How can I help my cat?

[diamonddogs]

She's fourteen this year, so not as young as she was but still healthy and agile. She had a litter of kittens at 2 and was neutered after they were weaned. I've put this bit of info in in case it's relevant.

In the last few months she's being picked on by a big tomcat. He's absolutely vile to her, and has often chased her through the catflap and cornered and attacked her in our kitchen. We think we know who the tomcat belongs to, but it's not like a dog where you can complain and threaten legal nasties.

I'm at my wits' end because a couple of times he's really hurt her. Unfortunately we can't invest in one of those cat flaps with collar things because a) she'll shred a collar in seconds, and b) this cat is so close behind her I doubt there'd be time for the flap to close on him.

If it happens when we're in he gets sprayed with water and yelled at (you wouldn't want to be a cat on the receiving end of the OH's yells) but we can't protect her when we're out. We've tried keeping her in as much as possible but she's a real outdoor cat and frets if she's trapped indoors.

I'm really upset because she's too old for this cr@p now - even a couple of years ago she'd have half killed any other cat coming on to her manor.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

She's fourteen this year, so not as young as she was but still healthy and agile. She had a litter of kittens at 2 and was neutered after they were weaned. I've put this bit of info in in case it's relevant.

In the last few months she's being picked on by a big tomcat. He's absolutely vile to her, and has often chased her through the catflap and cornered and attacked her in our kitchen. We think we know who the tomcat belongs to, but it's not like a dog where you can complain and threaten legal nasties.

I'm at my wits' end because a couple of times he's really hurt her. Unfortunately we can't invest in one of those cat flaps with collar things because a) she'll shred a collar in seconds, and b) this cat is so close behind her I doubt there'd be time for the flap to close on him.

If it happens when we're in he gets sprayed with water and yelled at (you wouldn't want to be a cat on the receiving end of the OH's yells) but we can't protect her when we're out. We've tried keeping her in as much as possible but she's a real outdoor cat and frets if she's trapped indoors.

I'm really upset because she's too old for this cr@p now - even a couple of years ago she'd have half killed any other cat coming on to her manor.

how awful for her-

we shout and send the dog after our neighbours cat when it comes in to taunt ours. Does this cat belong to anyone? as you could get a charity too de-sex it.
could you be waiting with something on the inside to scare it ?maybe a friends dog, could you put a mesh fence above your existing to stop it coming in?

 

[diamonddogs]

We know someone in the road owns it but we don't know who. And even if we could find out, if they were responsible owners they would have neutered the animal ages ago, so no hope of appealing to their better natures!

We don't know for sure why this has begun only recently - I can think of several reasons:

1) the cat is new to the area
2) our cat has calmed down and stopped defending her territory due to age and/or complacency
3) our dog died last year and the tomcat knows there's no longer a threat in the house (I've used this as another tool in my arsenal of reasons to persuade OH that we need another dog to no avail!)
4) he has a grudge against her because she may have attacked him in the past and he knows she's weaker now

OH is so sick of it now (this cat has got some front - it's even sprayed in our kitchen) he's threatening to get an air pistol and shoot it but I'm not having that - as vile as this cat is, it's just being a cat and there's no excuse for cruelty. If it was the owner that was attacking our cat I'd be all for him shooting at the owner lol!

It's horrible because he's big and ugly with half his ears and tail missing, and our is a dainty little tabby half his size

 

[Meowy Catkin]

You can get cat flaps that work with the microchip number, so no collar needed. I know that you worry about him getting in before the flap closes, but even if it reduces the amount of times that he corners her in the kitchen it would help.

Could you ask around or even put up a notice asking who the tom cat belongs to? He might not have an owner. If he was castrated it would certainly help the situation. If no owner is found, talk to your local cat charity about having him caught and neutered.

 

[millhouse]

We had this problem with one of our cats, and knew the offending monster was owned by somebody in our Close. Our Vet actually told us to go and complain to the owner, as we were constantly at the Vets with the consequent damage done to our cat. I posted a letter through the owner's letterbox explaining what their little cherub was up to, but of course they wouldn't admit ownership. I eventually took the matter into my own hands and took offending tom off to have him neutered - (she says, hiding behind the sofa!!!)

