Is my neutered cat's appetite, mating calls, and affection normal?

Hello. An increase in eating is not usually associated with neutering, but weight gain due to less activity is. Kovu is very young to have any of the conditions associated with an increased appetite such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism, but it might be a good idea to have this checked just to be sure. If Kovu continues to eat this way, he could become obese & could develop diabetes, so you do want to get on top of this as early as possible. See your vet to make sure there is no underlying conditions leading to his hunger. Otherwise, he may actually need a higher calorie food. Calories in cat food, both dry & wet, can be very variable in their calorie counts. Kovu might eat less of a more nutritionally dense food, so check your labels. If he just as demanding after a few weeks on a higher calorie food, you may need to actually switch him to a "light diet" where he will get more fillers & less calories. It is best to work with your vet, or ask for a referral to a veterinary nutritionist at https://www.acvn.org/ for further information. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I am sorry to hear that Gary is not feeling well. While being intact can make them have behavioral changes and actively seek out a mate, this shouldn't cause him to not eat or lose weight. I would definitely recommend taking him to veterinarian for an examination. It is possible that he is painful somewhere or has problems with his urinary tract that makes him painful and causes him to urinate where he shouldn't. I hope this helps and that Gary feels better soon.

You should have him checked, or rechecked, by your veterinarian. Neutering typically does not result in more aggressive behavior. Additionally, any sudden behavioral change can be due to illness or injury. Once medical causes have been ruled out, you can focus on behavioral issues. Consider a pheromone product, such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffusers, to help decrease anxiety or aggression. Provide additional litterboxes, bowls, toys and bedding to prevent resource protection. You may have to separate them for a week or two then gradually reintroduce them while employing the measures described above.

Hello, These sound like normal behaviors for an intact male cat- more independence, roaming, territory marking, and calling for a mate at night. You could have him neutered to overall reduce these behaviors if you find them unfavorable.

While loss/grief can certainly cause behavioral changes in cats, losing weight, not eating and urinating everywhere make me worry there is an underlying health condition such as a urinary infection that is causing him distress. Not being neutered can also lead to marking behavior/stress if there is a female in heat nearby. It is a good idea to have a thorough exam done along with bloodwork, X-rays and urine tests potentially to determine if there is any health issue. If he checks out healthy, spending more time together may help him to relax some, as well as using a pheromone diffuser such as Feliway to help with the marking behavior/stress. If you think he'd benefit from a friend, gradually introducing a new cat may help as well, but can also be stressful.

If it is an abrupt change in behavior, it could signal some kind of discomfort, physical, such as a bladder infection or some other ailment making him painful, or something mentally distressing him, like a strange cat outside, being in a new place. If he seems fine physically, i.e. eating, drinking, eliminating normally, being his usual self, I would keep an eye on it. If you see any symptoms of illness, get him in to see your vet as soon as possible. Check around and see if you can identify when/where it is happening and if there is anything that might be causing him to vocalize.

If he is not neutered then I would be suspicious that there is an in heat female somewhere that he is spending time and energy trying to get to. However, there are certainly other possibilities. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian to make sure there isn’t something medically concerning going on, and then potentially consider having him neutered. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.