My cat, whom recently adopted ME as it's owner is very territorial and is very protective of our big backyard (it's a heaven for kitty cats) and he is always fighting with a big orange cat next door. Problem is...my kitty got declawed (not by me!) and he doesn't fair so well in the fights (I had to take him to the vet where he got 7 stitches in his head). Total Cost: $450, but having him in my life...priceless
2007-06-14 11:30:01 · 11 answers · asked by singlewhitemonkey 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
This is going to be hard, but there are only 3 options I can think of:
(1) Ask your neighbor to keep his cat inside (And I doubt this will go over well
(2) Keep your cat inside
(3) Build an outdoor habitat fully enclosed in chicken wire for him to lounge outside in without being attacked.
None of these options are preferable (Wouldn't it be easy to just ask the neighbor's cat "Please stop fighting?") But sadly, if you care for your pet as much as I can see you do, you must remove him from the situation.
2007-06-14 11:38:56 · answer #1 · answered by SaraM 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1.) If he must go outside, only let him out when you can be there with him. Being declawed puts him at quite a disadvantage, but he is not totally helpless, most cats fight with their back claws. Make sure he is fully vaccinated as you do not know the health history of the neighbors cat.
or
2.) Find out if the orange cat is neutered. If he isn't, that could be the cause of his agression. If you think you can talk to your neighbor about it, ask them to get their cat fixed. If its not something that you think will go over well, here's something I've done.
Contact your local shelter or humane society, see if they have a low cost spay neuter program in your area. Sometimes they have a free one. Humanely trap the neighbors cat, you can borrow a trap from your local shelter. Take the cat to get it fixed. You can release it the same day as surgery. I doubt its owners will even notice that its had surgery. After its hormones calm down, the orange cat won't be as agressive. This is not the most ethical or legal thing to do, but it might solve your problem.
The cat may still fight with your cat even after being neutered. An enclosed cat run would be a safer option for your cat, you can find them on the internet or get plans to build one yourself, if you are handy.
Good luck and I hope this helps. It sounds like you care for your cat very much and it appears that he adopted the right person.
2007-06-14 11:59:15 · answer #2 · answered by cat_chick 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the person above. You should always keep a domesticated animal indoors (as long as it isnt livestock, of course). Your backyard may be "heaven for kitty cats" but I doubt your kitty would agree with you. I'd imagine the poor thing has been traumatized with the last scrap. Also, there are diseases that you should consider: Lyme disease, parvo, distemper, feline leukemia, etc. Next time, it could be much more of a financial cost to you. It could be his life.
2007-06-14 11:43:23 · answer #3 · answered by Starry 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simple. Don't let your cat outdoors. House cats are the largest factor in the decline of native song birds. Even de-clawed ones are dangerous. The fact that your cat is being injured by another loose cat is just further proof.
Our cat lives indoors and is quite happy and content to watch the world outside through the windows.
2007-06-14 11:36:05 · answer #4 · answered by Kevin M 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't have much experience with outside cats, but one of my late indoor cats used to love going outside, especially after he ran away for a few months and roamed the surrounding neighborhoods. You could invite your kitty to live inside, but whenever he wants to go out...go out into the backyard with him...let him roam around for a couple of hours...and then accompany him back inside. That's what Roscoe and I used to do all of the time, and he wasn't THAT annoyed with leaving the outside world for the rest of the day.
I really don't see what else you can do except trying to make him become an inside cat, but I don't think it'll be easy.
2007-06-14 11:48:46 · answer #5 · answered by nebula_coloma 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep him inside. He's defending what he considers "his" territory, and obviously is unable to do so. He's not going to let another cat just 'take over' what he considers his property.. the easiest and best thing to do is just keep him indoors.
2007-06-14 11:38:18 · answer #6 · answered by K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Easy answer....keep him inside!! Especially if he's declawed!!!! It's insane if you don't! They don't have their front claws which is what they would use to defend themselves!
I'm glad he adopted you though and am glad you take care of him but seriously, keep him indoors.
2007-06-14 11:52:17 · answer #7 · answered by Malia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you want to take your cat outdoors, you could try a leash. Some cats respond well to this, others don't, but it's worth trying.
2007-06-14 16:45:42 · answer #8 · answered by Ava S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
make him and indoor kitty where he can't get to the other cat(s) otherwise just plan on spending more money.
2007-06-14 12:22:38 · answer #9 · answered by Kit_kat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
keep him indoors, especially since he is declawed. he has no defenses.
cats that live indoors live longer & healthier lives. which in turn means lower vet bills for you.
2007-06-14 11:41:35 · answer #10 · answered by Magick Kitty 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