I am now the owner/mother of two wonderful Maine Coon kittens, both five months old. The female was spade by the breeder when she was 2 1/2 months old. The male has yet to be neutered. He is a live wire, afraid of nothing, into everything. My vet has said he is a typical Type A personality. His breeder (these kittens came from two different breeders) recommended I wait until he is seven months old to be neutered. This kitten is now big enough to leap onto my kitchen counters, and in fact, seems bound and detemined to spend the rest of his life in the kitchen sink or on the counters. Nothing dissuades him...coins in a tin can, turning on the cold water faucet, flinging cold water into his face. This kitten LIKES water. My question is, will these dominant male characterists get stronger, the longer he waits to be neutered, or will neutering soon calm him down? I don't want to squelch his personality, but I live in fear he will fling himself onto the stove, thinking it is a kitchen counter. Help?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2000

Answers

I am the proud owner of a 8 month old blue classic male. His breeder wanted me to wait until he was at least 8 months old to have him neutered. (He weights a little over 10 pounds currently) His personality sounds very much like your guy, into everything and on everything. I had Nitro neutered last week and he is still pretty much the same. He still likes to get up on top of the top wall cabinets of my kitchen. I hope this helps.

-- Anonymous, February 29, 2000

I have a 16-month male MC that I had neutered at 6 months. He's still a live wire -- like yours, he's into everything. I call him my adorable rascal. He's over 17 pounds now, but still acts very much like a kitten. Sorry, I don't have any thoughts about how you can keep your MC from flinging himself onto the stove, other than making sure the kitchen is off-limits, even if it means you have to install a door.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2000