[Richo]

Ever since I can remember, Barnaby gets into this mode (always happens after petting him) where he will attempt to "mount" my arm. BTW he IS neutered so I am puzzled about this and wondering what it might be.

Once he has had enough petting, he will first start licking my hand, then he will get up and straddle my arm biting on my hand. I always "give him" the palm of my hand which is least sensitive to his teeth, but after a few seconds he will always turn his head and bite at the back of my hand as well.

Once I get up and attempt to walk away, he makes strange noises and leaps at my feet trying to grab onto my ankles and bite. :lol: Sometimes I have to walk very slowly and carefully to avoid stepping on his paws.

What exactly is he trying to do here? Is he expressing sexual behavior? Seems kind of strange but also cute. It's never a problem. Just wondering.

 

[Bean]

That is odd...

Never heard of that before, but I've heard of animals that are neutered later in life will sometimes still go through some of the actions of an unneutered cat. Is this common or recent?

A cat I had cared for before would have erections - I found that a bit weird.

 

[Richo]

He's done this as long as I can remember.

Don't male cats bite the female on the back of the neck when they are mating? I think I had heard this before.

 

[Cat_Woman]

Unfortunately, the move that you just expressed, is EXACTLY how he would "mate" a female cat! My kitty is neutered, and when my mom's female went into heat, he did that to her all night!!

That's kind of funny actually! :lol:

 

[Aonir]

I've had a neutered male cat do this too.

 

[jonsgirl]

same here....I never knew what he was doing till now. Thanks guys, now I feel used....

:lol:

 

[maymariya]

strange..my neutered male kitty does that too. oh well, as long as hes healthy and so am i who cares?
:wink:

 

[Ioana]

Maybe you should let Barnaby know that is *not acceptable behaviour* . Frosty is doing the same thing to Idella - the little dapple dachsund. I will ask about it at the vet tomorrow. I am 80%sure it is a way of showing her he is in charge, superiority wise. He does lick the back of her neck..and does look a lot like mating to me also..but he has been neutered more than 2 months ago. I don't allow him to do that ..for fear of that 20% might be true...Idella is not his kind of gal anyways :shock:

 

[MrPurryMotors]

My guy did this before being nuetered in the last few weeks before being neutered, never after though... so, clueless.

 

[comiskey]

Have you considered that he might be redirecting his aggression for having been neutered? You should sit him down and have a long and serious talk with him. Explain that this is not acceptable behavior even for a cat fairy. Unless, of course, you like this behavior in which case.... There are a couple of excellent books by the renowned cat psychiatrist, Dr. Leger Comiskey: "My Cat, My Lover, My Intimate Friend" and "Psycho Kitty." Both of these excellent books deal with the symptom(s) you describe, i.e. catschizophrenia and sexual identity crisis. Another good book of note is by Lilli St. Cyr called "Preparing Your Forearm For The New Baby" which might also come in handy sometime down the road. I remember I had a most difficult time breaking my cat of the habit of perching himself over the toilet and, with newspaper in paw, proceeding to do his business. Remember that cats learn by experience. After he saw me using his catbox for a couple of months, he finally caught on. Cats remember. If the experience is good, they will try to repeat it. Does your cat smoke a cigarette, afterwards? Whatever you don't want your cat to indulge in must never be rewarding or fun, in fact, it must be unpleasant. Have your tried not shaving your forearm and letting the hair grow back in? Petting a wet dog? One common training practice is grabbing the cat, pointing out the wet spot and rubbing his nose in it, then dragging him to the female cat and throwing him on her back. I don't think this is a very good idea. No way to keep peace in the family. Reprimands don't work. Perhaps, he only wants attention; even if it means being hurled across the room. If you want to reform kitty of his bad habit, here's a couple suggestions:

First: Stop all reprimands and punishment. Tell him you want to be taken out to dinner and a movie, first. That you're not jsut some piece of fluff. That you're a catperson. And, like all cat people, you deserve more.

Second: Set kitty up. Get a prosthesis and wire it with standard household current (remember, it's the amps, not the voltage).

Third: Change your body language.

Let's look at these at little more closely, shall we?

