Expert: Norman Auspitz - 8/3/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have a four-year old, FIXED (at about six months), male house cat that periodically (about every three months) goes into, if you didn't know he was male (orange tiger tabby, anyone?), heat - swayed back, 'mincing' walk, long drawn-out meoooooooooows.  NO spraying.  Completely indoors with two female cats (one four years old, one almost seven), with NO attempt to mount them.

The pseudo-heat goes on for up to a week.

What do I need to do to prevent the episodes of pseudo-heat, or if that is not possible, to 'short-circuit' the episodes to diminish the length the cat is in them?

ANSWER: MIke,

Remember, I am not a vet, but it sure sounds to me as if his hormones may be out of kilter.  When he has one of these episodes, you may want to take him into your vet to see what his hormone levels are.  The vet may prescribe a hormone therapy to stop it.

I have two questions:  (1) Are the females spayed?  and (2) is there a human female member of the household who may be using an estrogen product that he could be ingesting somehow?

Best regards... Norm.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Responding to your questions:

1) No, the female cats are not spayed.  If/when they go into heat always is several days/weeks different than when the male goes into pseudo-heat.  Sometimes before, sometimes after, but I can't recall ever the male going into the pseudo-heat within less than a week after one of the females was in heat, or the male going out of the pseudo-heat within a week of one of the females going into heat.

2) No, it is an all (human) male household.

ANSWER: Mike,

Spaying the females may make a difference.

When this episode occurs again, I would take your neuter to the vet for a hormone level check.  Something does not seem right with him. It may be that the vet will prescribe a hormone therapy for your boy.

Best regards... Norm.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Norm,

You might want to watch your 'never' and 'always' pronouncements.  For instance, http://en.allexperts.com/q/Cats-1606/male-cat-heat.htm , where you stated to Monique "Male cats do not go into heat!" without any additional discussion of a male cat, whether neutered or not, going into female cat heat-like mannerisms.

They don't ever go into heat, or heat-like episodes?

I HAVE talked to a vet about my male cat going into pseudo-heat, and have been told that though it is rare, it is NOT unheard of.  In addition, there is NO correlation between having other cats (male and/or female) around or not, and/or having female humans in the household.  As to how to prevent it/shorten the time when they do go into pseudo-heat, at that time there wasn't anything known, but some people were working on it.  Since that discussion was three years ago, I thought that you might know of any results of any of that research.

No, tom cats do not go into heat like a female cat, but they CAN go into pseudo-heat, contrary to what you've told others, and now me.

Oh, and I marked this private.  Post it if you want, but my wager is that you'll only embarrass yourself if you do.

Answer
Mike,

Thank you for your correction and giving me the newer data. I have changed it to public, since my information on the subject is, obviously, dated.  The new information you have provided may be of service to somebody.  I am never embarrassed by being wrong and am pleased to acknowledge the correction, so my advice to others is more current.

Again, thank you for the time to post the correction.

Best regards... Norm.