

Three months ago two kittens moved in; a male and a female. I suppose this is a typically male consideration, but I hate the idea of having to neuter HIM. I assume it will alter his behavior radically. More than HERs. Apart from that it just makes me feel awful. I understand from my breeder that not all of her male cats indulge in the awful smelly spraying that more or less forces them to be castrated. A few just don't. They are in the minority, but they do exist. I was wondering if it is possible to keep an uncastrated male with a female that has been spayed. That is assuming that he wouldn't spray his territory. Any guidance in this area would be appreciated.

Dave

Neutering isn't just to prevent spraying. Un-neutered males can be much more aggresive. If he can smell a female in heat outside of your house he will try his absolute best to get outside. If he does he is very likely to get into fights due to not being neutered. Neutering also reduces the chances on cancer in "the area" later in life.
He is likely to spray indoors, and esp likely if he smells a female in heat or there is another male cat in the area he can smell. The female doesn't have to be that close to your house, males can smell them quite far away.

It is best to get it done before he even starts. Once male cats start spraying they sometimes don't stop aftering neutering as it becomes a habit. (And we all know how hard they are to give up!)

Honestly, Dave, you're taking this a little too personal. A male cat isn't going to miss his testicles. His behavior and his "maleness" aren't going to change drastically. He's still going to be very much a boy. He's just not likely to spray or get outside and chase the ladies. He's not likely to miss anything he never knew. So go ahead and get the snip done. It's really better for all concerned.

I dont know about you guys but i could not wait untill i got both my boy and girl cat desexed, cats in heat drive me up the wall!

I agree with Tim, this is a cat not a person. He's not going to suffer from loss of pride because he has no balls.

Also, what makes you believe neutering would change a boy cat more than a girl? With girl cats do they not remove the whole lot too? Therefore the girl wouldnt be recieveing any girl hormones just as much as the boy wont be recieveing and of his male hormones. Either way this does not change their personalities in any way, it realy just stops them keeping you up all night with the yowling and peeing and attacking you out of sexual frustration.

Whether an un-neutered male cat sprays or not...his urine is STILL going to REEK! ...and so will he, by association.

It seems that many men have the same issues with neutering as you do, I think because they think of things in terms of how a human would react to something like this. Humans seem to have a psychological attachment to their genetalia, but animals don't. Your cat is not going to care that he has balls or not. He is not going to be any different without them except that he won't spray, won't hump your leg, won't be trying to get out to find intact females (and don't think he can't... unnuetered toms have been known to tear out the screens of windows just to get out and find that female in heat) and won't develop reproductive cancers.

I had to deal with this same issue with my bf, since our kitten Cheddar got neutered last week. I swear it was more painful and upsetting to him than it was to the cat. Cheddar came through just fine, has healed up well and is the same cat he was before the surgery.

Your cat will be better off if you have him neutered and so will you, and you don't need to feel guilty or bad about it.

Good point, and it's best to get the snip done before sexual maturity, or the urine may still smell bad even after neutering.

I know this is in no way helpful or informative, but it reminded me --- I got a catalog recently and I MUST get this t-shirt. It says, "Don't mess with me --- I've castrated everything on this place!"

Agree with all the above. Sorry!
It's so interesting to me, I have yet to come across a woman with a "thing" about de-sexing her pet but very often men are quite horrified by the idea of castrating their pet. Especially since the female surgery is so much more invasive and extensive. Strange. I guess it's just one of those guy things.
Don't worry, Dave. He won't change and he won't hate you and he'll probably be a lot easier to live with.

Castration is external. Any man who lost his testicles would live in fear of having his missing parts exposed. He'd never again be able to work out at the health club, for example.