Issues with aggressive neighbours cat

LisaB85

Ok I'll try to keep this short and as clear as possible. I have 4 cats 1 house cat, 1 male and 2 female.

There is a house very near by that appears to have a couple of cats, one of which I can't work out if he is stray or their cat (he is often seen trying to get in their house and is often with their other cat) anyway he keeps using the shed as a shelter, had eaten rabbit food and has come up to the door and looked in as if wanting to be let in.

I'm not sure how long they have lived there but the problem is fairly recent, other neighbours have said the cats have been eating bird food off the tables etc, the house was for quite a while so the only way I could find out when they moved in would be ask the people next door to them.

About 4 weeks ago I picked up one of the female cats only to be greeted by growling and screaming which is not like her at all, she is quite a cuddly cat. After putting her down she cowered so I looked at her and felt a lump, took her to the vets and they said she had been bitten by a cat and was given an injection. £40 vets bill.

I immediately suspected this black and white cat as although cats fight it is usually just screaming and has gotten worse since this cat has been hanging around.

This morning the big male came in after being out all night (usually comes in about 10pm) and has sticky blood on his tail and won't let me near his tail, almost the same as the female cat, on Thurs night the black and white cat was in the garden screaming at him.

I know I have no proof that it is this cat causing the issues but considering he is always hanging round, using the shed that has an entrance hole to shelter MY cats I am pretty sure he is responsible as there are a few cats round here and none of the others really venture into the garden other than using it as a short cut which has never caused issues other than the odd screaming match.

As I said I know cats fight (usually just hissing and spitting) but there is a cat who appears to be overly aggressive and violent which has never been an issue before, for 11 years none of the cats have come home with physically injuries beyond the odd scratch.

I don't know if others have noticed the same and I do try to keep the cats in at night (they prefer it anyway) but is there anything more I can do? I don't want to cause arguments but if it is beyond a joke now.

krlyr

The problem is, cats are free spirits and you can't control what they do. What you can control is what they're exposed to. You could try speaking to the owner but the only way to protect your own cats for sure is to take responsibility for keeping them safe and enclose your garden with catproof fencing, build a cat-run, or keep them indoors.
To be honest, it's something you open yourself up to when you let a pet roam free. If it wasn't this neighbour's cat, it could be another neighbour's cat, someone's dog, a car, a sick individual, etc. that causes injury. You relinquish your ability to control what happens to your cats when you allow them to roam anywhere they want unsupervised.

Fridaycat

I agree with krlyr to a large extent, but there are some things you can do to mitigate the risks.

I am sure you know already, but I have three moggies and two Bengals. All five are kept in at night without fail. The only occasion they aren't are if they have gone walkabout and don't come home, but the last time that happened was with my Friday about 7 years ago. All the other 4 have never spent a night outside and they are all used to it and don't expect to be let out at night.

Night-time is a higher risk time, but of course things can happen during the day too. So I don't have a cat flap and three of mine - the two Bengals and Friday (who is oldish at 14) are kept indoors when we go out - whether this is for half an hour or all day.

Harry and Robbie are given the option as they are two strapping lads - if they're in, they stay in; if they're out they stay out (with food + water provided). But I don't have any issues such as yours, fortunately.

Nothing is ever 100% safe and of course things can happen anytime anywhere, but given that my cats are allowed free access to all the wonderful countryside around us, I try to reduce the risks the best way I can.

Lil_Me_2

I can sympathise, but not offer any advice sorry! We have an almost identical situation. There are 5 cats across 4 houses by me and they all get on reasonably well (but do have their moments), and then there is the black and white cat which roams into the area which picks a fight with everyone! My poor boy is very much a lover not a fighter, and has been in to the vets 4 or 5 times with bite wounds.

We don't have a cat flap either, and my two are always in at night, but last week we put them out for the day, an hour and a half later and my boy was back covered head to tail in mud. A quick bath revealed two puncture wounds on his front and back leg and he was feeling very sorry for himself. £70 later and he's ok now, but it's very expensive and very annoying when it's just one rogue cat causing all the problems.

The only thing the vet suggested was that the cat might not be neutered, which is making it more hostile as it hunts for a mate.

LisaB85

Lil_Me wrote: »

The only thing the vet suggested was that the cat might not be neutered, which is making it more hostile as it hunts for a mate.

Think that might be it, although the fact these 2 cats also eat stuff such as bird food and rabbit food despite being slender indicates they might not be as well looked after as they should be, they always seem to be trying everything to get into their house.

Have decided that my cats will go out in the day as they please, let out about 8pm til 10pm then called in. They don't go very far so should get into a routine and there is a litter tray that they do use when the weathers bad.

Just frustrating as this cat is coming onto my cats territory to start fights, just hope they don't end up too scared to go out. Maybe he is after the girls but they are spayed.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Maybe he's just starving hungry?


If a cat is desperate for food, can you imagine how tempting the smell of enough food for five cats could be? Enough to make getting into the garden and having to defend itself (attack being the best form of defence ) a risk worth taking?

LisaB85

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Maybe he's just starving hungry?


If a cat is desperate for food, can you imagine how tempting the smell of enough food for five cats could be? Enough to make getting into the garden and having to defend itself (attack being the best form of defence ) a risk worth taking?

5 cats? when did I get the 5th one?

Food is dry food stored indoors but I just don't know, never had this problem before so just assuming the cats still have their balls.

Apparently they have lived there a while and had a baby 6 months ago, maybe a case of baby arrives cats shut out and forgotten about.

warehouse

What is it about black and white cats? We have one around here too that causes big issues with all the other cats, but then if you saw the owners you'd understand why!

Anyway, every single time I saw the black and white cat I threw something at it, (soft before you ask), or had the water pistol ready, or just plain chased it/scared the life out of it. It hardly ventures into our garden now and problems are 90% less now than they were.

YorkiePud_3

My vet told me if a cat has an injury to its back legs or tail then another cat has been after it and it's got the injury when running away, but when a cat has an injury to its front legs, chest or face, it has been standing its ground and trying to fight back, so this cat may not be the one doing all the fighting ... there may just be another cat who is the cause of it all!

warehouse, I have that trouble with ginger cats ... every ginger cat I have met (so far) has been a hunter, aggressive and downright 'orrible ... !! That's not to say they all are, though.

I've got 3 black and white cats, the largest one needed the vet last week and would only have an injection when I put him on his back and cuddled him like a baby ... these three are just soft, fluffy tanks although they are indoors cats (with an outside run) so maybe that has something to do with it!

calicocat

These do sound like pretty nasty attacks , but don't see that you can do much other than asking the owners if they have in fact turfed the cats out in the hope that they will wander off as it does sound like they are hungry.

I never let my cat out unless I am in , and luckily she is trained to come to me anytime I shout her or rattle my keys if I am going out (trained??.....I take that back..she wants to come) .

I would see the owners and see what the score is and keep yours in at night .

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

LisaB85 wrote: »

5 cats? when did I get the 5th one?

Food is dry food stored indoors but I just don't know, never had this problem before so just assuming the cats still have their balls.

Apparently they have lived there a while and had a baby 6 months ago, maybe a case of baby arrives cats shut out and forgotten about.

He's the one eating the rabbit and bird food, isn't he?


(sorry, it was a typo - but the thought that he's just after something to eat still stands)