Soon afterwards, the 'newly modernised gentleman's' owners moved away, taking him with them. I feared for the neighbouring cats wherever he was moving to.

 

[Morag4]

I think given the not so little blighter is so close on her heels coming through the flap, the only solution is to put up a large run with internal small enclosure for her to be put in for fresh air and a climb (on a couple of strategically positioned branches). Get rid of the flap and only put her in the run for outside time that way you know she's safe even when you are not there and the damnable stinky Tom can't get her or in your house.

 

[LittleBlackMule]

Next time he comes into the house, put him in a carrier and take him straight to your nearest CP/RSPCA centre and tell them he's a stray. His owners are obviously pretty irresponsible if he isn't neutered so probably won't go looking for him, and at least he'll get his bits whipped off.

 

[diamonddogs]

Thank you everyone - some really helpful suggestions here .

I like the sound of kidnapping him, I must admit!

 

[Suelin]

Next time he comes into the house, put him in a carrier and take him straight to your nearest CP/RSPCA centre and tell them he's a stray. His owners are obviously pretty irresponsible if he isn't neutered so probably won't go looking for him, and at least he'll get his bits whipped off.

This absolutely!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Next time he comes into the house, put him in a carrier and take him straight to your nearest CP/RSPCA centre and tell them he's a stray. His owners are obviously pretty irresponsible if he isn't neutered so probably won't go looking for him, and at least he'll get his bits whipped off.

Or better still ask CP or RSPCA if they can set a trap, just say you have a stray in the area who needs to be neutered and re-homed

 

[dogatemysalad]

Or better still ask CP or RSPCA if they can set a trap, just say you have a stray in the area who needs to be neutered and re-homed

That's outrageous.

My friends elderly (neutered) cat was stolen by their animal hating neighbours and taken to a cat's home as a stray. By the time they tracked her down, she had been PTS.

OP, usually Tom's are pests in Spring and autumn but settle down the rest of the year. I usually have a word with the owner, who may be unaware of the havoc their cat is causing. It needs neutering and if they won't or can't, paying yourself may save you money in vet bills. Not fair, but better for both cats.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

That's outrageous.

My friends elderly (neutered) cat was stolen by their animal hating neighbours and taken to a cat's home as a stray. By the time they tracked her down, she had been PTS.

That's also happened to my sister. Luckily she found her cat before he was rehomed or PTS.

OP, do not pretend that he is a stray, it is frankly immoral.

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

If I were you, I'd catch the cat, take it to get nuetered, bring it back home and release it. It will go back home, the owners might not even notice. If they do and they complain, just say you thought it was a stray tom cat and got it done out of kindness for the cat. (I did this myself some years ago) The tom cat will calm down and start looking after itself more, and probably stop fighting your cat. It will be kinder for both cats involved.

 

[Fides]

If I were you, I'd catch the cat, take it to get nuetered, bring it back home and release it. It will go back home, the owners might not even notice. If they do and they complain, just say you thought it was a stray tom cat and got it done out of kindness for the cat. (I did this myself some years ago) The tom cat will calm down and start looking after itself more, and probably stop fighting your cat. It will be kinder for both cats involved.

Someone did this to my neighbour's very expensive female cat. Basically claimed to the vets it was a stray and they had 'adopted'. The cat was chipped and on hormones to prevent oestrus so it could live life as an outdoor cat when it wasn't being a mummy. Vet neutered the cat and rechipped it in the other neighbours name. The owner only found out when the cat had been missing for 5 days and came home shaved

IMO if it's not your cat, you have no right to neuter it

Could you get a cat flap that works off her chip? They're about £50...

