Outdoor cat driving my indoor cat nuts

[Anonymous]

We have an indoor cat that is leashed trained. He is great with dogs, great with kids, hates other cats. We are surrounded by three indoor/outdoor cats. One likes to use my flower bed as a litter box (trying to solve that with cayenne pepper) and the other, who happens to be our friend's cat, is intrigued by my cat and loves to hang out on my property.

One day, when I was taking my cat out (he really just walks around the front and back yard and that makes him happy), he ducked in our alcove of garbage cans. I let go of the leash because it was a dead end, and I waited as usual. I jumped back there when I heard hissing and behind the trash can, the two cats were hissing and I had to grab my cat who was the aggressor. We asked the owner to take the other cat, and she did, but he ended up back outside. He likes to go up to our door and meow or go on the ledge outside where my cat perches at the window. I have tried shooing him away but he just comes back and sits in front of my house.

My cat is a rescue and comes with some issues. When I put the application in, the rescue delivered him to me same day because they said he was not coping with the other cats and needed to be put in his own room.

Not sure what do to. My cat is annoyed that his territory is being infringed upon, and the other cat is either curious or wants to piss off my cat. And the owners are not going to keep their cat inside and I am sure they would be mad if I turn the hose on him. Ugh...ideas?

[Anonymous]

OP here - and when I say annoyed, I mean he freaks and starts hissing and growling, pacing the windows at the front or scratching at the front door trying to get out. It is not a mild annoyance.

[Anonymous]

Motion detecting sprinkler, maybe?

If the others won’t keep their cats away, you have a right to take matters into your own hands and water won’t hurt them.

[Anonymous]

OP- that would work for the flower bed, but not the dub cat that comes to the front door and hangs out on my drive way as a big FU to my cat. If I set a sprinkler there, I will get blasted when I go to my car or the door, the mailman will be hit, etc. It would be water dodgeball around the house.

But maybe a few motion sensor air cans strategically placed...

[Anonymous]

Spray wolf piss around your boundary. We did this and it lasted about 10 wks. Don't get it on your hands though because the stink is hard to get out and stomach churning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have an indoor cat that is leashed trained. He is great with dogs, great with kids, hates other cats. We are surrounded by three indoor/outdoor cats. One likes to use my flower bed as a litter box (trying to solve that with cayenne pepper) and the other, who happens to be our friend's cat, is intrigued by my cat and loves to hang out on my property.

One day, when I was taking my cat out (he really just walks around the front and back yard and that makes him happy), he ducked in our alcove of garbage cans. I let go of the leash because it was a dead end, and I waited as usual. I jumped back there when I heard hissing and behind the trash can, the two cats were hissing and I had to grab my cat who was the aggressor. We asked the owner to take the other cat, and she did, but he ended up back outside. He likes to go up to our door and meow or go on the ledge outside where my cat perches at the window. I have tried shooing him away but he just comes back and sits in front of my house.

My cat is a rescue and comes with some issues. When I put the application in, the rescue delivered him to me same day because they said he was not coping with the other cats and needed to be put in his own room.

Not sure what do to. My cat is annoyed that his territory is being infringed upon, and the other cat is either curious or wants to piss off my cat. And the owners are not going to keep their cat inside and I am sure they would be mad if I turn the hose on him. Ugh...ideas?

Why do you care if they’re mad? Aren’t you mad too? You’re the only one with a right to be mad in this situation. Hose away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have an indoor cat that is leashed trained. He is great with dogs, great with kids, hates other cats. We are surrounded by three indoor/outdoor cats. One likes to use my flower bed as a litter box (trying to solve that with cayenne pepper) and the other, who happens to be our friend's cat, is intrigued by my cat and loves to hang out on my property.

One day, when I was taking my cat out (he really just walks around the front and back yard and that makes him happy), he ducked in our alcove of garbage cans. I let go of the leash because it was a dead end, and I waited as usual. I jumped back there when I heard hissing and behind the trash can, the two cats were hissing and I had to grab my cat who was the aggressor. We asked the owner to take the other cat, and she did, but he ended up back outside. He likes to go up to our door and meow or go on the ledge outside where my cat perches at the window. I have tried shooing him away but he just comes back and sits in front of my house.

