Adopting young un neutered tom - any advice?

[Hippykitty]

Don't leave it for too long before he gets the snip. You may think you've cleared up the cat pee, but he can still smell it. When the smell begins to fade, he'll reinforce it. Don't let the cycle begin.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Hi Kate,

Check out the topics on this thread as there are loads of useful bits  .... http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/board,43.0.html

These two in particular are good:

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,4793.0.html

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,22273.0.html

[Kate S]

Thanks again. I am due to pick him up this wednesday. I think I will let him settle for a few days and then take him to the vets. If he sprays etc, so be it, thats an issue that can be cleared up!

[sheilarose]

  HK 

As an unneutered tom his urge to go out and find lurve  will be very strong. He'll watch for any chance to get out: any door accidentally left open, any window opened for airing etc. His way of making himself at home will be to mark his territory with very strong smelling pee. Once a tom has marked a particular place, he'll keep going back to reinforce his scent and this will continue after the op.

My advice: take him to the vet asap, then you'll be free to focus on making him at home.

[Hippykitty]

As an unneutered tom his urge to go out and find lurve  will be very strong. He'll watch for any chance to get out: any door accidentally left open, any window opened for airing etc. His way of making himself at home will be to mark his territory with very strong smelling pee. Once a tom has marked a particular place, he'll keep going back to reinforce his scent and this will continue after the op.

My advice: take him to the vet asap, then you'll be free to focus on making him at home.

[CuteCats]

If it was me I'd try to get him neutered before he comes to you. Before he gets settled in. When my parents got one of their dogs that wasn't neutered they took him straight to the vets then he just had one big upset rather than a big move and then an operation just as he'd started to settle in.

Also when I got my two, they had been rescued off the street, with their mum and although I offered to take them straight away. The rescue got their Mum spayed the next day and they came to me on the evening. I did feel very sorry for their Mum as she had gone through so much and was nursing babies but I can also see the sense of getting it all done and out of the way.   

Yes, I agree.  If it's possible would be good to get him neutered before he comes to you, Kate. 

[Mymblesdaughter]

If it was me I'd try to get him neutered before he comes to you. Before he gets settled in. When my parents got one of their dogs that wasn't neutered they took him straight to the vets then he just had one big upset rather than a big move and then an operation just as he'd started to settle in.

Also when I got my two, they had been rescued off the street, with their mum and although I offered to take them straight away. The rescue got their Mum spayed the next day and they came to me on the evening. I did feel very sorry for their Mum as she had gone through so much and was nursing babies but I can also see the sense of getting it all done and out of the way.     

[CuteCats]

I'm not sure on the neutering.  I heard of someone who had a cat neutered before really getting his trust, and he ran away when he returned to their house!  Probably depends on the cat.  I didn't get the choice with Billy as he needed to be kept in after he was badly attacked by another cat.  We waited about a week for him to recover before he was neutered.  And yes, he did spray for a while before and after neutering.

[sheilarose]

I would also get him associated with cooked chicken (chikkun) as soon as possible.  get your partner to dish out titbits with a click click, or lip smacking sound then puss will associate the sound with chikkun. Once he has mastered this you will be able to call him with that sound, then he becomes easier to control.

Keep him indoors for a couple of weeks after neutering, he needs to become master of his own environment before being allowed to explore its perimeters.

[emmmy_lou]

Good advice, I would alo get him neutered first, if he is used to going outside, he is more likely to try and make an escape to go out on the pull! 

[Kate S]

thanks for all of your advice so quickly. I will get a cardboard box and some toys, feathery things etc. Not sure of the name yet. He was called 'Dollar' which i think is dreadful! I would like to give him a blokey name like Billy or something, but may wait to see what his personality is like. He is a tabby and white (like my previous 2 boys)

[Liz]

Welcome to your new addittion all I can say if you can make him a safe room with all the things he needs for a couplemof weeks and a feliway plug in and lots of catnip and treats help and long handled toys like feather sticks and a red dot laser pen, I have a fair few ferals who love the red dot and feathers

I would also neuter and chip and first injections sooner rather than later gets it over with and lessens the smell of eau d tom cat

Do we have a name in mind and what colour is your new boy

[Rosella moggy]

Apologies Kate    You're not that much of a newbie are ya? 

[Rosella moggy]

Yes certainly he needs to be neutered asap if only to reduce the likelihood of him spraying.  If he is initially very nervous, you may want to set up a place of safety for him.  Somewhere to hide away so he can feel safe.  A cardboard box would do it and then just sit on the floor/lie on the bed in same room with a radio on low.  I always sleep overnight in same room with newbies for at least a week but then I'm a crazy cat lady 

As regards your partner bonding, play is always helpful with this as is food.  There are some fabulous toys in the Purrs Shop.

As he is more recently used to being outdoors, I would guess he may start whining at the windows/doors to get out pretty quickly.  You will need stand firm for at least a few weeks so that he learns where his new home is.

Hoping all goes well      to Purrs by the way.  Hope you stay and let us see pics of your new lad 

[Dawn F]

get him neutered etc as quickly as you can, if he starts spraying it is harder to break the habit - I'm sure once he is settled your oh and the newbie will get on just fine once he knows he is staying

[Kate S]

Hi,  in the next couple of weeks I will be taking in a young tom. He seems to have spent his formative life as a flat cat, although the lady who is caring for him currently has a garden and he now goes outside. He is very nervous and I expect will spend the first few days with us hiding behind the sofa! Does anyone have any tips about socialising him more in order to increase his confidence, learn to play etc? Also i will need to get him neutered, chipped , jabbed etc. Do you think I should do this quite quickly while he is still getting used to us, or wait until he is settled for a couple of weeks? I don't propose to let him out for a while. My partner is also worried that the cat will not bond with him. ( He loved our other 2 dearly but because they adopted us they were very confident cats). He was brought up in a household without animals, and I want to ensure he is involved as much as I in socialising and soothing the little mog. Sorry if I am being a bit dense here, but as i said my other 2 were confident, neutered boys. I want to ensure our new arrival will settle in a.s.a.p