Does a Neutered Cat Still Have Sexual Urges?

Most cats lose their sexual urges, or at least most of their sexual urges, after being neutered. The longer you wait, though, the likelier it is that your little fur ball is going to act like nothing is, well, missing. A cat's behavior, including his sexual behavior, is something that he learns and lives with over the course of a lifetime. Get him fixed early, and behavioral modification isn't as difficult. If he's older and settled in his rowdy ways though, the old snipperoo isn't as likely to impact his social calendar quite so much.

Depending on the circumstances of his neutering -- his age, in particular -- your cat could still retain sexual urges. This is especially true if he had previously known the touch of a lady, so don't think that surgery is going to instantly transform your little Casanova into a prude. In fact, a fixed male is still liable to act on his urges -- he'll have a good time, but there won't be any kittens to worry about.

Part of a cat's sexual urges is roaming. An intact male tends to roam the neighborhood in search of a mate -- and if he's an indoor cat, he's going to get antsy and wish he were roaming. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, 90 percent of the time neutering cuts back on a cat's urge to wander in search of female companionship. The other times though, even a neutered cat can't resist prowling the neighborhood and seeing who's around.

Even if your cat doesn't retain his sexual urges, the rest of his personality facets and behavioral traits aren't likely to change. Generally cats retain their personalities after being fixed -- the only difference may be that your cat doesn't roam so much, and can consequently pack on some extra weight. Neutering is not a cure for feline aggression, and while it is likely to stop your cat from urine marking, he won't necessarily be any less territorial.