Cat problem

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JellicalCat
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Cat problem

Post by JellicalCat »

Hi all

I posted in another section before Christmas. A neighbour's cat has moved in with us because the neighbours have got dogs and the cat won't go home. We love her to bits but the problem is she is intimidating one of our own cats who we have only had for a year. He is 13 years old and is petrified of the new one. She isn't being that aggressive, but she is guarding the catflap and staring at him. It is stopping him using the cat flap and he won't eat in front of her or come in a room if she's in there. Reintroducing as if new won't work in this instance because of how we acquired this cat - we can;t isolate her for instance as she would yowl and scratch the door down. I'm starting to think the only option is to stop her coming in to our house but I feel that is pulling the rug from under her feet. On the other hand, it makes me so sad to see our poor Fred so frightened and intimidated in his own home. Any thoughts or advice would be hugely appreciate
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exlibris
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Re: Cat problem

Post by exlibris »

Has your neighbour gifted her to you?
Is she neutered?
How are your other cats responding to the new addition?
JellicalCat
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Re: Cat problem

Post by JellicalCat »

No they don't care about her. I told them she'd moved in - we have a cat flap we're training our own cats to use and she was able to get in and out at will - and that she'd being scavenging for food and staying here overnight and they seem to think it's all hilarious. She is chipped and neutered and I have already paid over £200 on pets fees having her inoculated, flea'd and wormed. None of that matters. It's the fact that Fred, my own cat is terrified of her and it's getting worse not better.
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Mollycat
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Re: Cat problem

Post by Mollycat »

Two ideas. You remember a cat documentary on the BBC where they tracked and studies domestic cats in one village for months? And they showed how cats can 'timeshare' territory in densely populated areas? Would it be possible with the layout of your home to have them have access to the catflap in shifts and have time when they are separated to give Fred a break?

Alternatively would you be able to move resources around to favour Fred? It takes careful observation and a lot of compromise with the way you like things to be arranged but sometimes simple things like moving scratch posts food bowls litter trays beds and sometimes furniture around can completely change cat relationships in the home. I presume it's not practical to have a second catflap fitted? Would it be possible to have a microchip flap fitted to the door of one room so that he can at least eat in peace and rest and relax in one room while the rest is figured out? Cats do have territory zones in the house, areas where they feel more confident or unsure, and we have the power to manipulate the layout of our homes to subtly change cats' moods and behaviours. It takes time, patience and very keen observation.

My situation is very different to yours but over the years with one cat then another cat then a dog and now one cat gone, I have made quite a lot of changes including removing resources to bring the bolshy cat down a peg or two to prevent issues. Best example is a table cloth near to the living room door that Molly loved to hide under and pounce from, which the other cat didn't mind too much but could easily cause a nasty situation with the dog. There are also scratch posts either side of that doorway and each cat took one so that neither was marking the other's territory and it was maintained as a neutral zone - the dog doesn't mark so the cat can easily block him but he sits and patiently waits for her to get bored or intimidated by his size and lets him go through.
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exlibris
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Re: Cat problem

Post by exlibris »

JellicalCat wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2020 7:32 pm No they don't care about her. I told them she'd moved in - we have a cat flap we're training our own cats to use and she was able to get in and out at will - and that she'd being scavenging for food and staying here overnight and they seem to think it's all hilarious.
What charmers :x
Mollycat has some good ideas.

Do you have any out buildings you could convert into a safe warm sleeping place? If all else fails you might be have to limit how often she stays with you? You'd need a catflap that recognises the petid chips though.

Also, is it possible that there might be another person in your neighbourhood who is looking after her?
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