Once a stray cat, now always wants to be outside

by Isha
(West Hartford, CT)

I recently took in a stray cat and it's been with me for about a week or so. At first I believed it was a boy because of the obvious testicles under his rear but "he" is going through a heat cycle and acts like a female and it even jumped off the ledge from howling and meowing all night long. He was missing for 2 days and returned meowing at my doorstep but after he ate and slept, he won't stop meowing and howling and making growling sounds that sound like loud purrs. I'm not sure if I should just let him go back outside or just let him meow. And my adopted spayed female doesn't seem to like him too much but isn't aggressive towards him.

Answer from kate
Hi sounds to me like you have a un neutered tom cat on your hands. His behavior is typical for a male cat who is wanting to get out side and find females. All his howling is him calling to females in the area.

I think you need to make a decision as to whether or not you are prepared to become his owner. In which case you need to have him neutered as soon as possible as this will stop all this howling and unsettled behavior.

If you are not prepared to become his owner then the best thing s to not let him out but to give him to a animal shelter to neuter an fin a home for. If you let him out you will be adding to the cat over population problem and all the suffering that brings.

I have some web pages about cat neutering which you may find of further information.

https://www.our-happy-cat.com/neuter.html

bet wishes kate

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