Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: JackSpratt on November 03, 2010, 22:23:24 PM
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My cousin has three cats - Indie, Ember and Fig. Indie is a neutered male and Ember and Fig are spayed females.
Indie has for no apparent reason, got an obsession with attempting to mount and simulate mating with Fig. He'll be cleaning her, and then he'll sniff her back end and try and mount. He tried this on Ember once and she swiped at him so much he got a scratch across his nose that my cousin had to clean up....(she doesn't take any rubbish from men, Ember. ;))
Is there any way to discourage Indie from this behaviour towards Fig? My cousin didn't mind too much when it didn't seem to distress Fig, but she's showing signs of being unhappy about it.
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How long ago way he done? Has your cousin spoken to the vet about it? Has your cousin noticed if he is just going through the motions or does he actually get his little "lipstick" out (if you get my meaning! lol). Cuz if he is actually getting little hard ons then it might be that he snip wasn't completely successful - just a thought.
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He was done about a year and a half ago - he's around two. And yes, she says that "things happen in that area." :shy:
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Maybe a vet visit is needed hun.
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Really? What sort of underlying health issue causes that....? :-: Will let her know.
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I would imagine it could be that some 'hormone producing' tissue was left behind when the neuter was done.
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Actually, I would think it is all behavioural.
Mounting in neutered animals is really quite common. Neutering usually eliminates the behaviour, but not always. A lot of the time mounting is a dominance behaviour rather than sexual, other times it is because animals are just hard wired that way.
Mig the bun has tried humping me a couple of times, years after his neuter. Male dogs can and sometimes do get their wicked little way with the ladies even though neutered. They go through all the motions (sorry :evillaugh:) even getting a tie just they can't sire a litter.
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I guess a blood test wouldn't hurt to rule it out? - I'm sure they can test testosterone levels?
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I agree with Den as well ... it could be behavioural but as least if you can rule out any medical reason then you know what your dealing with. Start with the eays option first and if everything is OK then you can start to modify the behaviour ;)
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My Ben still does this to Lucy, he's 12 and was neutered at 6 months old :Crazy: Sam used to do it too - also to Lucy :shocked:
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The Jumpster used to mount my leg until he was around 4 years old. :doh: He would even try to do it when I was asleep. He would wake me up by doing it as I could feel his little damp winkie rubbing up against my calf. :sick:
It's all behavioural I'm sure. Jumpster grew out of it so I'm sure this pud will. ;) :hug:
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How to deal with it now, though? Fig is getting quite upset by it but is a lot smaller than Indie so my cousin is a little concerned for her. And Julie: not the nicest way to wake up.... :sick: :evillaugh:
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The easy answer is, don't let him. He has his little routine before the actual mounting. Your cousin should keep an eye on him and look out for the first sign of him about to start, then pick him up and remove him for a little time out and to let him calm down.
I'm sure little Fig will eventually tell him off at one point.
Also, when he starts ... I wonder if shaking some biscuits or something to entice Fig away would do anything. It will also break Indie's attention and might calm him down.
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could it be a dominance thing ??
Misty was neutered but he started trying to mount Hamish ( both Males :shocked: )
I irately took Misty under my arm and marched back to the vet with Him
she said it was just a dominance thing and it should subside with time
it did, only did it about 4 times in total ( when I was there )
and yes the receiver also didn't like it very much either >:( 'd just intervene
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Jaffa mounts Mosi regularly - it's a dominance thing with him. Is he definitely trying to mate with her? sometimes Jaffa will move a bit but I know he's not actually trying to mate. He does straddle Mosi just as though he was trying to mate him and looks sort of like he's trying to mate but not, if you know what I mean.
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Yes dominance. I have also seen neutered females mounting another. They get over it once they have sorted out who is boss.
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I agree with those who suggest ruling out a physical problem. Not to say the probability is not that the issue is behaviour, but it is not impossible that hormones are to blame. Arguably hormone imbalances are easier to prove or disprove than behavioural problems!
"When you have eliminated all which is impossible then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
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It is unlikely to be hormonal. This sort of behaviour is perfectly normal and common in the animal world .... Although appears odd to us humans.
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Bazza (neutered) used to do this when he was padding on my knee - his bum would go reallly low, he'd get a fixed glazed-over look in his eye and he'd start sort of "humping" - only way to stop it was to pick him up and move him off!
I do recall seeing cows mounting each other once - so agree with the dominance theory (not sure about Baz, although I suppose he did have me wrapped around his little toe so it could be true :innocent:)
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My Zareth still tries it on with Lettuce but she won't have any of it!. Mind you they are more or less the same size and Zareth only has 3 legs so falls off
more often than not. Poor butter! :hee hee: