Neutering a male cat has been the topic of discussion for many of our articles. While there are certainly pros and cons for neutering a male cat, today we are going to discuss one of the biggest advantages. In particular, we are going to discuss how neutering helps with aggression in male cats.

Does neutering help with aggression in male cats?

Yes, neutering absolutely helps with aggression in male cats. This fact is 100% indisputable. Neutering a male cat reduces many of their aggressive tendencies, keeping both you and them safe.

How does neutering help reduce aggression in male cats?

The main reason neutering helps reduce aggression in male cats is because removing the testicles greatly reduces the amount of hormones (testosterone in particular) in the cat’s body. This reduction in testosterone helps reduce 3 main behaviors that contribute to aggression: Competition, Territory, and Wandering.

Competition

If a male cat is not neutered, they will immediately be attracted to a female cat that is in heat. Problems can arise when there are two or more male cats in the area of the female cat. It is very common for male cats to aggressively fight with one another for the rights to mate with the female cat. If your cat is neutered, their urge to mate with the female cat will significantly drop, and they will no longer feel like fighting with a male cat to win her over. 

Territory

While all cats are territorial, unneutered male cats are by far the most territorial. Spraying is a common behavior among male cats, and consists of a cat peeing inside and out in order to mark and spread their scent and territory. A male cat will become very aggressive if another male cat comes into their territory. This is especially true if the other male cat sprays in their territory. When a male cat is neutered, around 80% – 90% of them will greatly reduce their spaying. This will significantly decrease their aggression towards other male cats that happen to wander into their territory. 

Wandering

Wandering is another common behavior of unneutered male cats. In fact, a female cat that goes into heat will also wander. This is because they are both looking for a mate. Wandering can be very dangerous for your cat, as they will cover extremely large distances in order to find a mate. This puts this at risk of getting hit by cars, getting lost, or getting attacked by other animals. A male cat that is wandering will likely come across the territory of other cats. This will undoubtedly lead to aggressive behavior, as the cats will do all they can to protect their territory. When a male cat is neutered, they completely lose their urge to wander around, as they no longer have a need to find a mate. This greatly reduces the amount of aggressive situations they will be put in.

How is a male cat neutered?

When a male cat is neutered, the vet will completely remove their testicles. The testicles are responsible for producing the majority of testosterone that creates the sex drive in male cats. The vet will put your cat under with anesthesia, and make an incision in your cat’s scrotum. They will then usually remove both testicles from the cat’s scrotum, and then stitch it back up. It will usually take a male cat around 1 day to recover from the anesthesia, and then another 2 weeks for the stitches to completely heal. During this period, your cat’s physical activity should be very limited.

How much does it cost to neuter a male cat?

Neutering a male cat is a very simple procedure and costs a lot less than you might expect. Neutering a male cat usually costs around $300. However, there are usually cheaper clinics that are run by animal shelters that will probably neuter your cat for less than $200. Many animal shelters will automatically neuter kittens when they are very young in order to increase their chances of adoption. If you are still unsure of whether you want to neuter your cat, you can consult this article Pros and Cons of Neutering Your Cat.

Can you neuter an adult cat?

Yes, you can neuter an adult cat, but the surgery might not be as effective in reducing aggression and other behaviors. This is because adult cats will have already established habitual behavioral patterns, and neutering them might not cause them to stop. For example, an adult cat that is neutered may continue to spay after the surgery.