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Someone did this to my neighbour's very expensive female cat. Basically claimed to the vets it was a stray and they had 'adopted'. The cat was chipped and on hormones to prevent oestrus so it could live life as an outdoor cat when it wasn't being a mummy. Vet neutered the cat and rechipped it in the other neighbours name. The owner only found out when the cat had been missing for 5 days and came home shaved

IMO if it's not your cat, you have no right to neuter it

Could you get a cat flap that works off her chip? They're about £50...

If the cat was chipped surely the vet would have contacted the original owner especially if they were neighbours? We were gifted a Bengal female and the vets just wouldn't take our word that she was ours and contacted the chipping company to confirm she had not been stolen or lost.

 

[Hoofprints in the Snow]

Someone did this to my neighbour's very expensive female cat. Basically claimed to the vets it was a stray and they had 'adopted'. The cat was chipped and on hormones to prevent oestrus so it could live life as an outdoor cat when it wasn't being a mummy. Vet neutered the cat and rechipped it in the other neighbours name. The owner only found out when the cat had been missing for 5 days and came home shaved

IMO if it's not your cat, you have no right to neuter it

Could you get a cat flap that works off her chip? They're about £50...

I'm not saying it is the right thing in all cases, but in the case of the OP I' say it is. I have pedigree female cats, but they would never be in a position to be taken and nuetered. However the Vet should have checked for microchip and contacted the registered owner, and not just rechipped it.

 

[diamonddogs]

...

IMO if it's not your cat, you have no right to neuter it

Could you get a cat flap that works off her chip? They're about £50...

Problem is (for the owner at least) cats aren't "owned" as far as the law's concerned, which is why there's little point in complaining. Responsible owners, in my experience, tend not to leave their moggies entire, so I don't suppose they care what it does. As this animal sprays in our kitchen, thus stinking it out, I can't imagine what their house smells like!

As I said I my OP, the catflap suggestions wouldn't work because the flap wouldn't close in time to stop him tailgating her - he's literally on her tail as she flies through.

If she was a younger cat I'd just say sod it and keep her in all the time, but she's had her freedom all her life and would probably find a way of escaping.

The tom's a big fluffy thing, so I doubt the owners would even notice if he went home short of a body part or two! And being a tom, he probably goes off for days at a time anyway, so probably wouldn't be missed.

 

[AmyMay]

Op. Have a word with the owners, they'd probably be mortified.

The other thing I'd do (and I'll be flamed for this), is to have a large bucket of water ready by the back door. Get a good thick pair of gloves on standby, and next time the tom visits put him in the bucket. Give him a thorough dunking, head and all. It will be the last time you see him!

 

[Fides]

As I said I my OP, the catflap suggestions wouldn't work because the flap wouldn't close in time to stop him tailgating her - he's literally on her tail as she flies through.

I've been there - they do work.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

AM - I agree with you, chucking some water on him wont hurt him, but it should put him off coming back in the OP's house.

 

[diamonddogs]

Op. Have a word with the owners, they'd probably be mortified.

The other thing I'd do (and I'll be flamed for this), is to have a large bucket of water ready by the back door. Get a good thick pair of gloves on standby, and next time the tom visits put him in the bucket. Give him a thorough dunking, head and all. It will be the last time you see him!

I certainly give this a try - he's not bothered about being squirted so a thorough soaking might teach him he's not welcome!

I'll look into chip catflaps as well - how do you get your chip programmed? Is it in the instructions?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

That's outrageous.

My friends elderly (neutered) cat was stolen by their animal hating neighbours and taken to a cat's home as a stray. By the time they tracked her down, she had been PTS.

OP, usually Tom's are pests in Spring and autumn but settle down the rest of the year. I usually have a word with the owner, who may be unaware of the havoc their cat is causing. It needs neutering and if they won't or can't, paying yourself may save you money in vet bills. Not fair, but better for both cats.

I noticed you never commented on the posters above me when they mentioned calling RSPCA saying he was a stray!!!!


OP said they only "think" they know not that it actually is their cat, Tom cats are a nuissance.

