Neutering is a common procedure done on household pet cats, both male and female. Neutering a male cat, also called castration, involves removal of the testicles. This eliminates the male cat’s ability to reproduce, and also typically reduces behaviors associated with the urge to mate in intact male cats, such as urine spraying, roaming, and aggression. However, some owners report that their neutered cats still display mating behaviors and seem to have an interest in females in heat. This leads to the question: Do neutered male cats still want to mate?
Reasons male cats are neutered
There are several main reasons cats are neutered:
- Population control – Millions of unwanted cats end up in shelters every year. Neutering males is an effective way to prevent accidental litters.
- Marking/spraying – Up to 90% of intact male cats will urine mark their territory by spraying. Neutering greatly reduces this behavior.
- Aggression – Intact male cats are more likely to get into fights with other males, especially over females. Neutering reduces this behavior.
- Roaming/escaping – Intact males have a strong urge to find mates, leading them to roam, howl/yowl, and try to escape. Neutering reduces this urge.
So in many cases neutering is very effective at curbing mating behaviors and urges in male cats. However, some neutered males may still show an interest in females and mating.
Do neutered males have any mating urges left?
After neutering, most male cats have a dramatically decreased sex drive. The surgery removes the testicles, which produce the hormone testosterone. Testosterone is responsible for triggering mating behaviors like roaming, spraying, and aggression.
However, veterinarians say a small amount of testosterone still gets produced by the adrenal glands after neutering. So neutered cats are not completely devoid of testosterone. Additionally, mating behaviors can become ingrained habits that persist even after alteration.
So while the urge to mate is significantly reduced in most cats after neutering, some neutered males may still display mating behaviors:
- Mounting/thrusting against objects or other pets
- Howling/yowling when a female cat is in heat nearby
- Attempting to mount a female cat
- Urine spraying around the home
These actions seem to indicate the cat still has some sex drive left. But in most cases the behaviors are much less intense in neutered versus intact males.
Why might neutered males still show mating behaviors?
If your neutered cat is displaying mating behaviors, here are some possible reasons why:
Habit
Cats are creatures of habit. If your cat was intact until adulthood, he may have a deeply ingrained habit of mating-related behaviors. Even without testosterone driving the behaviors, the habit may still persist. This is especially true for spraying urine, which is learned at an early age.
Residual hormones
As previously mentioned, neutered cats still produce a small amount of testosterone from the adrenal glands. In some cats this may be enough to trigger mild sexual behavior. Studies show that over 95% of male cats stop spraying after neutering, but that leaves 5% that may still spray.
Incomplete neutering
In rare cases, the surgeon may accidentally leave a small amount of testicular tissue behind. If this occurs, these remnants can still produce some testosterone. This may result in persistent mating behaviors. If this is suspected, your vet can perform tests to check testosterone levels.
Pheromones
Cats also communicate using pheromones. Even though neutered males don’t have high testosterone levels, if they detect the pheromones of a female in heat, it may still trigger mating behaviors. This is likely an automatic response that originates in the brain, not the testicles.
Psychological reasons
For some cats, the rituals of mating may be comforting and enjoyable. So they may participate in those behaviors even without hormonal urging. Mounting objects, yowling, and mild spraying (without detectable urine) may provide stimulus if the cat views these as pleasurable habits.
Will neutered males mate if given the chance?
This is another common owner question. If an intact female cat in heat is present, will a neutered male still attempt to mate with her?
The answer is maybe, but mating is unlikely to be completed. Mounting behavior and thrusting may still occur. However, without testicles, the male cannot ejaculate sperm. Mating may be attempted but is unlikely to result in pregnancy.
However, some risk still exists. Although extremely uncommon, some neutered cats can still produce a small amount of sperm. This could result in pregnancy if mating occurs with an intact female. It’s best to avoid this scenario by keeping altered males separated from intact females in heat.
In general, neutered cats living with spayed females show greatly reduced interest compared to intact cats housed with females in heat. Proper neutering at an early age is very effective at reducing mating behaviors in the vast majority of cats.
Do some neutered males have higher sex drives?
Individual animals have differences in hormones and personality like humans do. Some neutered male cats may display more persistent mating behaviors than others.
Reasons why certain cats can have higher residual sex drives include:
- Age at time of neutering – Cats neutered after puberty may be more likely to retain mating habits.
- Amount of testosterone production – A small percentage of cats have higher post-neuter testosterone levels.
- Bold personality – Bolder cats may exhibit more dominant behaviors like spraying, mounting, etc.
- Early life experiences – Early habituation to mating behaviors may reinforce these actions.
So while most cats have a major drop in sex drive after neutering, every cat is an individual. Your veterinarian can help assess if your cat’s behaviors are abnormally high compared to other neutered cats. Additional treatments like hormone therapy may be options in those cases.
Will getting a female reduce mating behaviors?
Some owners wonder if getting a female cat will satisfy some of their neutered male cat’s residual mating urges. However, this is generally not recommended. Adding another cat to your home comes with challenges. Introducing two cats takes time and may not work out.
Additionally, female cats should be spayed unless you intend to responsibly breed them. An intact female will enter heat cycles every 2-3 weeks on average. This involves loud yowling day and night for up to 10 days per heat. So you’d be constantly subjecting your household to this commotion.
It’s better to consider environmental adjustments and pheromone therapy to help an amorous neutered male cat. Rather than introducing a female, try the tips below:
Tips for dealing with mating behaviors in a neutered cat
- Clean soiled areas with an enzyme cleaner to permanently remove urine odors
- Reduce stress and conflicts between household cats
- Try synthetic feline pheromones like Feliway to control marking
- Give your cat outlets like playtime and scratching posts to satisfy energy
- Block access to windows where your cat can see outdoor cats
- Talk to your vet about medication if behaviors are excessive
With some adjustments, most neutered males cats can live contentedly without the persistent need to mate. Their behaviors may not be completely eliminated, but are usually dramatically reduced compared to intact tomcats.
Key Points
- Neutering eliminates male cats’ testicles and ability to reproduce.
- While it significantly reduces mating behaviors, some neutered cats may still show interest in females and mating activities.
- This is likely due to residual hormones, force of habit, pheromones, or psychological reasons.
- Neutered males may attempt to mount females but cannot impregnate them.
- Individual cats show differences in sex drive after neutering.
- Making adjustments to their environment is usually the best way to discourage mating behaviors.
Conclusion
Overall, neutering is very effective at reducing mating behaviors in male cats. Most neutered males have a minimal interest in mating compared to unaltered tomcats.
However, due to habit, hormones, or personal tendencies, some neutered males may still display behaviors like mounting, spraying, and yowling when females are in heat. They may be interested in mating but lack the testosterone-driven urgency of intact males.
While bothersome, these behaviors can often be managed through environmental changes, synthetic pheromones, and working with your veterinarian. Avoid introducing an intact female as a potential “solution” since this creates many other issues. With a little patience and adjustments, a neutered cat can live happily without the persistent need to mate and roam.