# Will neutering change this cat's behaviour?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-neutering-change-this-cats-behaviour/112654>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 6, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-neutering-change-this-cats-behaviour/112654 "2002-06-06T12:44:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Many\_Crows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Many\_Crows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Many_Crows)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-neutering-change-this-cats-behaviour/112654/1 "2002-06-06T12:44:43Z")

</div>

I have owned cat’s all my life, all female. I have just taken in a starving male and in one week he has gone from pathetic waif, to grateful and sweet little boy to a howling-all-night-peeing-machine. The vet thinks he may be one to three years old. His opoeration is tomorrow, will it tone down his behaviour? My husband threatened to throw him out the back door last night, and I can’t say I blame him. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![richardb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/96bed5/32.png) [@richardb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/richardb)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-neutering-change-this-cats-behaviour/112654/2 "2002-06-06T13:05:29Z")

</div>

Here’s a site with information on neutering a male cat:

[http://www.marvistavet.com/html/neutering\_the\_male\_cat.html](http://www.marvistavet.com/html/neutering_the_male_cat.html)

To summarize the answers you want, neutering will reduce roaming in 90% of neutered cats (60% immediately), it will reduce fighting in 90% of cats (60% immediately) and **it will reduce urine marking in 90% of all neutered cats (80% immediately)**.

It sounds like you are doing the right thing; chances are pretty good that after the neuter operation (which I’m told is a very simple and quick operation, as operations go) he will be a much better houseguest.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Many\_Crows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Many\_Crows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Many_Crows)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-neutering-change-this-cats-behaviour/112654/3 "2002-06-06T13:29:38Z")

</div>

Thanks richardb,  
I’d prefer to hear the word “eliminate” but “reduce” is at least a start. I’ll start praying to the cat-god.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-neutering-change-this-cats-behaviour/112654/4 "2002-06-06T15:53:47Z")

</div>

It worked for mine (at least he stopped shredding my posters, not no mention the skin on my legs). He did get really fat and lazy, though. I’ll take fat and lazy over violent any day.