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From: scott@hou2g.UUCP (Mr. Berry)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: what sex cats?
Message-ID: <770@hou2g.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 16-Jan-86 08:22:48 EST
Article-I.D.: hou2g.770
Posted: Thu Jan 16 08:22:48 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Jan-86 06:30:18 EST
References: <58100022@trsvax>
Organization: The Hotel New Hampshire
Lines: 45


>                                                In August, my room mate adopted
> an abondoned male kitten at an outdoor flea market. I know why that cat didn't
> have a home.  He is the meanest little critter I have ever seen!  My females
> weren't nearly that mean when they were kittens, not to each other or to
> humans!  Bandito (named that because he has a mask and was found under a
> Nacho stand, but appropriately because he robs us and the other cats of our
> peace and quiet!)  won't take no for an answer.  The females can hiss and act
> really mean, and he won't give up.  He just keeps tormenting them! 

My new kitten, Gandalf, (4 months) is the same way.  However, this
aggressiveness may be due to the fact that he too was abandoned (the
animal shelter said he was an orphan).  He had some problems with his
litter habits as well (thankfully solved now) which tend to support the
hypothesis that he didn't spend enough time with his mother.  My previous
male, Merlin, was MORE affectionate than his "sister" Athena--I got him
from a shelter when he was 6 mos. old.

But I understand completely what you mean.  Although Gandalf is OK with me
now, he still wants to "play" with Athena constantly (she agrees maybe 1/10
of the time), and very roughly.  I'm hoping he'll improve after the "operation".
But for now, he keeps harassing her, even though she keeps bopping him on the
head (Athena has a *mean* left hook :-)).  Sometimes he's so slow on the
uptake I think I should have named him Bluto instead. :-)   But they seem to
get along OK during the day, when I'm not around, and I've endeavored not
to "break up" their fights or yell at him too much, but to let them work 
out the "pecking order" by themselves.  Athena also has to learn--perhaps
to hit him a little harder...:-)

> The last reason, and probably the strongest reason, that I will never have
> another male cat is because their urine stinks so bad.  I have to change the
> litter twice as often, change the paper liner in the box twice as often, and
> use baking soda, and still have a difficult time controlling the odor.  I've
> also heard others complain about this in male cats.

Not to worry; the odor improves VASTLY after males have been neutered.
(Who uses paper liners?  Why the extra expense?  What benefit?)

> Kathy Ladewig
> Tandy System Software

		=========================================
"How is this place run?  Is it an anarchy?"
"No, I wouldn't say so--it's not that well organized."
		Scott J. Berry		ihnp4!hou2g!scott