1. Stop all reprimands. Concentrate on making your relationship fun, rewarding, playful and interesting not just sexual. Sometimes this change alone will solve your problem. Cats are known to become overly active and destructive when bored. Teach him a new card game. Play more chess with him. Get him to read a book. Daily play charades and give him relaxing massages. That always works for me. Cats that feel neglected will often start using your appendages to gain attention. If you schedule regular therapy sessions which work around his busy schedule and give kitty your constant, undivided attention and play games with him, even sexual dysfunction problems can disappear usually within a fortnight or two.

2. Set kitty up. The most effective method of cat training still remains electro-shock therapy. So the second step is setting up the cat's environment like an insane asylum / operating theater. This will give you the opportunity to try out that new electric train set you got for Christmas and those fancy restraints made out of real Corinthian leather.

3. Change your body language. Instead of shaving your forearm and rubbing it down with lotion, wear a long-sleeve shirt made out of burlap and pet a wet pooch.

If the above-mentioned strategies don't work, you can always go with the old standby and throw him in a cold shower.

I hope I was able to be of some help.

Regards,
Commie
];-}


Related Reading:

Excessive Caterwallering
Nocturnal Emissions
Rambunctiousness on a Shoestring
Littering the Right Box
Training To Scratch Furniture

 

[Jeanie]

Comiskey, You are a rascal. Go stand in the corner! :twisted:

Ioana, I think he might be playing "king of the hill" with the dachshund. (I hope! ) My collies, male and female always did this to each other. Of course the cold shower Comiskey suggested isn't a bad idea either....

 

[Ioana]

I hope that is all he is doing Jeanie. He does it with Cheerio too and then he is being very affectionate towards her ..washing her up just like with Idella. I forgot to ask about it at the vet when I went in this Tuesday. We had such a hard time with Frosty - the vet couldn't perform the standard physical exam. Ever since he has been neutered he does not like it there at all...he snapped even at me but luckily I was wearing a peacoat so no harm done. As soon as we returned home he was back to normal

 

[Jeanie]

I think the fact that he has been a house cat for such a short time has something to do with his behavior at the vet's. It's a wonder he's not completely feral in behavior! Also it takes time after neutering for the testosterone effects to disappear. Feliway might help calm him down. I hope so.

 

[Ioana]

Actually it is not that, Jeanie. I have had him since he was probably 2 weeks old - he weighed 11 ounces and his brother 5. Frosty was doing very well at the vet. I think he remembers the pain and confusion he was in after being neutered so he associates that place with a very uncomfortable situation..therefore trying to protect himself even for me. He is a very loving kitty - when not at the vet

 

[Jeanie]

I was thinking of Cbeerio, I believe. Is that the cat you just took in, or am I mistaken again?

 

[Ioana]

My bad, Jeanie - I meant Frosty all the time. He is the one that is mounting both Idella and Cheerio and then washing them up lovingly. I was hoping just like you said that it is a superiority thing. I was going to ask about Frosty's behaviour at the vet but he didn'y take it very well there - as I have stated he doesn't anymore ever since he has been neutered. I know he must have really bad memories from there - I don't blame him.
I remember when I was in kindergarden the nurse had to come and give us a painful vaccine in the leg. I wasn't too scared but it hurt quiete a bit. And then to see my mom offering homemade cookies to the nurse after doing that to me was the ultimate offense...so Frosty must have felt the same when he snapped at me. He is so loving otherwise. I was surprised at the vet but not scared..it is understandable.

 

[Jeanie]

Ioana, you have so much empathy. Perhaps, like you, Frosty will mature and understand that people are trying to help him. That sounds ridiculous, but when my Blacky had the surgery (for infection) that left deep holes in his side I had to clean the wounds so deeply and thoroughly his paws would sweat, but he just lay there and purred (pain also causes a cat to purr). That was many years ago, but I'll never forget it. I think he knew I was helping him.

 

[Ioana]

I have never seen an animal's paws sweating. What a smart boy he was to allow you to clean him up having to go through all that pain. It probably hurt you (psychologically) as much as it hurt him.

 

[Jeanie]

It did hurt, but the vet said he couldn't go home unless I could care for his wounds according to directions. He healed very well, thank goodness.

 

[Ioana]

I am so happy Blackie did good in the end. Thank goodness he had his mommy with him all the way . There is nothing that disturbs me more than seeing/knowing a being is in pain.