My neutered male cat who is 6 backs up to items and shakes his tail...What is this??

Question

He does not urinate or spray, just backs his hind end up with tail straight up and shakes his tail for a few seconds, then walks off. What is he doing?

Answer 1

Yeh male and female desexed cats will do this - they are TRYING to scent mark but the poor dears can't do it :)
They have no idea and think they are marking their territory.
Just let him be and pat yourself on the back for having desexed him or else you would be cleaning up a LOT of urine scent marking!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Cats have several scent glands on their body and one of them is on the tail. For some reason he suddenly feels the need to re-scent everything in your house. Have you been using lots of febreeze or washing the walls/furniture lately? Do you have company over that has a cat, and your company rubs their legs/pants against these areas? A lot of affectionate type cats will come over to their owner and/or friends and do a full circle around your legs once if not several times, making sure to wrap their tail all the way around your leg. This is what they are doing, in addition to be affectionate. Watch closely though, this could lead to spraying if the cat feels intimidated or if the cat is suddenly under new stress. Not only do cats have scent in their urine, but there is also a gland just inside the anus, that when pressured or if you squeeze the cat the wrong way, will squirt. That scent gland only releases probably an ounce of fluid, but it is the worst, most awful smelling fluid you will ever smell. And it doesn't wash off easily! Watch kitty closely, and if he does spray at all, it's time to take him to the vet. He may be stressed or have a bladder infection, which need to be addressed sooner than later.

By the way, cats who have been spayed/neutered CAN still spray! I don't know why so many people are telling you that they can't, but they are wrong. Dogs can still hump things and other dogs after being fixed, and cats can still spray after being fixed.

Answer 3

He is marking territory. Marking takes several forms:

1. Scratching objects: A cat's paws are equipped with scent glands to facilitate this function. Territorial concerns will increase furniture scratching/marking.

2. Spraying with urine or leaving feces or simply peeing on things. This kind of teritory marking serves as an olfactory warning to other animals.

3. Bunting: This is the behavior you have described. The cat may rub or push his face against objects with his forehead, cheeks, chin or bum. The cat is transfering subtle biological scents to the object to mark it as his own.

4. Anal sac secretions. The cat may sometimes discharge his anal sac when in situations of extreme fear. Anal sac secretions are thought to contain a fear pheromone that serves to remind the cat not to pass that way again.

Answer 4

Going through the motions of spraying. If he weren't fixed, he WOULD be spraying. He's probably leaving just enough scent to make a territorial mark.

Answer 5

He is spraying his territory. Even male cats that are fixed will start spraying if they see another male cat do the same.

Answer 6

okay, I'm not sure this is gonna answer your question.....but I have a male that does the same thing. I have just decided that it must be something that is in their genes or something, he was neutered at 9 weeks so he never had a chance for hormones to get into his system. If you find out, let me know!!

Answer 7

Neutered cats will try or pretend to spray sometimes.

Answer 8

Phantom spraying. This is what they usually do when spraying. If your cat isn't spraying, it isn't for lack of trying. lol

Answer 9

Marking his territory.

Answer 10

it's the glans in his buttock are bothering him, usually happens when liquid adda up als could be caused from the sergery he had even though it's been a long time, when this happens with dogs they rum there bum on the carpet to stop the pain, he's probally too scared to rum his bum infront of you