New Addition!!

[sandragonfly]

..then why is he letting you keep pepper? it costs to keep a pet!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Pepper sure is adorable and I hope that you'll be able to keep him. Hopefully he's also healthy and that you'll also be able to get him neutered. If you don't then he may start spraying everywhere, getting into fights with other male cats, and straying from home for several days when there's a female cat that's in heat. I hope that you can try to educate your father about the importance of spaying and neutering animals. Good luck.

[Toby's my baby]

Thanks everybody!!

Catty1- Thank you so so much for explaining that, like you said, it is so hard to know when someone is being sarcastic/ joking on the internet. I was pretty sure you were just joking around, but I just thought I would check

Just wondering, I have never had a male cat before, is there anything different about them that I should know?

[Catty1]

If male cats are unneutered, as krazyaboutkatz said, he will wander away when there is a female in heat somewhere(and produce more lost skinny unwanted kittens). He will be territorial, and get into fights with other tomcats.

But almost worst of all - his pee will STINK! Like you wouldn't believe!

When I was a little girl, we lived in the Arctic, and there were NO vets. Our tomcat was a pretty good boy, but peed in my and my sister's box of Barbie clothes one day.

Took about six hand washings with lemon dish soap to get the smell out - and even then, if you held one of the items right up to your nose, there was the faintest remains of the stink.

Also, because the urethra in males is smaller than in females, urinary tract infections and crystals can be more of a problem to them. However, because of that - they are easier to spot.

"My" cat, when I was 11 or so, was also named Pepper. However, we all called him Beazle. Because of his pointier muzzle, he was a "weasley beast".

He was put down in 1969, because of crystals...there were no preventive diets then, and little effective treatment. Recurrence meant euthansia. I cried for ages.

Sorry, I digressed! Your Pepper is SO gorgeous!

hugs
Catty1

[Toby's my baby]

Just found out about the smell. . .. turns out using the litterbox doesnt just come naturally for him, he just peed in my sisters bed, So now he is out in the shed for now, I dont know what to do, I dont want him to have to stay outside, but right now, that's the only option.

[Catty1]

Whenever I have brought a new adult cat home, I do the same thing I do with kittens - gently put kitty into the litter box, take their front paws and do the 'scratching' motion in the litter. Since cats do that in the wild, they should catch on.

Even a full tom can usually get that, you might have to do it once or twice.

Pepper could have done it out of nervousness too - new place. And if he is not neutered yet, that is how tomcats mark their territory - pee!

I swear by the 'litter box training' - it's never failed me.

hugs
Catty1