Cat has started growling at kitten in recent weeks (could it be hormones?)

Hi, all--

We've got a two-year-old neutered male, Odysseus, who has started
growling recently at the five-month-old kitten, Icarus. After a
relatively short adjustment period 3 months ago when we first adopted
Icarus (at 8 weeks), they were getting along fine. They even chased
each other and tumbled around quite a bit, which is exactly what we
were hoping, since we figured Odysseus could use a friend. All was
well for a couple of months.

But then we went on a weekend trip a week and a half ago (taking the
two with us), and since we got back, Odysseus has taken to growling at
at Icarus and won't have anything to do with anything
rough-and-tumble.

What I'm wondering is whether there might be something going on with
Icarus hormonally that Odysseus is picking up on. We're planning on
getting Icarus neutered sometime soon, now that he's old enough--could
it be that he starting to be too "male" for his older companion?

Just wondered if anybody else had experienced anything similar. . . .

Thanks!

--VF

From: (VF)

We've got a two-year-old neutered male, Odysseus, who has started
growling recently at the five-month-old kitten, Icarus. After a
relatively short adjustment period 3 months ago when we first adopted
Icarus (at 8 weeks), they were getting along fine. They even chased
each other and tumbled around quite a bit, which is exactly what we
were hoping, since we figured Odysseus could use a friend. All was
well for a couple of months.

But then we went on a weekend trip a week and a half ago (taking the
two with us), and since we got back, Odysseus has taken to growling at
at Icarus and won't have anything to do with anything
rough-and-tumble.

What I'm wondering is whether there might be something going on with
Icarus hormonally that Odysseus is picking up on. We're planning on
getting Icarus neutered sometime soon, now that he's old enough--could
it be that he starting to be too "male" for his older companion?

Yes, I definitely could think it's because Icarus is not neutered, and I
wouldn't wait. He's at the age where he can start spraying and 5 months is not
too young to get neutered.

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From: (VF)

We've got a two-year-old neutered male, Odysseus, who has started
growling recently at the five-month-old kitten, Icarus. After a
relatively short adjustment period 3 months ago when we first adopted
Icarus (at 8 weeks), they were getting along fine. They even chased
each other and tumbled around quite a bit, which is exactly what we
were hoping, since we figured Odysseus could use a friend. All was
well for a couple of months.

But then we went on a weekend trip a week and a half ago (taking the
two with us), and since we got back, Odysseus has taken to growling at
at Icarus and won't have anything to do with anything
rough-and-tumble.

What I'm wondering is whether there might be something going on with
Icarus hormonally that Odysseus is picking up on. We're planning on
getting Icarus neutered sometime soon, now that he's old enough--could
it be that he starting to be too "male" for his older companion?

Yes, I definitely could think it's because Icarus is not neutered, and I
wouldn't wait. He's at the age where he can start spraying and 5 months is not
too young to get neutered.

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From: (VF)

We've got a two-year-old neutered male, Odysseus, who has started
growling recently at the five-month-old kitten, Icarus. After a
relatively short adjustment period 3 months ago when we first adopted
Icarus (at 8 weeks), they were getting along fine. They even chased
each other and tumbled around quite a bit, which is exactly what we
were hoping, since we figured Odysseus could use a friend. All was
well for a couple of months.

But then we went on a weekend trip a week and a half ago (taking the
two with us), and since we got back, Odysseus has taken to growling at
at Icarus and won't have anything to do with anything
rough-and-tumble.

What I'm wondering is whether there might be something going on with
Icarus hormonally that Odysseus is picking up on. We're planning on
getting Icarus neutered sometime soon, now that he's old enough--could
it be that he starting to be too "male" for his older companion?

Yes, I definitely could think it's because Icarus is not neutered, and I
wouldn't wait. He's at the age where he can start spraying and 5 months is not
too young to get neutered.

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

In article ,
enlightened us with...

Just wondered if anybody else had experienced anything similar. . . .


Neuter him NOW.

If he starts to spray, it can be a hard habit to break and he may even
teach your neutered male to do it.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
All I ask for is the chance to prove that money
cannot make me happy.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------

In article ,
enlightened us with...

Just wondered if anybody else had experienced anything similar. . . .


Neuter him NOW.

If he starts to spray, it can be a hard habit to break and he may even
teach your neutered male to do it.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
All I ask for is the chance to prove that money
cannot make me happy.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------

In article ,
enlightened us with...

Just wondered if anybody else had experienced anything similar. . . .


Neuter him NOW.

If he starts to spray, it can be a hard habit to break and he may even
teach your neutered male to do it.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
All I ask for is the chance to prove that money
cannot make me happy.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------