Lads booked in for Friday...

The time has come for the lads to be neutered, so I've booked them in at the vets this Friday (remember remember, the 5th of November!)

I have followed with great interest the thread about when to neuter, and we certainly favoured leaving it for as long as possible so that they have a chance of fully developing. But yesterday we were re-plastering a ceiling upstairs and Larry came in and weed on the dust sheet, right in front of us as we were working. I thought, uh-oh, he's never done this before, could it be time. He really picked his moment, as we were working fast before the plaster dried and trying not to make too much mess. So I had to gather up the dust sheet and chuck it away, and grab another one and spread it out in double-quick time. Couldn't attend to the stinky smell until the plaster was up. Luckily I was able to get rid of it with Urine-off. :pissed:

I was talking to our breeder this morning and she said, yes do get them done. Larry is showing his 'teenage' hormones and could be scent-marking to compete with his brother. We don't want him to make a habit of this - apart from the smell it could affect the lovely relationship he has with Monty at the moment, and that would be a disaster.

A slight complication is that I've entered Monty into a cat show as a male adult, so I'll have to contact the show manager today to see if I can change him over to the neuter classes! The closing date is tomorrow (yikes!) so hopefully I can do it in the nick of time....

Good luck for Friday - I'll be thinking of you - and also worrying about our Gracie as she's booked in to be neutered on Friday as well!

Thanks Rachel. Funny thing is, the OH was ever so reluctant for the lads to go for the chop, feeling ever so sorry for them, but then this morning OH rang me at work to say 'Larry's p****d in my keyboard case - right in front of me!' So now Friday can't come soon enough!!!

Sure seems as if Larry is trying to be top cat,I was lucky I never had that with my two babes,didn't even smell when they peed right up to the day they were done but I suppose if they were happy to rub along on the same level there was no need,you have still done well to get them to the age you have.Wonder why Larry has so suddenly decided he wants to scent his area?
Hope you were in time to change them for showing,should be if closing date wasn't until today.Think it is going to be New Year before we take either of ours out again,when I decide not to do a show I am quite relieved especially at this time of year but then as it gets closer I change my mind & think perhaps I should have....
Feel a bit guilty for Shimba as he had qualified for the All Winners at FB,never mind we will all be able to have a lie in instead of being up at 5AM on Sunday ! I do hate travelling too & from shows in the dark,age related thing,or at least thats my excuse & its sticking...
Good luck Larry,Monty & Gracie for Friday & to all the parents go home, have a strong coffee & worry like h***,bet there is a lot of work gets done that day to make the time go quicker ! Will watch out for the posts to say they are home.

Good luck, HB and Rachel, I'm sure the boys and Gracie will be okay. Bet they don't even notice they've had ops (well, I suppose given the nature of the op the lads are getting they might have a bigger clue than Gracie) and be tearing round the house in the usual way. It didn't occur to me that the scent marking thing could upset the relationship between two brothers but it makes sense now you've mentioned it. And at least if you're getting Lags and Monty done at the same time they'll both smell the same post-op.

Tickled me about OH's change of heart though!

Did you manage to get your show booking changed?

Keep us posted with how all three furries get on.

Me Too... MJ is going along with Frodo and Jack to be neutered on Friday..

We kept MJ to replace his daddy... but we have an option for the future, when he is born of a New Stud boy.. so off he will go to be neutered.... bless......

I always think of the dvd Lee Evans... when I take them to be neutered.. once they are off you can not stick them back on... Fingers crossed... for me the sons.... will work as well as the fathers!!

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Originally Posted by FreyjaRoMaine

Did you manage to get your show booking changed?

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Well I tried to ring the show manager yesterday evening but her number wasn't working, so I rang the only other number shown on the Schedule, which was the Hon. Secretary, and she was very helpful and said the show manager is moving house, so that's why her number is out of action, so just send her an email, and don't worry as although the closing date is tomorrow they always allow an extra week's grace anyway, maybe I should ring again next week if I haven't heard anything.

