I used to be able to let Tomas outside through my back door and the front. Now I can only let him out the front, because some bigger cat chases him off from the backyard. I thought my cat was tough, but in this case he is acting like a true pussy cat. I am sure that my cat has the speed and endurance to take on the new cat, but he is now too afraid. I tried to make him take back his territory by carrying him into the backyard to confront the big cat, but as soon as the big cat hisses, Tomas runs away.
This new cat won’t go anywhere but the backyard. She is a very lazy kitten and not so quick on her feet. When Tomas ran away she only moved a couple of feet before returning to the only grass field next to my house (in my backyard.) I can’t chase the cat away because she is my tenet’s cat. I also won’t do anything to harm a cat. I just want them both to share the grass in my backyard; it seems like really comfortable cat territory. Tomas should be able to share it along with the other cat.
I only know this from observing my own housecats, but it seems to me that territoriality can shift. The bookcase that was once controlled by one cat is now common ground, and so forth. As the new cat gets more comfortable with Thomas, she might be more willing to share the grass in the backyard. But there’s no way to force a change of mind in her. As long as they aren’t actually wounding eachother, I’d let it go. They’ll sort it out.
Have you considered keeping your cat in? Among myriad other outdoor dangers, cat fights are a good way of spreading disease from one cat to another, besides being potentially fatal to the losing party.
If you are deadset against keeping Tomas inside (which is the safest and healthiest answer to your problem), consider a cat harness and leash if it’s really important to you that he have the outdoor experience and be able to enjoy the grass. My cat’s never been outside without one and doesn’t mind it at all.
The problem with keeping Tomas indoors is that I read somewhere that house cats are stressed out and I want a happy kitten. He also goes to the bathroom outside, which is a big plus. Stuff has happened to him when he goes outside and will continue to happen to him, but stuff happens to everyone. I will have to deal with it when the time comes because I don’t want a stressed out kitten.
You heard wrong. I can’t pry my cats out of the house. I accidently locked my cat out for 1 day (she likes to stand on the porch when I get the mail). VERY unhappy cat when I found her the next day huddled up next to the garage door (hitting her with the lawnmower didn’t help).
How your cat reacts to staying in all day depends on how it was raised. Long term outdoor cats will want to go out. If your cat is still a kitten it is possible to raise it as an indoor cat.
Indeed. My 21 year old, indoor only cat is perfectly happy and content to have a cozy, safe place to live and to play. She gets plenty of exercise (we actively play with her all the time) and, like I said above, I take her out to enjoy the grass on a harness, where she is safely in my care and control, while still being able to bask in the sunshine.
Especially now that you know that your cat is terrified by what it’s experiencing outdoors, I should think you’d realize it’s much more stressful for the cat to be forced into that environment, than to keep it safely in it’s home.
Tomas begs me to go outside. At first he meows like normal, then his meows get longer and sound sadder. He also will start running from the front door to the back door. Eventually he will start hitting the door head on. I don’t know if he is trying to open it or if he just can’t stop in time. He still asks to go out through the back door, but when I open it he senses the other cat is there and backs away.
He is seven years old right now. While I can force him to stay indoors (I am bigger), I still think that would be worst. He loves all the sounds, sights and smells that are outside. When he is not sleeping he likes to sit near the window and look outside. Cats are different you know, some might enjoy going outside. I believe Tomas would be better off if he were allowed out.
I’m thinking about getting the two cats in my garage and having them work it out. Not physically though; I will be wearing gloves and holding them back until they can accept each other.
It’s a real shame that all these cat-related threads end up with people advocating ‘inside/outside’ cats.
The decision to allow the cat out has been made - what was required was some suggested solutions.
Cats often do work out their differences and often without bloodshed (just a lot of posturing). Bearing in mind that they have to fit into a social structure, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing for one to exert dominance - the problem comes of course when that crosses a human boundary (such as your house, for instance).
One thing you might do is encourage your cat to scratch a scent post (tree/fence) on the borders of the garden and thus send a signal about territory to the neighbour. You can do this in two ways, actively rub his feet against the chosen place or, when you see him scratching normally, move him to the desired location.
The other thing I can suggest is staying with your cat in the garden a few times, especially when the other is around. This might give him confidence to venture forth.
Other than that, I think leaving him will ensure that he comes to accept his social position, and will maybe then feel more relaxed.
My families outside cat has moved many times. There was only one place that she hated, because of the unfixed male next door.
Just make sure puss can get inside anytime he wants to. When, Sam (fixed female) had ‘issues’ with the male next door, time seemed to be the healer. As long as Sam could get inside when he was being a tool then she was happy. She went from never wanting to go outside…to ‘He is a tool! I will ignore him’ in about 6 weeks.
Well I have a solution, but it might not be practical.
We have a cat who is pretty much an indoor cat, but she slips out sometimes. Once, she got out and I ran to get my shoes on to go catch her. When I got out, the neighbor’s cat had cornered her behind my shed.
But when I had come out, my dog came out with me, spotted the neighbor’s cat and proceeded to chase him back to his own yard.
So get a dog, have it make friends with your cat and then have the two of them double team the intruder.
Or start spraying the other cat with a hose so it stays out of your yard.
I wouldn’t try to force them to get along, they just have to work it out for themselves. Size and strength doesn’t necessarily matter, either. I have two cats. One is 5 years old, about 15 pounds, and healthy. The other one is 18 years old, 7 pounds, and rather feeble, but the older one puts the younger one in her place (hissing and smacking her) every chance she gets. This has been going on ever since I got the younger one five years ago, and I don’t see it changing any time soon.
How about just letting your cat out when the other one isn’t around? Maybe you and the other cat’s owner could work out a schedule.
