A question about tom cats

[smugmumofboys]

I am considering getting a kitten. We already have a three year old rescue girl and previously had her sister who, very sadly, got run over.

Prior to these two we had a brother and sister. The boy was a delicious ginger tom who was fantastically handsome and I miss him and his dearly departed sister still.

There is a point to this rambling, honest!

Now, whilst the boy was lovely he was also a rather anxious cat who used to spray (even though he had been neutered)aorund the house.

The new potential kitten is ginger and - is this correct? - statistically more likely to be a boy. DH says that he can't be doing with another mithering, mardy cat who makes the house smell of pee!

I've told him he's a loon and that that was just that cat and isn't a trait common to toms in general or to ginger toms in particular.

I am right aren't I??

It depends on how well they have been litter trained. My cat was 8 weeks old when we got him and was beautifully clean and trained by his mum.

My other cat was 6 weeks old when we got him and never learnt to cover his poo in the litter tray but was always clean.

That to me seemed the crux of the matter - try to get an 8 week old that has been with it's mother for all that time.

Also ginger cats are almost always male and get him neutered asap - 6 months is the best time.

Good luck

I've had 2 toms and neither sprayed.

I have 2 toms. They never spray. They are very different in personality but both clean, affectionate and lovely.

Ginger toms can have odd temperaments ime. I have had 2 and my brother currently has 1. All fairly nervy and occasionally cross.

I have a 7yr old ginger who's not a tom - he is belligerent, moany, complainy, terrible about pooing next to the tray (but weeing in it ) demanding and rude.

But also very cuddly, dribbly on my lap and v.v. affectionate and lovely.

He was a stray kitten hand-reared from about a week old. I think this has much more to do with his shortcomings than being ginger!

Thank you everyone.

Tbh, I was going to get an older rescue cat but this one is the last one left and the owner is a friend of a friend. So s/he has been with mother at all times.

I'm trying not to remember litter training!

There is something extra yummy about ginger cats for me. I can't explain why but I'm always drawn to them.