My cat is a rescue and comes with some issues. When I put the application in, the rescue delivered him to me same day because they said he was not coping with the other cats and needed to be put in his own room.

Not sure what do to. My cat is annoyed that his territory is being infringed upon, and the other cat is either curious or wants to piss off my cat. And the owners are not going to keep their cat inside and I am sure they would be mad if I turn the hose on him. Ugh...ideas?

Why do you care if they’re mad? Aren’t you mad too? You’re the only one with a right to be mad in this situation. Hose away.

I agree, and I'm a cat person. You told them there's a problem, and they're still letting their cats walk all over your property. If they complain their cat is wet, tell them you were breaking up a fight.

[Anonymous]

They're cats. Of course they hiss at each other. That's what cats do when they meet other cats.

Your cat is probably enriched by interacting with this other cat. I don't see what the issue is. Let your cat be a cat.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Neighbor's cat came back over to the window and my cat started flipping and clawing at the screen. My DS made the mistake of trying to grab my cat to take him to another room (which worked before) but our cat turned and chomped down on her hand really hard. This is the first time he has done that. He usually does everything he can not to bite or scratch us even when he is super annoyed. So, DS is icing her hand and I texted the neighbor.

Right now, i am free to hose down their cat. They agreed that if it gets too bad, and the cat doesn't learn to avoid my house, they will leash their cat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're cats. Of course they hiss at each other. That's what cats do when they meet other cats.

Your cat is probably enriched by interacting with this other cat. I don't see what the issue is. Let your cat be a cat.

OP here. Nope - hackles up and lunging at another cat is not quality enrichment. My cat already scratched the other cat's face and would have done more if I hadn't grabbed the leash earlier. I debated letting my cat out with the leash so they could feel each other out but he was slamming his body and trying to scratch through the door. He was like the Tasmanian devil.

If I let my cat be himself, they would both end up bloody.

[Anonymous]

This seems like much ado about nothing. Don’t let go of the leash when you take your cat for walks, and carry a squirt gun to deter any other cats from approaching. Put a movable barrier in front of the screen indoors to keep the cat from scratching or climbing. We used a box for this until our cats were trained not to do this.

It’s normal for some cats to get agitated when others come around, but they often will be calmer with time if it’s the same cat. They may eventually become friendly. I’ve seen this happen with our cat who is very territorial. He made a friends with a couple of cats he initially tried to attack through the sliding door, and eventually they would just meow at each other while our cat begged to go out and play. Sadly, his buddies were both killed by cars. It’s so incredibly irresponsible to let cats go outside unleashed.

And try not to blame the other cat so much. He’s not doing any of this to annoy you. He just finds it interesting to interact with the kitty behind the glass.

[Anonymous]

I was going to warn you not to approach or try to pick up your cat when its defenses are up, but I see from your follow-up, you already figured that out. My friend’s mom had horrible injuries to her feet by doing this. Drill it into your kids — do not approach your cat when it’s freaking out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was going to warn you not to approach or try to pick up your cat when its defenses are up, but I see from your follow-up, you already figured that out. My friend’s mom had horrible injuries to her feet by doing this. Drill it into your kids — do not approach your cat when it’s freaking out!

Yes, my DD learned the hard way...

[Anonymous]

Another vote for the hose. Is this DC? Outdoor cats aren't legal here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Neighbor's cat came back over to the window and my cat started flipping and clawing at the screen. My DS made the mistake of trying to grab my cat to take him to another room (which worked before) but our cat turned and chomped down on her hand really hard. This is the first time he has done that. He usually does everything he can not to bite or scratch us even when he is super annoyed. So, DS is icing her hand and I texted the neighbor.

Right now, i am free to hose down their cat. They agreed that if it gets too bad, and the cat doesn't learn to avoid my house, they will leash their cat.

If it broke skin contact your doctor.