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RE: Sad Tomcat

tiggerwiewel — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:15:04 GMT

I totally agree with the others. You must protect your cat from disease first and foremost. Do you know if the other has been vaccinated? Keeping your cat in an enclosure where he is safe is an option. Allowing him outside yet protected. Also, like someone mentioned, not allowing him out when the other cat is out. Have you talked to the owner of the other cat? You must become an advicate for your cat. Noone else will.

RE: Sad Tomcat

imtripodsmom — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:49:17 GMT

I don't know if this product is available where you live--which sounds like a beautiful area, BTW-- but it's also available through mail order from Doctors Foster and Smith. It's called Feliway, it's a bit expensive, but worth a try. It's feline facial pheromones, and I was thinking if you get some, spray it on some clean cloths and put them where the other cat enters your yard; hopefully it will calm the other cat down. I was going to suggest wiping your cat down with it, but I just checked the label on mine, and it says don't spray it on the cat. It's used to prevent urine marking, as well as to calm a cat in a new house, in its carrier, and it also comes as a plug in to keep cats from fighting. Maybe you could also spray the yard with it.

If you have questions, you could contact the manufacturer, www.farnampet.com .

RE: Sad Tomcat

Tribble4ever — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:53:24 GMT

I think I understand how difficult this is for everyone more than anyone,most of the time I don't tell my neighbour what injuries the cat has inflicted on mine for fear of upsetting her,so I completely understand how distressing it all is.Both cat's are neutured by the way.I agree death is no answer for any creature but having experienced how quickly and violently he can turn from being a purring fluff ball into a mass of teeth and claws it is a prudent point.He was a stray kitten my neighbour took on curtesy of our local vet but looking at him I would definetly say there is some feral line in his make up.My cat is large but he is enormous with an arched back.....sabre toothed cat springs to mind in looks.....!

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions,I'll just keep my kitty under my watchful gaze and hope it all calms down.

RE: Sad Tomcat

ScarletDreams489 — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:15:23 GMT

This sounds like a really tough and distressful situation for all involved. If this cat was to be put into a shelter or if the animal control officer was involved the cat would more than likely be put to sleep because of the aggression. While, this may seem like the appropriate solution to the problem, I do not believe that death is the answer. That would be very difficult for the owner of this cat and the children as well. The owner of the cat is probably acting defensively because of the fear of this very thing. Is this cat neutered? That could be causing a lot of aggression. If he is not neutered maybe you can suggest that to his owner? Other than that, my advice is to just keep doing what you're doing, supervising your cat outside to make sure that the other cat isn't going to be a problem, maybe make an outdoor enclosure for your cat and just avoid the neighbor's cat. I just hope that things get easier and you can try to understand how difficult this must be for everyone, even your neighbor.

RE: Sad Tomcat

Ocimom — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:41:20 GMT

Sounds like you did what you could by talking to this neighbor. I fear for her kids as well as others. Now the only recourse you have if the cat bites you or your cat again is to report this to the authorities.

They will be the ones to remove this cat as its a danger to other animals and people. One of these days there will be a lawsuit. Protect yourself, your family and your cat.

RE: Sad Tomcat

Tribble4ever — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:18:29 GMT

I'm from Reading in England and oh dear, this situation is getting very complicated and stressful now.

The first post I wrote on monday was because Tibby had got a nasty bite from this bully cat...I'm assuming it was Tom as he was in the back garden whilst I was in the front one, and Tibby bled quite heavily and was very shocked.So I spent the evening cleaning him up and bathing him which he and I have got used to after two years of agro.However, despite careful nursing and bathing, the bite became infected and I ended up doing an emergency dash to the vets,he had an abcess at the base of his ear and was really poorly.Consequently I explained all the ins and outs to the vet and he suggested basically the same as others,talk to my neighbour and try and resolve the situation.

Interestingly, since Tibby is only allowed into our fenced front garden when I am at home so I can watch him, I've also kept watch what the bully does,and not once has he come into the back garden claiming it as his territory, which only goes to prove that it is just Bullying and not territorial,so much for my rationlising.I spoke to my neighbour yesterday, just a friendly chat on the doorstep which we usually do and immeadiately I mentioned that Tibby had been so ill because of being bitten, she got very defensive and asked what she was supposed to do.She won't get rid of the cat because it would break her two childrens hearts and all she can do it keep him in at night......Oh yes, I forgot to mention that she has two children..and so have I!She even admitted that when her nephews come to stay they're terrified of him.........and neither child will pick him up!

It seem's his attack on me, which was a while ago has been forgotten and I'm the problem person in all this......There's so many factors in all of this it's very upsetting.Incidently, my neighbour is the one who helped stop the bleeding and rang the paramedics..so everythings interwoven and connected.

Going to bed with two aspirin now.........

RE: Sad Tomcat

imtripodsmom — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:30:38 GMT

You say you were bitten by this cat as well. I think you should point out to your neighbor, firmly but gently, that being bitten in an artery is very serious. You could've bled out and died had you obviously not gotten help. Ask her how she feels having a cat with such potential for harm to both other cats and people. You didn't say if there were any neighborhood dogs in your area, but think of what would happen if this cat were to try to bully a dog, and the dog ended up ripping the cat to pieces? You might mention that to her--nicely, of course. Tell her that there are much nicer kitties waiting for new forever homes at pet adoption shelters and rescue centers. Surely she would much prefer a calm, sweet indoor kitty than a bully cat.

BTW, just curious, what part of the world are you in? I have other cyberfriends in Australia, South Africa, India, Canada, and the U.K.. It's interesting meeting people from around the world.

RE: Sad Tomcat

sweetsurrender — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:06:38 GMT

I have a cat who I took in who had been an outdoor cat, not feral, just living outdoors- she is now a perfectly happy indoor cat for almost a year. Sure she wasn't thrilled at first- she went through a screen within the first month so we can't leave her unattended around open windows, but she is perfectly happy now, and I don't have to worry about her catching something from the other cats in the neighborhood, or being bullied by them, or being run over or attacked by a predator.
Just keep him in, it may be rough at first but he will get used to it. If you can allow him some supervised or contained outdoor time as well that is good also, but he will most likely adjust to being indoors either way.

RE: Sad Tomcat

Ocimom — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:51:02 GMT

I would seriously consider building a strong cat enclosure and put a double fence around the bottom.

RE: Sad Tomcat

Tribble4ever — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:06:49 GMT

It's a tricky situation, that's for sure.I guess it did'nt help that the bully cat had the run of our garden for over two months before we moved in so territoriality is obviously a major factor.Having said that , he does'nt fight with any other cat even though there are lots around the estate.

So far I've managed to keep Tibby in at night,even though he spends most of it prowling round the house and walking across me to wake me up,and during the day he goes out the front where I can keep an eye on him.The bully tends to stick to the back of the houses but no doubt that will change once he realises where Tibby is.As long as I can protect him I'm happy to let him out but he would be desperately unhappy if I kept him shut in.In the long term the fencing idea could be the solution but at present I'll kept a watchful eye on him.

It's such a shame 'cause my neighbours lovely and takes things very personally......I'd hate to think how she'd react if she really knew what I feel about her cat!

RE: Sad Tomcat

SuperCat — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:46:09 GMT

I didn't know you were attacked also. Talk to the owner again and see if her offer to get rid of the cat is still good. Tell her that sooner or later you're going to have vet bills from your cat being attacked and that you will send them on to her.

This cat sounds pretty dangerous if it attacked you while you were petting it. What if a child tried to pet it?

RE: Sad Tomcat

renosteinke — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:43 GMT

I really hate to say what I soon will ... but first, understand that I simply love cats, and life in general. Long time readers will know this already.

That said, I have zero tolerance for vicious animals. I would first talk to the owner, then to animal control. Failing that, I'd put down any vicious animal, even one I owned. I do not say this lightly.

Sure, cats like to wander, and they love to fight. It's often hard to tell fighting from breeding. Yet, it is normal for a cat to have some social skills ... and it's pretty rare for there to be a truly serious fight. It's almost unheard of for a cat to savage another cat who has submitted. Such a bully is no different from a 'mad dog,' and needs to be treated as such.

For example .... my Motzie, as a kitten, was stalked and pounced upon three times by a large tomcat. In each case, they separated almost immediately. In the last encounter, they gave each other a single bite (to the kidney).. (The one she received got abscessed, but that's another tale). The fact is, after that third tussle, the two of them became best friends. He respected her, and sought out her company. It was so cute, the way they would lay in the yard, a foot apart, carefully ignoring each other.

RE: Sad Tomcat

>^_^<15m — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:14:12 GMT

Well if it wa my cat i would have kept him indoors

Thats what i could have done

RE: Sad Tomcat

Tribble4ever — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:30:38 GMT

I think you've hit the nail on the head there, the bully does seem to delight in brazenly making our garden it's own and even lies in wait by the back door for Tibby to come out......I can't even leave my back door open in hot weather 'cause the wretched thing comes in to steal food.He really is a nasty piece of work,even I have been attacked by him and ended up with eight puncture wounds,one in an artery.I think when that happened I should have let the owner get rid of him as she offered but being English I blamed myself for tickling his tummy....Ummmm.

At least I have a few idea's to go on, thanks to everyone.

RE: Sad Tomcat

SuperCat — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:56:22 GMT

Is this viscious Tom coming into your yard? Once a bully cat gets fixated on the victim they live to torment them. That's all they think about and it becomes their hobby and goal in life. They are unstoppable. It's next to impossible to try and keep a bully cat out of your yard away from the victim.

Your docile cat can get nasty infections from bite wounds. It's too bad you can't live-trap the bully and sneak him away to a no-kill shelter. (Did I say that? I hate to "cough cough" plant ideas in your head).

RE: Sad Tomcat

ScarletDreams489 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:25:35 GMT

I completely understand what you mean when you say it isn't possible to keep him inside. My mother has a cat like that. He's 10 or 11 years old and has been an indoor/outdoor cat all of his life. Keeping him inside would just be cruel. With that being said, is there any particular time of day that the other cat is outside, and are these fights happening at night? If you let your cat outside at night I strongly recommend that you get him accustomed to staying inside at night. Nighttime is one of the most dangerous times because predatory animals are active at night and so are the neighboring cats. Cat fighting is very dangerous. How do you know if that cat has been vaccinated against rabies or leukemia? And how are you to know if that cat is FIV positive. You should definitely talk to this cat's owner about these things as well as when they let the cat out to prevent fighting. And if all else fails, building your own outdoor enclosure for your cat is a great idea and doesn't have to be expensive.

RE: Sad Tomcat

Ocimom — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:16:05 GMT

If my cat was being picked on outside by another, my cat would NOT be going outside unsupervised!

You have 3 choices:

1. Keep your boy inside at all times.

2. Train him to a harness/leash and take him out for 1/2 hr to walk around.

3. Build/buy a sturdy cat enclosure where he can sit out there but be protected for the other male.

RE: Sad Tomcat

PeaLoki&Gabe — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:14:40 GMT

Can you make a kitty enclosure with some chicken wire outside so he can explore some but yet be protected from this bully? or drug the bully some and cut his nails!

RE: Sad Tomcat

Tribble4ever — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:25:05 GMT

Hi Momcat,

Not possible to keep him indoors,as I explained he is the son of a farm cat and very much the outdoor type, he just gets very stressed and whingey if he's shut in and refuses to use a dirt tray!!!Our garden backs onto woods and he loves to explore...when he IS awake that is!

RE: Sad Tomcat

divinemslou — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:14:22 GMT

Try keeping your cat indoors.

Sad Tomcat

Tribble4ever — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:02:43 GMT

Hi,my names Sharon and I have a beautiful Tom cat called Tibby.He's a long haired black and white 'son of a farm cat' moggie , but soppy and very loving.Have loved reading all the messages in the forum so thought I would tax a few brains.

My Tibby is neutured ,so calm and placid loves to sleep a lot even though he's only 6!One slight problem I have is that 'cause he's so soppy, he get's terribly bullied.There's a particularly vicious Tom cat next door to us,he's also neutured,and at every opportunity will attack my poor pet and Tibby will always come off worse.I am now at my wits end over what to do,he is starting to get so despondent and sad it's breaking my heart.

Has anyone else had this problem?If so has anyone got any suggestions what I could do?