Slightly worried by what happened this morning.

I have a 5-month-old male kitten Herbie who has been all sweetness and cuddles ever since he arrived - with us, and with our two 20-month-old brothers. In fact Herbie is Larry and Monty's half-brother, all from the same breeder. Herbie cuddles up to, sleeps with, washes, wrestles and plays with both his older brothers and it's wonderful to see. Couldn't be more harmonious...until this morning!

I was washing up their dishes just before feeding them and I was shocked to hear a terrible, guttural howl behind me, the sort that goes right through you and sounds like a small angry child. I turned round and Herbie was on the table with his fur sticking up, growling at Larry down on the floor. I have no idea why, did not see anything untoward. Larry was glaring back at him, and was quite upset. Monty was watching, all freaked out.

So I stood between Herb and Larry, to break the stare. Larry slunk away and hid under a chair cowering (very unusual and distressing to see - he's a happy-go-lucky 7kg lad). I spoke nicely to Herbie and stroked him but he was still growly. Then I ignored them all and carried on washing up, trying to give of calm and so-what vibes. But ten minutes later things were still tense. I put their food down hoping that would snap them out of it, with dishes much further apart than usual. But Herbie spat at Larry. (what on earth was wrong???) Monty is usually first in the queue and up on the counter as I dish up, but he was hiding in the corner.

At this point I'd had enough so I told Herbie off - told him sharply to stop it and gave him a tap. He sat in the kitchen doorway and the others were too scared to walk past him. So I picked him up and had a stern word with him, and put him outside, out of the doorway. Then the others went outside and after that it was all OK. Eventually they all came back inside and all ate some breakfast as if nothing had happened. Barney my elderly moggie and top cat was not remotely bothered by any of it.

My question is, did I handle this the right way, should I be worried at all, and should I get Herbie neutered sooner rather than later?

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Rescue cats for many years, currently one moggie and 3 young Maine Coons.

I'd be booking him in for his neuter ASAP. hormones run riot when they're maturing, and if it came out of nowhere, this could be what's going on. I know my 5 month old will now spit at his sister if she tries to eat from the same bowl as him at the same time, or he did until he had the snip last week. The frequency is already less.

Thanks. I told my breeder about it and she said the same, get him neutered. Herbie's brother who she has kept also matured early and he got the snip at around 5 months as well.

I personlly like to leave neutering as long as possible in case it stunts their growth, but Herbie's already 4kgs so nothing to worry about there!

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Rescue cats for many years, currently one moggie and 3 young Maine Coons.