Getting the most out of my show cat

Question
Hello, and thank you for being available for questions.
 I have a red mink male Sphynx. He has been a real sweetie that is fun and easy to handle and show. He did very well at his first four shows, seeming very happy and enjoying the attention. Recently he has become very crabby, hissing and growling at the show. He just turned 1 year old. I plan on using him in my breeding program but I would like him to have a higher title before I use him. I am now wondering if that is going to be possible as his additude is interfearing with his progress. He has also started to be aggressive with me. If I am not "annoying" him he is very sweet and cuddly and enjoys my attention. If I do something he does not like he will growl and swat at me. What can I do to help this? I am gentle with him but I do not allow him get his way when he is being bad. I feel if I give in when he gets mad it will just be reinforcing his bad behavior. I have been trying different things to make showing more fun for him. I give him treats, petting and praise when I take him to the judgeing cage and again when I get him from the cage, which he seems to enjoy. I also spray the cage with catnip which seems to help a little. I spend as much time as possible with him at the show, holding him if he likes and taking him to play in the I-cat area which he loves. I let him stay out in the hotel room so he gets a chance to run around and play and I let him sleep with me which he likes. (marking has not been a problem at the hotels, he dose mark the dog beds at home though, which started about a month after he started being crabby) He was a little better at the last show I took him to, but he is still not the happy playful, friendly boy he used to be. I usually take his buddy (a younger male) with us to the show so he is not alone and will cage them together or seperate which ever seems to work best for both of them. I bring my own cages to keep him as secure and comfortable as possible. His sturdi-shelter has not been used for any other cats so they don't smell like anyone else. He has also lost weight and is not interested in eating much. This too is affecting his show carrer. Is there anything you can suggest to make showing a better experence for us both? I have taken him to our vet and had him checked over to make sure he dose not have a health problem that is making him feel unwell. My vet said he is in excellent health and suggested the cat nip spray and said he could put him on some medication that may help him with his hormones which he feels is the cause of his behavior. I am not very comfortable with medicating him. Is that really a solution? Is his behavior a mature male thing or is he just a crabby cat? Will he produce crabby cats? I do not want to produce crabby offspring. Help!


Answer
Hi Marie
Unfortunately your cat is at the mercy of his hormones. He is growing up and wants to exert his dominance over anything in his vicinity. As he continues to grow he will get more aggressive, also the weight loss is a sign of his maturity and readiness to find a mate.
Now what options do you have? Well you can delay his breeding opportunity until he has more titles, but he will continue to get aggressive, so that can be controlled by medication. They will not affect his ability to produce in future years just handle his hormones for the current period.
You could allow him to mate and not have as much red on his first pedigree, remember he will be available as a stud for several years, so is the first pedigree listing that important. Once mated, although he may be rangy, he will be less aggressive.
I would be careful about the introduction of the other male as they may suddenly start fighting once that male becomes more mature.
The other alternative is to find a neutered female for him and that may well calm him down. You will not have unwanted litters and he will be occupied by the attentions of the female in close proximity.
As for producing crabby kittens, they will only be crabby if the following conditions apply.
If the female is crabby the kittens may inherit certain qualities from both parents, but this will really depend on the environment that exists around them after they are born.
Also behaviour is inherited if the breeding is close linked.
So if the lines are not close and the litter is brought up in calm surroundings the kittens will be well adjusted.
Unfortunately I see many sphynx at shows that are not on their best behaviour, due in the main to hormones so you are not alone

Hope this helps

Ray