So I think that's a yes! :nod:

Got home yesterday and naughty Laggs had just weed ON THE BED!!! :pissed: when there is a perfectly good litter tray upstairs in the spare room, door open. So duvet in the washing machine last night. Will be watching him like a hawk from now on! We haven't told him off, but I have been giving him loads of attention in the hope that he won't feel the need to grab my attention in this smelly way. I've also been pointing him towards his tray and he has been using it today. Is this a good plan, do you think?

Debbie, hope it all goes well on Friday for MJ, Frodo and Jack. Will be thinking of all the kitties that day - I'm sure I will be a bundle of nerves until I get Gracie home. How to prevent our other rascal from licking her stitches is another matter - sure they won't be happy about being separated by a glass door but guess I'm gonna have to for Gracie's sake! Maybe I could get a lampshade collar for Monty too!!!

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Originally Posted by Howlinbob

\We haven't told him off, but I have been giving him loads of attention in the hope that he won't feel the need to grab my attention in this smelly way. I've also been pointing him towards his tray and he has been using it today. Is this a good plan, do you think?

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Seems like a good plan to me HB - hopefully Friday will put an end to his 'mishaps' - always difficult to tell them off when they're doing something which is probably instinctive at that age. Glad he has been using his tray again today, fingers crossed for a dry rest of the week!

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Originally Posted by Howlinbob

Got home yesterday and naughty Laggs had just weed ON THE BED!!! :pissed: when there is a perfectly good litter tray upstairs in the spare room, door open. So duvet in the washing machine last night. Will be watching him like a hawk from now on! We haven't told him off, but I have been giving him loads of attention in the hope that he won't feel the need to grab my attention in this smelly way. I've also been pointing him towards his tray and he has been using it today. Is this a good plan, do you think?

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Well, I don't have a better suggestion. Guess the real question is whether he's weeing because he needs to go, or if it's the territory thing; I would guess if it's the latter, you might be stuck with it until the nadgers go on Friday. Not very helpful I realise.

Thing is you can't 100% be sure it will be effective straight away,if it is due to him trying to be top cat he isn't going to come home & think my balls are gone so now no more peeing where I shouldn't.....If you can hopefully,fingers crossed & everything else,stop him peeing anywhere other than tray for next few days then most probaly you will be home & dry {sorry} It is just annoying when you are not sure what the cause is,we are presuming its him pulling rank,but....
Could you try putting extra trays somewhere for a couple of days,did Monty do a stinky poo or something that made Larry not want to use tray & now because of doing what he is & rightly not getting wrong but getting extra attention does he think this is great so why not give it another go.
Will be watching posts with interest.

Thanks Jackie, it's a tricky one this, as you're not supposed to shout at them and punish them in case you make it worse. On the other hand, we've not actually called him a clever boy either. I'm not sure why he's started doing it, as there's been no change of routine or strangers in the house, or any traumatic event. A friend of ours suggested that the gypsum in finishing plaster smells a bit like cat wee, so maybe that's why Larry felt the need to mark the room. Re. weeing on the bed, I did think that maybe the upstairs tray is too small for Larry now, so perhaps he didn't fancy climbing into it. Just in case, I took the cover off overnight to make it more accessible. Anyway, he's behaved very well today, even though he's not been outside as it's filthy weather here, so hopefully it's just a blip.
I've noticed in the last few days that even when they go in the tray like good boys, it really stinks! So definitely time for the chop.

I will be thinking of you tonight when it's time for the food bowls to be moved, best of luck for the morning when you are getting the wheres my breakfast demands:pissed: I know from when our two went to be done how displeased they were to not have their breakfast:sad2:

Now I had to have the carrier removed from my grip by Dot at the vets but she promised me that they would be kept together in the kennels and she would look after them for me! Okay through work I have spoken to her on and off for the last ten years so at least I had the reasurance that I sort of knew her.

