Newly agressive stud boy

ameezers

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I am current on my way to the emergency vet. My normally docile and friendly stud boy, whom normally gets along with everyone, snapped and attacked not one but two of the other cats. I don't know what the hell is going on. I made an appointment last week to have him neutered on the 28th.

A few weeks ago he started not getting along with his replacement, hissing/fighting ect, I figured that was normal as the new boy has started to mature, so he now sees him as competition. I have kept them completely separate.

He has his own separate space, but is allowed out in our house with the other cats with stud pants, as he is a heavy sprayer. I have never had an issue, the girls would give him the odd swat when he was getting to fresh, but they always got along.

I was cleaning out his pen today when I heard a fight break out. I ran to find him attacking one of my neutered males that he has always gotten along with and used to be his snuggle buddy. I clapped really loud and yelled which made him stop, but before I could grab him he raced across my living room and attacked on of my girls whom was sitting there minding her own business.
She has a puncture would in her stomach, my neuter has a slice on the inner part of his back leg that will likely need stitches. My stud boy? Completely fine. I checked him over once I got the other two in their carriers and not a freaking scratch.

Obviously he will no longer be able to come out with the other cats until he is neutered, but I am now terrified that even after neutering this behavior will continue. Has anyone had this happen? Or any advice going forward?
 

lutece

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When you take him in for neutering (or earlier), you will want to mention the behavior change to your vet, in case there is some physical cause for the behavior that can be determined, such as illness or pain.

However if he is healthy and he is just acting out because of his male hormones, you have a good chance of the behavior improving after he is neutered. I have known some males that had a tendency towards unpredictable or aggressive behavior when they were whole, and then calmed down significantly after neutering. It's not 100% guarantee that he will stop the behaviors, but a good chance if he was previously well behaved. Don't despair!
 
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ameezers

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Thanks for your reply, I will call on Monday to see if they can do a full work up on him just to make sure. I am hoping it's hormonal that will be fixed once he is neutered.
I feel so bad.
 

cataholic07

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What I would do is do a reintroduction to the other cats and wait the two weeks until his hormones is gone completely :)
 

StefanZ

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What I would do is do a reintroduction to the other cats and wait the two weeks until his hormones is gone completely :)
Yes. Wait even at least a full month, so you are entirely sure the hormones are fully out.

With a friendly tom / stud, two weeks are more than enough, but with a dominant stud - or as here, when the fights have already began - a months is a minimum...

Have Feliway on, etc.... (there is a feliway variation made for helping cats meeting. Felifriend? )
 

StefanZ

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Ps. For the other cats whom were assaulted; Feliway to get them to calm down easier, and Dr Bachs Rescue Remedy. Or some equivalent, for example from Jackson Galaxy´s flower essence series. Hopefully the vet will have this to sell, its the quickest.
 
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ameezers

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I will definitely wait and do a slow supervised reintroduction later once he is neutered.

I put a feliway plug in his pen once he had started fighting with my new stud. I will order another one for the main floor of my house though, I also have the spray on the way from Amazon.

The boy he attacked ended up needing one staple in his leg, and both cats got sent home with antibiotics and pain meds. The emergency vet was so impressed with how well they did, he said he didn't have to sedate either of them, which made me kind of cringe when he said that he did infact have to put a staple in my boys leg. But everyone is home, now and seems to be doing well.

The girl that got attacked is still periodically nursing an 8 week old kitten that was a singleton (they were also recently introduced/reintroduced to the household after kitten had his 8 week vaccinations). The vet said it's ideal if the didn't continue to nurse, because she is on clavamox, but from what I read it's one of the safer antibiotics for nursing/pregnant queens.
 

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Im not expert on medical questions, but I suppose the clavox may go into the kitten, and cause diarrheas, if the natural bacterial flora in the intestines is hurt.

Try to give both of them some nice probiotic, for example mild full fat youghurt, preferably with some added probiotic bacteria.
 
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ameezers

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I have probiotics on hand, so I will start adding it to their wet food just to be on the safe side. Thanks for your replies :)
 

posiepurrs

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It must be something in the air. We had a fight her where they were trying to kill one another (both neutered too!) but no one was hurt. A fellow breeder friend ended up having to take 2 of hers for stitches when 3 of hers acted out. When I had one of my boys neutered the vet suggested keeping him apart for 6 weeks at least.
 
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ameezers

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posiepurrs posiepurrs I couldn't believe how much damage happened so quickly. I felt like the worst cat mom ever, so I am glad that it's not just my cats!
 

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It can happen fast! Just remember (I am sure you know - this is more for the newbies) DO NOT touch fighting cats! Throw something over them, douse them with water, get something between them - I have used a laundry basket turned upside down. Just do something that breaks the concentration they have on one another.
 
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ameezers

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That is definitely some good advice!
 
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