Keep Your Fingers Crossed

posiepurrs

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At our last show Sterling had some MAJOR attitude! Our next show is this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed that he behaves because if he doesn't I am afraid he may be finished as a show cat - at least for now. I will not show a cat who is miserable being there or dangerous to the judges.
 

Kat0121

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Good luck!! I hope everything goes well. It would be a shame not to be able to show him because he's so beautiful but I understand why you feel that way. Go Sterling!! :cheerleader::vibes:
 
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posiepurrs

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Sterling is finished as a show cat. He made it through the first day growling and hissing at the judges. The second day I decided to just put him in 2 rings - the judges who are the best for a frightened cat. We didn't even make that. When I took him out to get him ready for one of the rings he bit me. Didn't break the skin but left teeth marks. Maybe when he breeds or I neuter him I will try him again since his breeder believes it is just hormones - I don't
 

Kat0121

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Sterling is finished as a show cat. He made it through the first day growling and hissing at the judges. The second day I decided to just put him in 2 rings - the judges who are the best for a frightened cat. We didn't even make that. When I took him out to get him ready for one of the rings he bit me. Didn't break the skin but left teeth marks. Maybe when he breeds or I neuter him I will try him again since his breeder believes it is just hormones - I don't
I'm so sorry. Poor Sterling. The breeder might be right. He may calm down and do great in the ring. How is he getting along with Camie?
 

lutece

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I'm very sorry Sterling is behaving this way for you :( I think you have given him every chance and I agree that he is probably "finished." This kind of "testy" hormonal behavior can sometimes get better when the cat is older and settles down... but from what you describe, I wouldn't bet on it with Sterling, since he sounds like he has been very consistent in being "testy" at the show hall. I would stop showing any cat that bites in a show hall without extreme provocation (even if the "bite" only consists of teeth touching the skin and doesn't break the skin) since the next bite might be more serious and you don't want anyone to be injured by your cat.

In many cases this behavior disappears when the cat is neutered, I have seen some cats change completely and become easy going and totally showable after being neutered, even though they behaved badly when whole (even at home). So if you do neuter him in the future I would give him another chance.
his breeder believes it is just hormones - I don't
It does sound like hormones to me, although I wouldn't say "just" hormones, because in my experience, cats that are affected in this way by their hormones seem to run in certain bloodlines. I have dealt with it myself in a male cat and his offspring, and at this point I try to stay away from cats that are badly affected by their hormones, as it is just a lot more pleasant to work with bloodlines that behave better while they are still whole cats. That certainly doesn't mean you should neuter Sterling, but I would evaluate his offspring for hormonal behavior, too.
 
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posiepurrs

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I am hesitant to breed him even if he figures it out. The only reason I am considering it is because I have a male who is bomb proof I could breed the offspring to.
 

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Is he a good boy at home (not aggressive)? What kind of trouble is he having with mating?

As long as he is not aggressive with people at home, I would go ahead and keep trying to breed him, but just keep an eye on the temperament of the kittens, trying to select ones that display good temperament after the hormones hit them in puberty. He might have kittens with perfectly good temperaments, you don't know yet. If his kittens have poor temperament I would neuter him.

I had a male that was excessively hormonal, and actually had trouble mating because he was too excitable to calm down and pay attention to what he was doing when he was breeding the girl... he would bounce all over the place and try to breed the wrong part of the girl, or have premature ejaculation. You would think that a high level of hormones would help them be a good stud male, but it wasn't the case for that guy.
 
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posiepurrs

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He is a real sweet heart at home. He is smaller than the girls - 6.5 lbs and the girls are 7.5 to 9 lbs. I was hoping he would get the logistics figured out but a much more experienced Persian breeder told me that he was to short to get it done. I am giving him until spring and if not everyone gets neutered and I call it quits I guess.
 
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