You are here:

Cats/high testosterone levels in neutered male cat

Advertisement

Expert: - 5/4/2010


Question
I have a 4-year-old neutered male cat. We had him neutered when he was around 10 months old. He had an undescended testicle, which had to be removed as well.
Upon recovery from surgery he started exhibiting tomcat behavior. We took him back to the vet and had his testosterone levels checked--they were approximately 2 and a half times what an unaltered male cat would have!
Our vet performed a second surgery. He couldn't find a rogue testicle, but disconnected the blood supply to that area. Upon recovery from surgery, the behavior was unchanged.
Upon advice from the University of Georgia vet school, he did a test and gave my cat a hormone that was supposed to indicate the presence of absence of testicles. This test (a female hormone# showed that the origin of the testosterone was not testicular in origin.
Have you seen this problem before? We are controlling his behavior problems with Regumate #progesterone), but have to keep him penned and away from the other cats. What can cause high testosterone levels if the testicles are gone? His last testosterone test showed levels close to 3 times what an unaltered cat would read.
Thanks,
Janell

Answer
Janell,

Unfortunately I'm not a veterinarian which means that I'm unable to give you any diagnosis as to what the cause of your kitty's excessive testosterone levels might be, I can only offer guesses that I'm not sure if you've ruled out as of yet. From what I understand testosterone is present in all male cats whether they're neutered or not, the difference lies in the levels of testosterone. Your kitty may have some sort of congenital anomaly with his pituitary gland or in other complex structures related to hormone production. I would strongly suggest that you seriously consider asking the vets in the Ask A Vet portion of this site is they've got any idea what's happening. Failing that maybe a veterinary endocrinologist would be helpful in determining what's going on (I realize that specialists are expensive and diagnostic tests can also be pricey, but if you want to know for sure what's happening this may be your only option). I'm sorry that I wasn't able to help you and your kitty, hopefully some of the folks that I've referred you to might be helpful. If you have any further cat related questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me again and I will do my absolute best to help you in any way that I can.

Cats

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.