When we got them home afterwards I tried to follow the instructions given, a small meal and to keep them quiet! No hope of either I shared a pouch between them which went in seconds followed twenty mins later by more as they were driving us mad after food:winkwink: Then they started to play as normal with me trying to stop them!

Last day of my "At home" hols tomorrow & I have to go out for the afternoon but will fire up as soon as I get in for latest news on all those poor pussies,looks like a fair amount of MC parents will not be sleeping too well tonight.
I have just enjoyed having lots of extra time with my six this week & am dreading back to work on Monday,as from Saturday I could officially retire,could be very tempting...
Good luck everyone will think of you all in the morning....

Thanks :o)

Food bowls have now disappeared for the night and the yowling hasn't yet started but only because Gracie's currently snoozing whilst recharging her batteries - tomorrow morning will be a different story altogether but at least she is being dropped off at 8.30 so the pleading looks and "my throat's been cut" cries will be limited to 2 hours max!!!

Will be a bundle of nerves for sure, however hoping for a busy day at work to keep my mind off things. Will pop back on tomorrow afternoon and let you all know how she's got on x

Good luck tomorrow for all the MC slaves taking their bundles of fluff to the vets. Keep us posted on how they get on, will check back in tomorrow evening for updates.

Thanks everyone. The lads are prowling around wondering what's going on, where's the food, not even a titbit from the dinner table, something's up! As arch-thieves I'll have to be very careful they don't stand a chance of nicking any food tonight, so bin out, and all possible food stashed away. If I don't get any sleep it won't be because of worry, but because the Beastie Boys are nagging me to get up and feed them!! No bad behaviour since Monday, btw

How old is Larry? Good luck on the surgery.

Lads back home safe and well. It was just awful not having them in the house. I was watching the clock. Larry is absolutely full of it and larking about like never before. Monty is a bit more subdued. I put the collars on at first but they hated it so much I took them off again. I'm keeping an eye on them and so far they haven't picked at the wound, not that it's much of a wound. Overnight I think I'll have to put the collars on to be on the safe side.

Luckily my vet is at the bottom of my road so it's a 2-minute walk for us. When I took Larry in this morning, he was actually shaking in the carrier, I could feel the whole thing vibrating in my arms!
Monty was much cooler and matter-of-fact about it. Lots of cooing over them at the vets, aren't they big, etc etc, which is always nice for the MC slave. The vet didn't shave their foreleg, and put them in the same pen for recovery, which is what I had requested.

I have noticed that there is still a bit of a swelling at the site of the op, in fact I thought at first that they'd left one on! Presumably this will just go down in a few days?

Thats the news I have been waiting for....
I am surprised they gave you collars to put on because with the boys there are not any
sutures to worry about,don't think I have ever known us to hand one out for a boy cat,as you have already found out they normally hate them,even when it is an essential part of attire.
Swelling should go down,with "bigger lads"they can go home looking as if something has been left behind but just keep an eye,which I am sure you will !
Strange Monty being the quiter one now yet he was the most laid back when you took them in,tell him to request peace & quiet from his mate Larry for a little while.
Luv & cuddles to them both from us here x

So glad the lads are home safe and well :-) Tried Gracie without her collar for a while but not promising so she's now huffing in the corner with her very fetching attire and a sulky younger brother who is trying his hardest not to jump on her for some ninja play :-D

I didn't bother with collars when any of my three were done. The collars were more trouble than they were worth! Constant crashing about into the furniture, stumbling about! All three were perfectly fine, no worries at all. Glad your two are back home, safe and sound. A trip to the vets is always a worry :smile:

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Originally Posted by Rachel-C

So glad the lads are home safe and well :-) Tried Gracie without her collar for a while but not promising so she's now huffing in the corner with her very fetching attire and a sulky younger brother who is trying his hardest not to jump on her for some ninja play :-D

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Glad things went well for you too. Gracie can get her own back when it's Monty's turn!
I wasn't worried about the procedure, I just hated their absence from the house, made me feel teary!

