General Chat

They are irresponsible.

....so people who don't neuter toms are quite happy for them to wander and be severely injured?

Having said that, my neutered toms have definitely 'suffered' at the claws and teeth of un- neutered toms. Possibly because my cats have tried to protect 'their' area (my garden) from un-neutered toms.

The vet was explaining to me at one time that most areas are the territory of an entire tom cat. They protect this territory from other entire toms but are not as concerned about neutered ones who pose no threat to their women.

So a neutered tom finds it more easy to have a peaceful existence wherever he is.

I've always had my female cats spayed, and male cats neutered.
When I got Tilly from the cat rescue they assumed she'd been spayed, as she'd had a kitten cut out, and was still in possession of the stitches when I took her home. However, as she came from Ireland, the presumption that she'd been spayed was wrong. When my sister lived there, she tried to get her dog spayed and cat neutered, but the local vet had no idea how much anaesthetic to use.

Unfortunately, I'd been told Tilly had been spayed, and believed them, but once her kittens were old enough - she was done.
Tilly came with her daughter - a stand-offish cat, in fact, the cat that decided to live on the allotments - and I had her spayed within a fortnight of getting her home.

I find it's men who are reluctant to get their tom cats neutered - something to do with not wanting them to 'miss out' on something. They don't seem to realise cats don't have 'relationships'.
Oh - and getting a tom neutered is easier, quicker and cheaper than getting a female spayed.
By the way, Spey is a river in Scotland.

He has been hanging around for some time and has been thinking about moving in but has bottled out if I have moved.

This is pretty similar to the situation with Desmond who was totally besotted with me (understandable) but needed to be trapped and brought in before he would settle.

This one has been eating a great deal of food from my neighbour and myself and it would seem he has been stealing too. That is not a cat with a home.

I prefer my skin attached rather than shredded especially given the high cost of French medical procedures..

The cat trap was actually designed to catch foxes. I doubt if a purpose made one for cats exists in France. There is no RSPCA, PDSA etc etc. Attitudes to animals are well to the right of any fox hunting Tory. There has been a gradual improvement but it def does not extend to improving life for feral cats in town or country. Many people feel that a .22 rifle is the best idea if the tomcats get too uppity.

Cats ( see Doris Lessing ) live in a grey world between the savagery of the wild and the safety of domestication. Labradors and such have made thier choice.

Felis catus has not and I don't really see any reason why I should spend time and money ensnaring passing tomcats so that females with a taste for the wild side will have less choice. If one decides to set up in the outbuildings then I'll help it as a fellow creature but see no reason to take control and ownership.

By far the most effective way to reduce the number of feral kittens is to spey the females but who is going to fork out for that? Anybody not in possession of earplugs I suppose.

In the France profonde it is so unusual to neuter a feral tomcat that the vet had to order the gear specially (we paid). his own gear only went down as far as calves and foals. Vets for pets will be found in the nearest town often 20 miles away.

If we are going to nitpick, it was technically Sharron's neighbourwho set the trap and caught said cat burgler lol

Lizx

As I said, an un-neutered male cat will roam!

It may not attack the cats it's living with - but will definitely attack other cats.

Also, you caught him in a trap - so according to RockyMountainShy - you kidnapped him.

In France we were adopted by a very scruffy sad looking black and white cat who seemed to have had better days. He set up house in one of the outbuildings and consented to eat food put out for him but was otherwise not to be touched.

As we had two other cats at the time we had to trap him (using a proper cat trap) for the vet to give him jabs, de flea etc. His prize possessions were left alone. He was given the name of Gavroche. The vet said he was about 3 years old.He soon learned not to bother the owls.

After about six months the luxury of the outhouse and regular nosh had transformed Gavroche into a sleek purry individual who would allow his ears to be tickled. Mo picking up though. Then he suddenly disappeared.

A couple of weeks later he reappeared living at another hitherto catless house half a mile away. This time he did have to swap out his prize assets.

All ended well no cat napping. I have never owned a cat flap. My cats have to learn to tell the time which they can easily do from the sun and moon as with all of God's creatures excepting small boys, husbands and women shopping.

If someone doesn't bother getting their Tom Cat neutered, as far as I'm concerned, they shouldn't have a cat.
Un-neutered Tom cats WILL roam from home, trying to find an un-spayed female, and in their testosterone- fuelled search, they will attack other cats - be they male, female, neutered or spayed - and can cause quite a lot of damage to these cats - which, of course the 'responsible' cat owner has to pay for.
I had to shut my cats in the house for 6 months, because of a huge un-neutered tom cat, with an ear infection - which made it incredibly vicious (and who can blame it).
He would come into my house, via the catflap - and attack my cats in their own home.
I knew he'd been in - apart from the mess, there was the rank smell of un-neutered tom cat, and the rancid smell of ear infection.
I called the RSPCA, who suggested I 'corner', this cat - which undoubtedly was in great pain from his ear, extremely aggressive - and 'bring him in'.
Not sure how I was meant to 'bring him in', when I don't have a car - but basically, they didn't want to know, as soon as I had said the word 'stray'. A stray cat has no owner the RSPCA can sue - therefore they weren't interested.

You say yourself, RockyMountainShy - 'They properly had a home but ran away from it' - so it's hardly kidnapping is it?
Once the cat is neutered, he will be a lot better in himself, and won't have the urge to roam.

Do you people really pick up cats of the street and force them to live with you? Doesn't that sound a tad like kidnapping? :-0

They properly had a home but ran away from it, so what makes you think that they'll stuck around.

Good luck :-D

A few months after he's been 'done', he probably won't have any 'urge' or reason to return to his previous life.

I had a rescue female cat, got her spayed and microchippped - and she b*ggered off. Not to a previous home (she was from Ireland), but to the local allotments - just across the road!
I tried to get her back - but she had no intention of coming back (I don't think she got on with her mother - my other cat).
One of the allotment holders tried to adopt her and take her home - all to no avail.
She was/is well looked after by the allotment holders, had a 'nest' in someone's shed, and was/is an extremely good ratter/mouser.

Your new cat may get possessive of his new house, or, he may want a friend!
Let's hope it's the latter. :-D

I think they try to home cats away from where they were caught so they don't leave their new home and return to the one they had made for themselves.

He can't come back until he has been seen to so I have time to buy the chick crumbs, dig the tray out, buy he cat meat, wave my life goodbye.

he and Shadow have eaten from the same bowl at different times so I hope they are aware of each other as i don't want to let Shadow down.

Well done!! :-D :-D :-D

He's going to love his new home <3 <3 <3
..and as an un-neutered Tom, there's no saying he's 'local' either.

My burglar!

The black and white fluffy cat that has been visiting me and which I saw scuttling off with something the other night has been apprehended and is now in custody at the local Cat and Rabbit Rescue Centre.

My neighbour set the trap and took him there where they were a bit apprehensive about homing him so close to where he was caught but I have rung them and talked to the manager who knows me only too well!

He is an unchipped, un-neutered tom so he needs to have his pockets picked and stuff but it looks like he will be having to live here after all.

His luck had to run out at some time didn't it?!