Hey everyone,
The last couple of nights my cat has been acting very strangely. He's an "intact" tom, and oddly enough he hardly ever wanders much further than the courtyard in front of the house. He usually just goes out for an hour or so, comes back in and goes to sleep.
Since Friday night, though, he's been a right pain in the arse, demanding to be let out, staying out for a long time and then demanding to be let out again. He usually meows only rarely, but these last few nights he simply will not shut the heck up. He sits by the door meowing loudly on average once every two seconds and threatening to pee all over the place if he is not released at once. I'm reluctantly letting him have his way, but I noticed him wandering quite a way up the road, much further than he usually patrols.
I'm guessing that there's some horny female cat on heat in the area, but I dislike letting him out to have his way, both because of the risk he is putting himself at and the issue of unwanted kittens for some unsuspecting family. Unfortunately I simply cannot keep him in without him keeping me up all night with his mewling and making the house smell like a urinal with his spray.
I know that neutering is undoubtedly the best answer, and I suppose he should have been "fixed" when we first got him - it's just something we meant to do but never got round to doing, and since he was usually so well-behaved we eventually decided just to grant him the luxury of inact testicles.
Given his current state I am rapidly reconsidering this philosophy and may well have him done within the next month.
Anyway, my question is this: Is there any way to make him shut up for the time being? I've tried food, catnip, playing with him, and just about everything short of a tranquiliser dart. I don't like him being out for so long (he dosen't usually wander very far) and am getting quite worried for his safety. How long do female cats stay on heat for, anyway? Is there anything I can do? I bloody well hope he's not like this for too long.
Any ideas?
Thanks
The last couple of nights my cat has been acting very strangely. He's an "intact" tom, and oddly enough he hardly ever wanders much further than the courtyard in front of the house. He usually just goes out for an hour or so, comes back in and goes to sleep.
Since Friday night, though, he's been a right pain in the arse, demanding to be let out, staying out for a long time and then demanding to be let out again. He usually meows only rarely, but these last few nights he simply will not shut the heck up. He sits by the door meowing loudly on average once every two seconds and threatening to pee all over the place if he is not released at once. I'm reluctantly letting him have his way, but I noticed him wandering quite a way up the road, much further than he usually patrols.
I'm guessing that there's some horny female cat on heat in the area, but I dislike letting him out to have his way, both because of the risk he is putting himself at and the issue of unwanted kittens for some unsuspecting family. Unfortunately I simply cannot keep him in without him keeping me up all night with his mewling and making the house smell like a urinal with his spray.
I know that neutering is undoubtedly the best answer, and I suppose he should have been "fixed" when we first got him - it's just something we meant to do but never got round to doing, and since he was usually so well-behaved we eventually decided just to grant him the luxury of inact testicles.
Given his current state I am rapidly reconsidering this philosophy and may well have him done within the next month.
Anyway, my question is this: Is there any way to make him shut up for the time being? I've tried food, catnip, playing with him, and just about everything short of a tranquiliser dart. I don't like him being out for so long (he dosen't usually wander very far) and am getting quite worried for his safety. How long do female cats stay on heat for, anyway? Is there anything I can do? I bloody well hope he's not like this for too long.
Any ideas?
Thanks