Ever since he got home, Larry has started moving the water bowl 2 feet across the floor, spilling the water everywhere. The bowl ends up empty and the other 2 lads have no water to drink so they're queuing up at the kitchen tap. What is going on Laggs?? You've never tried this before! Still, I prefer it to your peeing. :LOL:

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Originally Posted by Howlinbob

Ever since he got home, Larry has started moving the water bowl 2 feet across the floor, spilling the water everywhere. The bowl ends up empty and the other 2 lads have no water to drink so they're queuing up at the kitchen tap. What is going on Laggs?? You've never tried this before! Still, I prefer it to your peeing. :LOL:

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I thought you had one of those hefty ceramic dog dishes? So he's two nadgers lighter, but stronger.. Well done for sorting out the peeing problem though, I can imagine that that would get a bit irritating after a while!

Pleased to hear they're back safe and sound. A friend of mine had a male moggie years ago and when he was 'done' he was so cross about it he used to stand in front of the TV with his bum in their faces, tail straight up, showing everyone is butchered manhood and the gap where his dangly bits used to live. Maybe Laggs is showing what a tough brute puss he still is.

Hefty ceramic dog dish? Yes but that's nothing to the mighty Laggs. Looks like I'm going to have to raise him a dog dish....if I can find a bigger one!

Love your story about the moggy and his missing danglers. I think Larry is overjoyed to be back home, manhood or not, and Monty is kind of...depressed!

Thanks Candes. We had to move fast because of the sudden peeing issue, but I was hoping to leave it longer so that they got the best chance of full development. I would be very disappointed to think that neutering at 8 and a half months has somehow stunted their growth. Yet some breeders neuter at 12 weeks!

So interesting that little Teddy became more affectionate after his op. My two are certainly reacting very differently at the moment. Monty is being a little stand-offish, whilst Larry is bounding around chirruping away and showing off his new trick of spilling the water out of the bowl.

Hi All,
I am a new member but have been reading the forum for a while. I have two MC litter mates of 5 months who too where neutered/ spayed on Friday. It was a nervous wait as the girl (Daisy) had to have additional treatment as she does not meow at all and the vet wanted to check her throat and voice box whilst she was sedated. Good news is there is nothing wrong, she just has no meow!! Our boy Herbie was a bit dopy but fine after his procedure too. He is also quite big at somewhere between 4-5kgs already, which was commented on.

Both seem on top form now particularly following their latest escapade where they ate through the packaging to their royal canin biscuits and were found happily chowing down on the contents (time to child proof the cupboards). However they too have started to throw the water out of their bowl a little like Howlin Bob describes. The dish is also a ceramic one. They also think it’s a great game to try to jump in the shower when it’s on or rush in after someone has had a bath or shower and are straight in wondering around the bath...Is this normal?? As you can probably tell, I have only had moggies prior to these two and it’s definitely an adventure!

Kathryn

Hi Kathryn, great to have you here! Yes I also only had moggies and rescue cats until we got these 2 lads, so I'm in the same boat! You might have heard of the MC fondness for playing with water, so it sounds like your 2 are up to some classic MC tricks. It certainly is an adventure with our two, and wow, the love.... it gets better and better, as Candes once said - and it's so true!

And don't forget to post some pics soon!!

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Originally Posted by candes

Oh I almost forgot.... The appetite goes down a lot! Teddy eats about 1/3 less now. That is from the reduced metabolism. I guess he doesn't want to lose his slim waistline. :lol:

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Hmm I wish it had reduced Hectors appetite! I have never seen anything like it he is a con artist who tries to make out that to whoever passes his food bowl has not fed him. He is trained to the alarm clock in a morning and if you don't get up fast enough the he starts pacing around the bed demanding his breakfast! And if you get up in the night to go to the toilet he thinks it's breakfast time too (try being in the late stages of pregnancy and having to make a couple of trips a night!!) he ambushes you by the bathroom door:winkwink:

Any one got any hints on how to teach an MC to tell time:rofl:

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Originally Posted by Howlinbob

Hi Kathryn, great to have you here! Yes I also only had moggies and rescue cats until we got these 2 lads, so I'm in the same boat! You might have heard of the MC fondness for playing with water, so it sounds like your 2 are up to some classic MC tricks. It certainly is an adventure with our two, and wow, the love.... it gets better and better, as Candes once said - and it's so true!

