UrbanAnimal

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Dear UrbanAnimal,

We've just adopted a darling pair of five-week-old male and female kittens - Tyrell and Whitney. We intend to have them altered but, in the meantime, Tyrell is a little too interested in his sister. How do I put this? He's humping her and Whitney isn't terribly impressed. Isn't he a little too young for this kind of thing?

Becky

Sometimes the best way to word a question is to get to the point, Becky, and I'm sure your question has caused many smiles. That's one reason why we love animals - they're so wonderfully basic aren't they?

For our readers who don't recognize the word "altering," it's a term often used to describe both spaying (for females) and neutering (for males).

According to veterinarian Bruce Fogle (from his book 101 Questions your Cat Would Ask Its Vet), a male cat has "male brains" from birth while a female possesses more "neutral brains" until she's reached puberty.

In other words, one of Tyrell's first thoughts at birth was: "Gotta get me a woman!" while Whitney's first thought may have been more along the lines of "Where's the shoe sale?"

For the male, just before birth, as Fogle explained, "The cat's testicles produce male hormones. This circulates to his body and actually influences the development of his brain. This means that certain behaviours that are "masculine," such as attempting to mount, are there from birth.

Kittens, for instance, might occasionally attempt to mount each other. Adult tom (cats) will use this action as a form of dominance as well as when mating."

It must be disconcerting for you to witness Tyrell's behaviour with Whitney but rest assured it's absolutely natural. Consult with your veterinarian as soon as possible to find out when spay/neuter surgery should take place. Your veterinarian is your best source for information on all aspects of your kittens' health, behaviour and well-being.

Many people are concerned that altering their cat will change its personality and cause it to become fat and lazy. Yes, it will cause personality changes but the outcome will be slightly different for each cat. Many experts believe that altering has more impact on the male's personality than on the female. While a "natural" male will tend to wander further, getting into fights with other cats on a regular basis, most "natural" females just aren't quite as intense, preferring to keep the homefires burning rather than duking it out.

Simply put, spaying and neutering create a more neutralized personality. Since the female was more neutral to begin with, changes following spay surgery are not as dramatic as changes following neuter surgery. As Fogle aptly puts it, "In essence, altering eliminates the sex hormone-related variables to a cat's behaviour, which is why altered males and females have very similar personalities."

Thankfully, Tyrell and Whitney, at only five weeks of age, are incapable of creating a pregnancy. But that doesn't mean Tyrell isn't interested. His hormones are telling him to do something - he just doesn't know exactly what he's supposed to do. As he and Whitney enter puberty, the "to do" list will include mating, which is why you'll need to consult with your veterinarian now to decide on when the surgery should take place.

Brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles - when cats reach puberty, they're not exactly fussy about who is on the receiving end of their mating prowess.

The issue of altered cats becoming fat and lazy is true but absolutely avoidable. When the mating instinct is removed from the equation, their attention turns to less frenetic pastimes like eating and sleeping. With the proper diet and lots of exercise, there's no reason for Tyrell or Whitney to go to pot. Your veterinarian can help you with ideas to help keep them healthy and fit for a lifetime.

E-mail jacque-newman@rogers.com with a question, comment or suggestion.