OP go and call this person you think is its owner, explain the situation and they can get a neuter voucher from charity if they cannot afford it themselves. If it isn't then put posters up in the area for 2 weeks if no result then call RSPCA see if it has a chip in it. If it hasn't they will neuter it and keep it a week give time for an owner to come forward to reclaim. Then it would be re homed, it needs to be neutered unless its a pedigree cat kept for breeding. People are really silly keeping tom cats and un neutered females. Which is why we have so many un wanted cats and kittens, which are unnecessarily pts due to over crowding.
Makes my work harder and more upsetting, and frustrating.

 

[Fides]

I noticed you never commented on the posters above me when they mentioned calling RSPCA saying he was a stray!!!!

The RSPCA have every right to neuter a stray though hence no comment. OP would have to lie to them though and claim she didn't know who the owner was. Plus the RSPCA are notorious for not wanting to take strays - they just told us to feed at the bottom of the garden if we were concerned.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

The Sureflap one has a button you press which sets it to learn mode, as the cat passes through the very first time it flashes to say it's stored the chip and that's it. If you have more than one cat you just press it again and repeat.

They are well worth the money but if you do go for a Sureflap get the larger sized one which is classed as small dog. Their cat sized one is minute compared to standard cat flaps.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

The RSPCA have every right to neuter a stray though hence no comment. OP would have to lie to them though and claim she didn't know who the owner was. Plus the RSPCA are notorious for not wanting to take strays - they just told us to feed at the bottom of the garden if we were concerned.

But OP only thinks they know they are not certain, which is why after I suggested asking first and putting posters up prior to contact, yes RSPCA don't always take stray but they do take them a lot of the time if they have room.

Or the CP would, they always scan first to see if the cat has a chip before adding it to the lost and found register on their site for sometime before its homed.

 

[diamonddogs]

Lots of food for thought here - which feline charities do vouchers? I think Cats' Protection and Blue Cross do. Not sure I want to pay for someone else's shortfalls, but maybe if I explained to a charity what was happening they might pop round for a chat with the owner (again, if I can identify them).

Astonishingly there are still folk out there that simply don't think about neutering when they see a little ball of fluff, and I've even heard comments (from men usually!) that it's a mean thing to do. OK there's a cost involved and risks to ops on toms and females, but thinking long-term, how much does a vet charge these days to stitch an ear back on? It's all very well dealing with injuries from fights as and when they happen, but why put your animal through the stress and pain when a simple snip and clip under anaesthetic and a week indoors can prevent fight injuries almost ever happening?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Lots of food for thought here - which feline charities do vouchers? I think Cats' Protection and Blue Cross do. Not sure I want to pay for someone else's shortfalls, but maybe if I explained to a charity what was happening they might pop round for a chat with the owner (again, if I can identify them).

Astonishingly there are still folk out there that simply don't think about neutering when they see a little ball of fluff, and I've even heard comments (from men usually!) that it's a mean thing to do. OK there's a cost involved and risks to ops on toms and females, but thinking long-term, how much does a vet charge these days to stitch an ear back on? It's all very well dealing with injuries from fights as and when they happen, but why put your animal through the stress and pain when a simple snip and clip under anaesthetic and a week indoors can prevent fight injuries almost ever happening?

Cp definitely does, once the situation is brought to them, but potential owner would need to contact them.

 

[touchstone]

It was about fifty quid to neuter a feral tom in my village, the CPL offered to pay, but I had to use a different vet which wasn't convenient. Well worth every penny though!

Another thing I was thinking about doing for mine when we were having issues was cat proofing the garden, there are companies that do this, but I think you could probably do it yourself much more cheaply. Seems a lot of trouble for somebody else's cat though, it would be nice if all non breeding cats could be neutered, it causes such suffering when people don't bother.

 

[Woodsider]

Only just found this thread - what's the latest on your unwelcome visitor OP?

 

[twiggy2]

contact CPL in your area and they will set a trap and get the cat nuetered, the chances are that he is a stray that is just finding a good source of food in your area, if you knew he was owned and who by then i think the first stop would be to notify the owners that he is causing a problem but if you don't then get cpl involved