Cat behavior problems are more challenging in male cats that are not neutered, due to the fact that males are more active and are very driven to find female cats. This is one of the reasons why male cats leave home more often than female cats. Male cats get more often in fights with other felines and wild animals and they may face other problems such as accidents.
Spraying
Spraying must be differentiated from urinating; the spraying is typically on vertical surfaces. Spraying is a way the male cat marks his territory or sends signals to other male and female cats. Female cats may also spray while in heat, but this is less frequently.
Your cat will spray in some preferred locations and you may stop this behavior by cleaning this surface with vinegar or an enzymatic solution that will remove the cat urine odor.
Other methods such as training or time out punishment will typically not work.
Fighting
Male cats tend to be more aggressive than female cats; in addition to territorial fights and fights for female cats, male cats get in fights driven by instinct.
Male cats like to get in fights and these may often end with several injuries, causing numerous health issues.
Wandering
Male cats are more likely to leave home than female cats; a male cat will chase females and will also wander away to satisfy his hunting instincts and go after birds, mice and other animals.
This may be a problem, as the cat may be run over by a car or get injured while chasing the prey.
Solutions to Control Male Cat Behavior Problems
A great part of male behavior problems may be solved by neutering the cat. Over 90% of neutered cats will stop spraying.
A neutered cat will no longer be interested in finding and chasing female partners, so he is more likely to spend more time at home and this may prevent a lot of problems and accidents.
Neutering can be performed as soon as the cat reaches maturity (when the cat is 6 to 12 months old). If the cat is neutered at an early age, he will be less likely to develop aggressive behavior and spray. However, the neutering can be a solution to spraying even if the cat is older.
Male cats tend to preserve their aggressiveness even if they are neutered; however, training and a few tricks can temperate your cat. You should punish your cat after each fight by sending him into an isolated room; this is not a pleasant experience for the cat, so in time, he will be likely to associate fighting with staying in the isolated room and stop the aggressive behavior.
In addition, you can put a bell on the cat’s collar which will warn the other potential opponents and they will be more prepared to fight and win the fight; cats that lose fights will be more likely to stop initiating them.