And don't forget to post some pics soon!!

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Thanks for your reply. I know what you mean re the love, they are so affectionate! Have posted some pics in the gallery and will add more soon once I get the hang of it!! :smile:

Welcome, Kathryn, good to have you with us. Fine looking cats you have - the one sitting on the cat scratcher is stunning - is that Daisy or Herbie?

The shower thing sounds like your typical MC behaviour - Freyja is fascinated by bath and shower, although Wicca not so much. And if Freyja hears the bathroom taps running, she's in the sink like a shot! I don't tend to get the water bowl high jinks as we've got two fountains - for some reason, they don't flick water around too much with those.

Wow, I think the orphanage I got Edmund from said they neutered him at around 11-12 weeks I think... sounds so young!
Oh well, at least he seems to be just fine, and he definitely doesn't have problems going to the bathroom out of the litter box or anything, so that's good!
Glad all of your furries are doing well after the surgery!

Hi Candes, thanks for asking. Both lads are absolutely fine. There have been no negative changes in behaviour at all, and the weeing outside of the box has stopped, hooray! Larry was trembling in the cat box all the way to the vets (I carried the box in my arms - it's a 2 minute walk to the end of our road). But Monty was as cool as a cucumber in the box. Then afterwards the nurse said that Larry was more laid-back in the surgery, 'OK, you're going to inject me', whereas Monty was more nervy 'Oh! Oh! You're going to inject me?' Hmm, not sure if that bodes well for showing, or not!

Back at home, Larry was absolutely hyper! He set to and pulled his water dish across the floor, making a nice big puddle. He thought it was brilliant. He had never done this before. Later on he did it a couple more times, like it was a new trick he'd just been taught. He spent the rest of the day bouncing off the walls, as if he was just overjoyed to be home. Overnight, the OH has a couple of pints of water by the bed. Larry thought it would be hilarious if he plonked his great big paw in the glass and pulled it over - which he did, twice. Honestly, he is such a clown, you could practically see him laughing his socks off at us, flapping around mopping up water off the carpet. Again, he had never done this before. Still, preferable to the peeing. Monty on the other hand was standoffish with me for the rest of the day. He wasn't completely unfriendly, and he would talk to me if I approached him, but he was very subdued and really not himself. But the next day, he was all back to his normal loving and playful self.

They did give me a couple of Victorian collars for the lads, with instructions to put them on for 3 days, but Larry was so distressed when I put his on, running backwards around the kitchen, blundering into furniture, that I took it off. We kept a close eye on the licking and they really didn't lick down there any more than usual, and they were fine. I expect the vets are just being super-careful.

Altogether, the lads took it in their stride and have no ill-effects whatsoever. I am starting to wonder about the reduced appetite though, because I notice that their weight has hardly gone up at all over the last 2 weeks, and I wonder whether this is a coincidence, and that their growth rate may well start to slow down at 8 months anyway.

Well done boys,all over & done with & no looking back,so pleased your mum didn't put those nasty things on you...
Imagination running riot at the thought of your mum & dad mopping the carpet at night,bet there were a few mutters going on,as mum did say better than pee though,a lot lot better !
I don't think she should be worrying about your apparent reduced eating & not putting on too much weight now,just tell her to remember the two babes in this house,one always eaten for England & still does & he is now over 2kg lighter than bruv who has never eaten a whole meal in one go,think weight gain will be at slower rate now but you both know in the end you will be what you are meant to be...x

Message for Teddy,yes it will shrink back down ...!