# Stud Cat Companions



## sootisox (Apr 23, 2009)

Valentino Rossi (don't laugh .... my hubby named him :blushing is my long awaited blue bicoloured stud boy. He will be 17 weeks old this weekend and is THE most adorable cat i've ever had, so affectionate and docile - everything a ragdoll should be and more. If everything goes to plan, he'll be "hubby" to some of our ladies next year or the year after.

He'll be moving to his stud quarters at the start of 2010 (he'll be 8 months old). He's already bonded with Jasmine, a girl we held back from a previous litter as a future queen - she's also 17 weeks old. i'm not going to be able to house them together for obvious reasons, but i'm seriously thinking of finding him a neutered companion to live with him in his little house.

Does anyone else use a neutered stud companion? would you recommend girls or boys? Should i be looking for a kitten of a similar age now so they'll bond before moving to the stud house? or would an older neutered cat be a better idea (ie rescue?)

Any thoughts much appreciated!


----------



## kozykatz (May 18, 2008)

Your boy sounds lovely and the name is great 

I have owned studs for many years and have never had companions for them. I know that sounds bad, but I've always worried about having yet another cat living outside, and how to integrate the "companion" back into the house once the stud has been neutered. Instead, I never keep a stud entire for longer than 3 years or so, I do not have them living outside unless I absolutely have to (due to spraying, or if I take on an older boy from another breeder). I detest the thought of a boy being entire and living outside until he dies, which i Know happens with quite a few studs :cursing:

My studs are neutered and a lovely pet home found for them once their "work" is done - although in a couple of cases I have let them go on to other breeders who I know and trust.


----------



## Jen26 (Apr 22, 2008)

great name, I take it hubby is a big Moto GP fan?

I think It sounds like a nice Idea but Iam not sure how it would work out in the long run. I know a friend of mine housed her stud with another cat and then had problems getting him interested in anything but his little friend.

I think the best Idea is what Naomi said, let him work untill he is say 5 and then neuter him and let him enjoy the rest of his days as a much loved pet.

This is one of the reasons I go out to stud, I couldnt bear the guilt of having a lonely puss


----------



## wrinkles (Nov 2, 2007)

i have an indoor stud house, well my dining room really! lol and my stud boy has his best bud , neutered female with him all the time. other than when he's busy  i couldnt leave him on his own, id feel to bad. he is always grooming and sleeping with my neuter. and she has the added bonus of being with us when he has companey. iv e never had any issues having her back within the group, but i guess some cats might not fit back in. up to the individual cat i guess. just my experience


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

I think it depends on the boy and his temperament. I have two entire boys living together in their own room in the house (with access to run and enclosed garden). They have never fought. They both are not overly keen on any neuter that wanders into their room though, well all except one and no one messes with Harry :smilewinkgrin:


----------



## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

my entire raggie lives with his "special"friend a entire persian male,has done for the last year happily,never been any squabbles,they are both around 2 years old.they have a very close relationship!! but still like the ladies they both live outside in a pen.


----------



## sootisox (Apr 23, 2009)

Saikou said:


> I think it depends on the boy and his temperament.


Thats just it! His temperament at the moment is superb ... he's very loving towards the other cats ... but then he's still a baby. I'd hate for his temperament to change because he's secluded from the house with no "pals" or because of boredom. I'll be bringing him into the house (well, kitchen)every day for feeds and cuddles etc and I'm planning on neutering him after a few years and maybe keeping one of his sons to pick up where Valy's left off

Maybe i'm "humanising" him too much ... I've heard people say that stud cats are quite private and prefer to be alone but I feel that he's such a social boy at the moment, he'll miss the company.

If I did go down the companion route - would a neuter or an entire male be better? Or would a neutered female be ok?


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Thats the hard bit, you can not second guess how they are going to be when their hormones kick in.

You will hear loads of different things about stud cats, but the rule is there is no rule. I wouldn't say either of my stud boys are private, or loners, but then they have never been in a stud house by themselves. Both my boys you can pick up like babies and give them huge snuggly cuddles and they love it. Probably the circumstances they are kept in dictates their nature. If they have always been around other cats and are put out with a chosen companion, they will probably be fine with it.

That said I have heard of a stud that lived happily with another cat until he had his first queen. His mate was taken out and the queen put in, nature took its course, queen went home and the companion was put in only to be attacked and never accepted again. Another cat may be completely different.

I do think they benefit greatly from being indoors and around other cats and people as much as possible. Being outside permanently in a stud house, where for the most part of the day they are alone has to change them.


----------



## Elmstar (Apr 7, 2008)

Saikou said:


> Both my boys you can pick up like babies and give them huge snuggly cuddles and they love it.


Do you not have problems with spraying? Even one of our neuter boys has started spraying because his brother Shinzon, who was a stud and has been neutered, is now in the house and spraying for England so Stan thought this was a good idea and now does it continously.

I have always been able to cuddle Shinzon, he was our first born Bengal baby and is gorgeous......apart from the spraying. However a stud who we bought as a baby has never let us cuddle him, lots of strokes is OK but no holding.


----------



## Elmstar (Apr 7, 2008)

sootisox said:


> Does anyone else use a neutered stud companion? would you recommend girls or boys? Should i be looking for a kitten of a similar age now so they'll bond before moving to the stud house? or would an older neutered cat be a better idea (ie rescue?)
> 
> Any thoughts much appreciated!


Hi,

We've tried this but it hasn't worked with any of our neuters, there always seems to be conflict. We're having one of our girls spayed after her next litter and I'm hoping that she'll make a good companion as she doesn't like being with all of our other pets and only seems to like the studs. Hopefully this will continue after she's spayed as one of our boys doesn't like being on his own.


----------



## Saikou (Apr 2, 2008)

Elmstar said:


> Do you not have problems with spraying?


Not a problem no. They have their own room with part tiled walls and tiled floor, so completely washable. Neither of them have that awful hormonal smell to their wee either which is lucky. I don't know whether thats because they were both born in my house or aren't those kind of studs that need a constant stream of girls to keep them happy.


----------

