Will male sibling barn cats fight?

[wyoDreamer]

My sister had a stray show up at her house, since they do not have any outbuildings for thei poor cat to live in she brought her to our place. Ms. Kitty became a barn cat. She had 5 kittens the day after Easter this year.
I took Ms. Kitty in for spay yesterday and took the 5 - 4 month old kittens in for shots and general check-up. We intended to take the females in at 6 months and have them spayed. I was trying to determine the kittens sex by myself (I have no clue how to sex a kitten except fro what I read on-line) and guessed that there were 2 females and 3 males. Surprise! I was wrong with my guesses and all 5 are male.
Woot! cheaper to fix them kitties now.

I am worried that although they are best litter-mates right now and play together all the time, when they are mature male cats will they fight? We do intend to get them "fixed", will that prevent fights?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I have had male neutered siblings (2) who got along well. Often male house cats who are neutered do well together. However, I can't speak to the issue of barn cats, males who are neutered after reaching sexual maturity, and more than 2 or 3 male cats re: how they will do together. I would get them neutered ASAP if you want peace to reign in your yard. Not to mention, it may help to curtail the nasty habit of spraying to mark territory if you do so before they get their hormones.

There may be some neuter programs that will give you a cut rate on the cost. Call your humane society for information. I prefer not to deal with the humane society if at all possible, but they may be able to direct you re: the cheapest means of getting the boy's nuggets disposed of.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Our state humane society has a program for reduced price neuter for barn and feral cats - but feral cats get priority and their program is on hold right now ... I heard that their vets left for other jobs. The local vet said that they are willing to give us a reduced rate for all 5 kittens at once, and now that it is all males it may be affordable for us to do in 2 months.

The $650 vet bill yesterday was quite a hit to the pocket book, but DH and I believe that it was necessary since the mother cat was pregnant again. Since I took the kittens in all together and while the female was being spayed, we did get a discount on the kittens. $10 each for a general exam seemed to be a good price. Usually it is $50 fee just for walking in the door... The shots really brought up the price, but they needed to have rabies and distemper shots. We also had them wormed. The little stinkers have ear mites, so I walked out with 2 bottles of ear drops.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

No doubt about it, animals are expensive.

 

[tortoise]

Barn cats act differently than house cats. Less neurotic. The worst case scenario is that they don't get a long and one leaves - the normal behavior for intact male cats. Neutered.... IDK, I wouldn't be surprised if they are fine. As long as bother are healthy and mobile enough to escape when challenged by the other cat they should be fine.

 

[wyoDreamer]

We decided that we are going to be adding cat doors to a couple more of the out buildings, so they will have a lot of room to get away from each other if need be. Hopefully, they will also have more "hunting" area and help with the mice and pests in the other buildings.
Now that Ms Kitty has been spayed, she is back to her original friendly, pet-my-tummy demanding self.