Many cat parents have to consider the option of neutering their beloved pets for various valid reasons. Neutering your cat can prevent several potential complications. For instance, the mother kitty’s health may be threatened during labor and delivery.
Also, some young moms may experience major troubles while giving birth to their kittens, and they may even develop health issues while nursing. Neutering can even prevent the need for your cats to mate with the males.
Despite these positive outcomes that can be reaped from neutering, you might face another problem. If you have two cats with one being neutered and the other being unneutered, you might be worried about how the duo will interact and engage with each other.
So, to give you a better idea of whether neutered cats can live with unneutered cats, we have done some proper research and highlighted the problems that might arise. Hence, keep reading this article to know more about it!
Can a Neutered Cat and an Unneutered Cat Live Together?
Yes, neutered and unneutered cats can get along well with each other without any problem. They can socialize in the same way as every other cat does.
It may take a little time for the non-neutered cat to become friendly, but if it gets triggered or sexually frustrated, it will not hesitate to hurt or injure the neutered cat. Therefore, there could be some problems since the unneutered ones can get very aggressive while the neutered ones remain easy-going and peaceful.
Though there might be problems, do not worry much because there are many backup plans. The first and the most obvious one is to neuter the unneutered cat. And secondly, some animal shelters accept the cat back if things do not work out the way you want. Hence, though a neutered and unneutered cat can live together, how peacefully they’ll stay is a big question.
Should you Neuter the Other Unneutered Male Cat?
According to many cat parents and vet experts, you can consider neutering the unneutered cat, especially males. It is because the penises of male cats often have spines and barbs, and thus mating for the female cat can be uncomfortable at best and downright painful at worst.
Since male cats will be attracted to female cats, they can indulge in undesirable behavior. For example, they will start peeing around the house to mark their territory, leaving your home with an unbearably pungent stench. In such cases, neutering the male cat could make it easier to look after both cats.
Also, since a neutered female cat will not be interested in having sex with the unneutered male cat, neutering the latter would become more necessary. It would be awkward when the female cat would actively avoid sexual contact with the male one, but the poor guy would constantly nudge and chase her.
So, if you want to let your neutered kitty be free from such harassment, you can consider neutering the other male cat. After all, it is still an annoying sight to behold.
What if Both the Cats are of the Same Sex?
Sometimes, cats of the same sex can indulge in sexual behavior even if they are not homosexual. For instance, a case was reported when one pet parent had neutered one male cat before the other male cat.
Soon after the male cat got neutered, the unneutered male cat started behaving weirdly around the neutered one. The latter male feline started trying to mate with the former neutered male one, making it mad and visibly annoyed.
But to the utter surprise, the unneutered male cat did not do anything of that sort with other neutered female cats in the house. And this made understanding their behavior more puzzling.
Can Cats Still Have Sexual Desires or Be Sexually Active After Being Neutered?
Many cat owners question if their cats can perform sexual activities after being spayed or neutered. While most cats do not engage in such behavior again, there can be exceptional cases.
Some cats exhibit actions mistakenly perceived as sexual, but they are essentially behavioral issues or even regular cat habits.
Nevertheless, some cats can have a sexual drive even after getting neutered. Why? Well, below, we have enlisted a few reasons that can boost cats’ sexual desires post-neutering, along with feasible solutions to do away with them.
Reasons for Sexual Drive Post-Neutering |
Applicable for |
Solutions/ Measures to be Taken |
| Ovarian Remnant Syndrome | Female cats | This disorder can be easily solved by quick surgery to remove the extra ovary tissue from the kitty. |
| Residual hormones in the body | Male and female cats | After removing the cat’s reproductive organs during neutering, some sexual hormones remain in the body. So, these hormones dissipate soon in a matter of a few days or weeks, inhibiting your cat’s further sexual desires. |
| External influences like exposure to hormone creams and medications | Male and Female Cats | It is strongly advised to keep such hormonal medicines away from the reach of your cats. |
Apart from the ones mentioned above, make sure that other activities like humping are not interpreted as sexual activities. If both cats do it together and enjoy it, you need not intervene.
However, if it bothers you or the other cat, buy your pet a stuffed toy to exhaust their energy. You can consider purchasing this SmartyKat Soft Plush Catnip Cat Toy for its immense cuteness as well as plushness that cats will adore.
When is the Best Time to Neuter a Cat?
There is no exact time when a cat should be neutered. Sometimes, you can do it before your pet’s puberty starts, or in some cases, you can get that little one neutered after it has given birth at least once. However, a 5-6 month duration is a healthy and safe option for neutering your precious and majestic cats.
While there is no best time to specify when you want to neuter the cat, you have to remember that consulting a veterinarian may be the wisest option. After all, they have acquired a lot of training and experience.
Final Thoughts
Castration in the male, which concerns the removal of the testes, and spaying in the female, which involves the removal of the ovaries and uterus, prevents undesired pregnancies and the spread of transmissible feline diseases.
But what if there are two or more cats, some of whom are neutered and others who aren’t? The best answer might be to neuter all of them, putting an end to the unneutered one’s hostility. But be conscious of the fact that your decision to neuter does not need to be done in haste.
