Many people decide to neuter their cat, but not as part of the fight against homelessness or excessive animal breeding, but simply for convenience. Sometimes neutering a cat is seen as a remedy for all ills, as some believe that a neutered pet will not escape the house, will become more affectionate, and will also not exhibit aggression. But is that true? Will a neutered cat not escape from home? Of course not!
Why do cats escape?
It is usually believed that a neutered tomcat will not escape from home, as mating seasons no longer interest him, and he will therefore not seek potential sexual partners. However, it is important to know that cats escape from home not only to satisfy their sexual needs, but they have other reasons for doing so. At first, it is essential to remember that, yes, the neutering procedure drastically lowers the testosterone levels in the animal’s blood, but that does not happen overnight. In fact, cats only have lower levels of this hormone after 6-7 weeks, so until that time, a tomcat that senses a heat will continue to try to escape from home and may not return for several days.
Other reasons for tomcats’ escapes
Toms are hunters and predators, and even without their “masculinity,” they will not calm down and become nice little purring balls that want to spend their time being petted. Nothing could be further from the truth! A cat does not lose its instinct with neutering and will still want to go outside to hunt or mark its territory. It may not turn out that such behavior will even decrease. Cats escape from home and are reluctant to return because they like to explore and discover new areas. Therefore, it may happen that a tomcat does not return home because it has wandered too far or is busy hunting. Of course, tomcats may also be caught, so it may turn out that your pet is not returning home because it is currently at a shelter. Thus, it is worth checking regularly to see if your pet is there. Sometimes cats are fed by strangers, so they are also reluctant to return home. Here we must disappoint you, namely, do not expect that a cat will be as attached to you as a dog, as dogs do not see the world outside their caregivers.
Can we prevent the cat from escaping? Caution is key!
Basically, you can ensure that your tomcat stops escaping, although it will not be easy at all. The best approach is vigilance, and specifically, when entering or leaving the house, you must be careful not to let the animal run out. But sometimes, despite sincere intentions, this does not succeed. Therefore, it is advisable to microchip the pet, but also to attach an address tag to its collar. This way, you can expect that if someone finds your pet, they will contact you.