At about 6 or 7 months old, the kitten becomes pubescent, i.e. the testicles become functional. He is now able to reproduce. The testicles produce the spermatozoa and the sex hormones of which testosterone is responsible for the behaviour of a tom cat.

by quatre mains via Flickr

Marking His Territory

The cat is a territorial animal. This results in urinary marking. Uncastrated adult cats are likely to define their territory with jets of urine. The urine of a male cat has a very strong odour which is hard to get rid off. This urinary marking behaviour seldom exists in cats castrated before puberty. When he marks, the male cat stands in front of the object it has chosen to mark. He raises his tail and sends out a short jet of urine. The traces of urine cover about 10 or 15 cm of the ground.

by Velo Steve via Flickr

If the cat goes outside, this marking will be done on the trees, shrubs and walls in strategic places in his territory. If the cat lives indoors, he will urinate on pieces of furniture, the angles of walls and other strategic points in your home. The male cat maintains these areas by urinating regularly at these places. This marking is increased when a female cat in season is present in the surroundings.

Territory marking also includes scratching furniture, house walls or trees in the garden. This behaviour also exists in castrated males and females but often to a lesser degree. A sterilized cat is a territorial animal.

Protecting His Territory

Cats are regarded as independent characters especially when you compare them with dogs. The pubescent spend much of their time outside to drive out and fight with interlopers in their territory and to follow females in season. They return home mainly to eat and rest before setting out again for a few days.

by whiskymac via Flickr

The castrated cat has a territory but this is often much smaller (limited to the house and the garden), it is a more friendly and much softer character. When a female in heat is present in the vicinity, the tomcat can travel several kilometres to find it. During the cat’s mating season, your cat will stay away for several days and will return home exhausted.

by screamingkid via Flickr

The tomcat is brawler. He jealously protects his territory and attacks all foreign cats. During the mating season, the males fight to win the females. These battles cause bites and scratches mainly on the head and legs. These wounds frequently become abscesses and require a visit in the vet. Cuts to the eye are also possible and these must be treated quickly.

by iLoveButter via Flickr

In the mating season, both males and females are noisy and cause a nuisance. If your tomcat is kept indoors but senses the presence of a female in season, you won’t get any sleep while he practices his singing!

The hormones produced by the pubescent male allow him to develop secondary sexual characters. The tomcat often has a bulky head because of the development jowls. After all his fights, his ears are often lacerated and the scars are not very pretty.

Advantages of Neutering

by James Bird via Flickr

The risk of wounds and accidents for toms are more frequent as they have a more ‘violent’ lifestyle. The risk of road accidents is increased as he wanders further and the consequences are sometimes disastrous. Because he is noisy and certain people don’t appreciate it, he could be poisoned.

Two viral diseases can be transmitted through contact particularly though bites, Leukaemia and AIDS. These diseases are fatal. It is possible to vaccinate your cat against Leukaemia not against the AIDS.

by mistagregory via Flickr

The adult cat is likely to destroy your home especially if it does not go outside. When a cat marks its territory with urine, it is very difficult to stop him doing it. Castration remains the most effective method but is sometimes insufficient. You will have great difficulty eliminating the smell of urine from the whole cat. It is unpleasant to have the furniture and the walls scratched.

The life expectancy of the uncastrated cat is on average shorter than that of the castrated cat.

The castrated cat needs less energy than the castrated adult. He is also less active, especially if it lives in indoors. Weight is put on in the 2 to 3 months which follow castration. It is necessary to restrict the number of calories it eats, either by decreasing the quantity of food, or by giving him a diet food following castration. If you reduce his energy intake, your cat will remain slender and active and it will not suffer from the complications due to obesity such as diabetes, cardiac and joint problems.

Disadvantages of Neutering

by jemsweb via Flickr

Castrated male cats are more prone to the urinary infections. The risks are further increased by obesity and lack of exercise. To avoid these, you must check that your cat drinks and urinates sufficiently. Make sure your cat drinks enough, and give him wet food rather than biscuits. Good quality food prevents urinary problems as it makes sure your cat gets a well balanced diet with the minerals he needs.

Contrary to popular belief, castration does not delay growth even if it is carried out before puberty. In certain countries (in the United States in particular), all the cats are sterilized at the three months age and their size is not affected.

When you get a male kitten, it is advisable that you get him castrated before puberty (early castration). He will have a longer life expectancy and will be closer to you. If your male cat is already adult, you can also get him castrated (late castration) even if he already has bad habits (spraying, running away, brawls); these will lessen but will not disappear completely. Your veterinary surgeon can advise you and help you. If you sterilize a male cat that goes outside, you will also limit the proliferation of the cats which cause problems. Each year a large number kittens are abandoned because they can’t find a home.