Stinking Tom Cat Invading Home - HELP!!

jaype

Any advice very gratefully received: six months ago we moved into a rented house (including catflap, amazingly) with our cat, who is female, spayed and very timid. We noticed there was a very young male cat amongst the others that come through our garden, but the problem is that he since hasn't been neutered and has obviously now 'come of age'. Twice in the past week he has come in to our house (once at night, once when we were at the supermarket) and sprayed on the furniture (including in the baby's bed - totally disgusting). He's not afraid of our cat at all. What can we do? I have no idea who owns him, though he does have a collar but no tag. Spraying on the kids' toys and bed is so revolting that it's hard to think straight. Our landlord only reluctantly let us have our cat there as their daughter is very allergic (we have agreed to have house prof. cleaned after we go to get rid of hair etc) - so this isn't on for the sake of our lovely landlord and her family either. If we can track down the cat's owner, can we chase them for the cost of extra cleaning or anything? Should I stick a note on the cat's collar asking them nicely to castrate it (!). How can I make it go away? we close the catflap at night but as we are in and out during the day I have to have it open during daylight so our cat can get some exercise but doesn't get stuck out. Thanks!

ali-t

could you change the catflap to one of those electronic ones that only lets your cat in?

flower7

We had a problem years ago it takes a while to train your cat to use an electronic cat flap but it will keep unwanted pets out.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_flaps_nets/cat_flaps/pet_mate

Cat Mate Electronic Cat Flap

4-way electronic cat flap with electromagnetic locking.
Total size: 19.5cm x 24.2cm, Opening: 16.8 x 21.6cm

This quiet, weatherproof cat flap has a unique electromagnetic locking system to keep out uninvited pets: only the corresponding collar magnets will allow access. Battery operated; suitable for all doors and walls (except glass doors). 4-way locking system
I found this so you can have a look.

Ephemera

Had one of the electronic catflaps and a neighbour's cat was getting in by following my cat through the cat flap.
He was a tom and did the same thing - sprayed all over the house. :mad:

I caught him one day, in the house, and managed to trap him in a bedroom while I ran a cold bath. :cool:
After his sudden introduction to cold water he never came back. :eek: Apart from cleaning up the water he thoughtlessly splashed all over the place on his way out of the bathroom, down the stairs and out the front door (held open by my crying-with-laughter-husband) we never had trouble again...:rotfl:

LuciferTDark

Water pistol filled with lemon juice, a few squirts from that will persuade him to b*gger off.

catlover1_2

The other option is not to have a cat flap ... mine doesn't he goes out in the morning after his breakfast for about 10-20 mins, then in the evening again for about 10-20 mins ( his choice) but stays in the rest of the day.

In the summer when the its nicer he enjoys going out more so will go out for about an hour while I am getting reay for work, all day at the weekend or if I am home in the week and seems happy with this.

xx

jaype

We already have an electronic (magnetic tag) cat flap. They are truly rubbish! The cat follows ours in. Because she's small, often the flap doesn't swing properly shut and the tom cat hooks it open. Grr. Husband likes the idea of the cold water torture, though It wouldn't be so bad but we had this problem in our old flat with a truly feral tom that was so massive it could bust through a locked flap. All you could hear all night was cats constantly fighting it off In the end we called in the Celia Hammond trust who gave us a cage to trap it. Even the man there said it was a vicious, unlikeable beast. anyway, they brought it back three days later (sans knackers) and we never saw it again. It's probably wandering about wondering why it suddely feels so calm for once in it's life! This one isn't wild though - it just has a useless owner.

methekidsandthecat

Hi

We have had a similar problem in the past - our cats are neutered but are followed home by unneutered ones - oooh the smell is truely disgusting. I have used the children's water pistol but you need to be an acurate shot - landing a good dollop of water on the face or flank is very effective - only needed to do it twice. Have to have the water psitol full and nearby as it loses the effect if you have to dig it out of the shed first.....!

My sister had problems with her own cat after they had a new kitchen fitted and he liked to spray in the electric sockets - no washing them down then! She got some thing from the vet that was very effective. I can find out what it was called if you like?

Me

jaype

Might be Feliway? Our now deceased old male cat had a bit of a nervous breakdown when we moved home once and started 'puddling' everywhere. Vet said it's like spraying and is about marking territory, but is what neutered boys do. It's some sort of calming cat pheromone or something. Think mine is out of date, but may try spraying it on the catflap regardless.

skintandsad

My neighbour had this problem, and apparently waited by the back door for the offending tomcat to appear through the catflap, then nearly gave the poor cat a heart attack by growling and screaming at it!!!

I can't speak for the health of the cat, or the kindness of the method used - but it worked :rotfl:

Perhaps the vets spray would be a kinder option?

november

We've had the same problem - twice!

The first time the male cat eventually dragged himself in to our house badly injured. We ended up taking him to the emergency vets hospital and as paying for his treatment. :eek: The only alternative was him waiting to go to the RSPCA who don't have a 'don't put down policy' and we couldn't face that as actually he was quite a nice cat - I reckon an abandoned stray as he was very affectionate. He then was kept in a borrowed cage in my daughter's bedroom until more or less recovered and a place had been found for him at a animal rescue (they were all full). We put posters up in the meantime but no-one claimed him. The rescue place were going to pay for his snip operation and rehouse him so I hope he has a new home.

We have recently just managed to stop Tom number 2 coming in to our house by vigilance with a super soaker :T We would dive into the front hall every time we heard the cat flap go and my DH 'got him good' with it late one evening. and I then chased him outside and got him again while he was sat just outside the cat flap. He's not been back since. Also we made sure there is no cat food left around overnight to tempt him in and shut all bedroom doors.

I have also used the 'growling like a bigger cat' at this Tom after he attacked and injured our small female cat meaning she needed vet's treatment. I did it the time he went for her again on her first day in our front garden when she could walk again :mad: That stopped him attacking our cats as he worked out they had a protector I think but it didn't stop him coming in when he thought we weren't looking. Only the sneak attack inside the house with the super soaker did that!

For the current spraying on furniture etc try one of those 'Clean and Safe' pet disinfectant/cleaner/deodorants after washing the area down. Its the only thing we found that 100% got rid of the smell and it won't harm your own cats.

We have 2 cats, one male, one female, both neutered. I think our problem is down to next door having unneutered female cats which attracts toms into the area who then have 'territory wars' and include our house in the territory they are trying to claim and keep. :rolleyes:

As for asking people to get their cats neutered - tried it and if they don't want to there is not a lot you can do :mad: