agressive cat

[octavia]

I'm at my wits end as my cat keeps attacking a neighbours cat and causing him considerable damage, he is very docile with humans but can't stand other cats, what is the best plan of action, we have tried keeping him in when we think the other cat is out but that doesn't always work, we have also tried anti agressive pills for him, but we could do with a far better answer to this problem, can someone help us?.

[rojash]

Is he neutered?

[boxtops]

Sadly some cats just don't like other cats. Our Rover hated one of next door's cats - there was often a great ball of kicking fur rolling up and down our patio. If the next-door cat is submissive, it makes it worse. Rover was like that - super with humans, evil with cats.

[islasmum]

I'd ask your vet if neutering might solve the problem - we used to always neuter any male cat we had, and never had any fighting.

[islasmum]

Is it just the neighbour's cat you've had problems with - or any local cat?

[boxtops]

Rover was neutered, as all ours are, and next door's. He just needed to be King Cat.

[RAV1D]

If your cat has lived in the area longer than the Neighbours cat/s Then It will have made the area his territory and any other cat He don't like or seemed as a threat to him He will try to keep out of His Territory.Even though the Neighbours cat is in their own home/garden your cat don't see it that way.

[China Doll]

If he's not neutered then get him done but that won't necessarily solve the problem, as others have said, some cats are just more territorial than others. Leave them to it, they're animals and they will work out their own hierachy, the other cat will probably eventually learn to keep out of your cats way.

[octavia]

Thank you all for your answers about our aggressive cat, he has been neutered and does have the odd flurry with a couple of local cats, but this one cat he lies in wait for him and has really damaged him on occasions, we have put two bells on his collar to tell the other cats he's in the vicinity hoping this tactic will work. Our neighbour keeps telling us what he has done because she is upset as I would be if it was my cat that was getting the tousing, I was just hoping there might be an answer to this problem, but it seems we will have to let them fight it out, I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, but thank you all once again for the interest.

[wolf63]

Many cats are sadistic bullies - so you are not on your own being a slave to such a monster.

Maybe your neighbour could try frightening your wee boy (water works) so that he won't venture into the garden next door. If the victim cat has any sense then it will give your garden a wide berth. Maybe victim cat could try some self-defence classes. :-)

My two are siblings and they squabble all the time - however they seldom get into a real battle - but it has happened. My wee boy gets beaten up by his sister - he hasn't got the sense to run for cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqKEntpC3OE

[EvianBaby]

The owner of any outdoor cat should know that sometimes they fight. I can understand your neighbour being upset that her cat is injured but I don't see how they can expect you to do anything about it. It's in their nature. If she is that concerned she should keep her cat in. You've clearly made efforts to try and help stop the problem but short of cuting it's claws off there isn't much you can do.

[boxtops]

Suggest she gets a water pistol, and gives your boy a squirt as soon as she sees him in the vicinity. It won't hurt him, but it might put him off.

[nungate]

Water pistol is a great idea, I tried that with one of ours - turns out he likes water! I tried a plastic bottle filled with a few 5p coins and rattled it whenever he was doing stuff he shouldn't be, worked for a while, now I throw an old cuddly toy toward him (never touches him) and that seems to make him stop misbehaving and the other cats get some peace. An alternative is to keep him in and become an indoor cat, but he will need a few things to chase and a scratching post and things to climb on