Tom cats

Frith

We have a large and very good natured unneutered ginger tom cat (Barry )

I took him to the vets today to be booked in, weighed and have some heavy duty flea killer.

The vet was impressed how gentle he is and was really surprised that he did not smell! The nurse said the same. This confused me because Barry has never smelled of anything but apparently tom cats do??

Does anyone else know about this?

gettingready

None of my 4 boys smell at all.

Is your boy neutered? Tom cat generally refers to an un-neutered male cat and as they spray.. yes they can smell.

Frith

No, not neutered. The 2 lady cats here (both spayed) don't smell either!

gettingready

Sorry, did not notice in your first post - you did say he is not neutered.

He must be very special then as from my experience, unneutered boys can really smell... and as they spray - the whole place where they live smells too.

moggymutt

I am very tolerant of the smell of cats, having cared for up to 100 at a time. Mature tom cats have always stunk the place out until a few weeks after being neutered. I only have to walk through the front door of the vets to be able to smell if a tom cat is in the back room.

I'm always amazed at just how many people with otherwise immaculate houses, don't notice that that their tom cat(s) is/are stinking the house out.

Remember that even if humans cannot smell your particular cat, other toms might, increasing his chance of being beaten up and catching Cat Aids. Also toms are highest risk category for being run over due to their pursuit of females in season meaning that they often cross roads with less road sense than usual due to their mind being focused on the female in season.

moggymutt

Also stating the obvious, they can catch diseases from mating with unspayed females in the area, as well as there being way too many cats in this world already.

Sagz_2

The smell of Tom cat is very distinctive, and not at all pleasant to me.

Your lad must be unusual, I now you say he's not neutered, but has he got all his 'equipment'?

I ask as a friend had a ginger 'Tom' that turned out to be both male and female - the Vet was a little confused when it came to neutering and charged an arm and a leg!

meritaten

my cat wasn't neutered for a few years - and he didn't smell! Neither did the ginger one who the vet couldn't decide was neutered or not. May depend on whether they are 'house cats' or left to roam and er, get their 'legover'?

valk_scot

I got a male cat from the rescue that had only been neutered the day before. He was 15 months old at the time, so plenty of tom cat hormones still washing around. But he didn't smell and he's a fluffy cat. I've got a lot of difficulty imagining him as a fighting tom have to say, he's a lazy slob now.

missmontana

My Smokey has always been a gentle loving boy, but oh did he stink when he matured, never sprayed in the house but being long haired the smell would linger. The vet said it took her a couple of days to get rid of the smell after he was done! lol, now he doesn't smell at all and is even soppier!

valkirn

I have an un nutered male (i call him mine as he adoped us when we moved here so im not sure what i can do to him i pay for his food, injections etc ) but he doesnt smell.
The garden gate smells so i do know what the smell is they are talking about but he personally doesnt smell.
Im wondering if it because we also have a female cat (she is ours and was spayed)