my cat has conceded defeat....

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askelon

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#315750 13-Aug-2024 10:05

Our cat is 20. Hes conceded defeat to the evils of the neighborhood stray squad. Hes stressed as hell.

It started a couple of months ago with a stray coming around our house howling to be let in. This was fine as it was only every now and then and we just ignored it or shooed it away. Then he came back and literally howled outside our windows 24 hours a day for 3 days straight. I put out a post of the local facebook group asking if anyone knew who this little devil cat was. One lady told us it was from a litter of 4 and she was "looking after it" and dont report it to the SPCA etc. Turns out her idea of looking after it was giving it food then leaving it outside to spread its manliness with any female cat he can find - I expect kitten season here will consist of a whole bunch of tabbys with white patches....

He has since discovered our cats catflap. And has been caught using it on occasion. Then he decided he was going to mark his territory inside our house which involved spraying all over the bloody place. Then he decided our cat doesnt need food so he steals that too. We have had to setup kitty litter in the bathroom for ours cause he wont go out while the cats around anymore.

Today I get up to get the paper.. And guess who was sitting at our front door howling at me. As Im about to start a tribal dance involving running and yelling out of the shadows emerges another cat. Very similar looking. Probably from the same litter. It sits and glares at me. Then while Im trying to deal with both of them a third comes out from some other shadows. So yet again I run at that one. No real reaction other than to glare. Eventually I move all three on sort of (the main one went under the damned deck and is howling again).. And bugger me, yet another cat is sitting at our friggin front door!

My cat has tried having a go at them in the past but comes out second best. Now hes gone back to bed cause he already lost the war.

I have contacted Lonely Meow to try and get the first taken away. He is not someones pet, he is most definitely a street cat. He is friendly but just not welcome here. The others? I have no idea where they came from or where they went but heres hoping they wont be back!

Sadly I know where the original comes from, a neighbour moved out and dumped 4 kittens and the mother cause why should they have to deal with them all. I know one of them died and the other two were homed, leaving this one. I know all he wants is a home but its just really not here.

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#3270964 13-Aug-2024 10:28

Maybe if you mention which city this is in someone looking for a kitty might want to visit and take it away. Tabby and white are rather pretty cats.

Well done to your 20 yr old. I didn’t think they lived that long.

johno1234

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#3270971 13-Aug-2024 10:43

Assume you get your cat indoors before dark and lock the cat door shut. That should be mandatory for any cat owner.

Then get a powerful water pistol and squirt at the strays. You must make sure they don't see your place as a source of food so keep your cat's food where they can't get to it. They will beat the crap out of your cat which it doesn't deserve after 20 years.

If none of that works I would be getting a catch trap and attempting to catch them. They can be tricky to catch but sound very bold so maybe doable. Then deliver them to the SPCA.

askelon

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#3271031 13-Aug-2024 11:31

We have locked the catflap now. So hopefully that will be the end of that for a bit.. Ours will learn he cant come and go as he pleases. I also found the mega spray attachment for the hose and almost got the bugger an hour or so ago. Practice makes perfect!

sir1963

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#3271081 13-Aug-2024 13:36

askelon:

We have locked the catflap now. So hopefully that will be the end of that for a bit.. Ours will learn he cant come and go as he pleases. I also found the mega spray attachment for the hose and almost got the bugger an hour or so ago. Practice makes perfect!

My grandfather many years ago became a crack shot with a slingshot, he used over ripe grapes as the ammo...

askelon

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#3271108 13-Aug-2024 14:31

Well day one of a locked catflap.. Our cat stood at it wondering what has gone wrong in the world. We opened the door next to him.. He looked at us, looked and the cat flap then walked off defeated O.o

kingdragonfly

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#3271115 13-Aug-2024 15:02

I had stray male cats come inside and spray.

When I caught one spraying the cat food, I had enough.

I use a cat flap with a RFID read just for this reason. They tend to last at least 6 months on batteries.

I have no affiliation with the company. And yes they are expensive.

https://www.catdoor.co.nz/product-category/microchip-doors/

Off subject there are RFID feeders on cat bowls too, good for a cat on a special diet.

FineWine

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#3271116 13-Aug-2024 15:02

Speak to your local SPCA with full history you explained above. They may provide you with a trap cage. What ever happens they need to be caught and desexed and adopted out to an owner that want cats responsibly.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

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michaelmurfy

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#3271126 13-Aug-2024 15:21

The Surepet cat doors are awesome but, my wife worked for the SPCA so we have some experience here.

1) At 20 years old consider keeping your cat as an indoor cat. This is not cruel! Cats seriously don't have the brain capacity to understand what "outside" is or "freedom" is and it is instead only the owner who thinks this way. As long as they're taken care of, have warm comfy places to sleep, a sunny spot, food, litter box, fresh water, toys etc then they're perfectly happy. We have 3 cats who are indoor cats with an outdoor catio area. Any cat can be an indoor cat. More information here: https://www.spca.nz/advice-and-welfare/article/keeping-your-cat-safe-and-happy-at-home

2) Feliway - https://www.myvet.co.nz/feliway-diffuser-for-cats-with-48ml-vial.html - if you pop this on a timer and only have it turn on during daytime in an area where your cat hangs out then it should help calm your cat.

3) Keep that cat door locked! Don't give the cat hanging around any reason to come inside.

You likely won't get SPCA involvement unless if you can verify this is indeed a stray. Just because a cat is hanging around doesn't necessary mean it isn't owned. You need to confirm the microchip to validate this.

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dpf81nz

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#3271130 13-Aug-2024 15:32

michaelmurfy:

The Surepet cat doors are awesome but, my wife worked for the SPCA so we have some experience here.

1) At 20 years old consider keeping your cat as an indoor cat. This is not cruel! Cats seriously don't have the brain capacity to understand what "outside" is or "freedom" is and it is instead only the owner who thinks this way. As long as they're taken care of, have warm comfy places to sleep, a sunny spot, food, litter box, fresh water, toys etc then they're perfectly happy. We have 3 cats who are indoor cats with an outdoor catio area. Any cat can be an indoor cat. More information here: https://www.spca.nz/advice-and-welfare/article/keeping-your-cat-safe-and-happy-at-home

2) Feliway - https://www.myvet.co.nz/feliway-diffuser-for-cats-with-48ml-vial.html - if you pop this on a timer and only have it turn on during daytime in an area where your cat hangs out then it should help calm your cat.

3) Keep that cat door locked! Don't give the cat hanging around any reason to come inside.

You likely won't get SPCA involvement unless if you can verify this is indeed a stray. Just because a cat is hanging around doesn't necessary mean it isn't owned. You need to confirm the microchip to validate this.

Yeah we 'converted' our 4yo cat to be an indoor cat earlier this year after we spent about 2.5k in vet bills because he kept getting into fights. We have a catio placed where the cat door is for him to use. Wasnt easy, took weeks for him to get used to it but he's fine now. Dosnt even try to go outside if someone accidentally leaves the front door open for a bit

michaelmurfy

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#3271132 13-Aug-2024 15:56

dpf81nz:

Dosnt even try to go outside if someone accidentally leaves the front door open for a bit

Yeah that's the amazing part. Our cats know about their outdoor area but they don't ever attempt to go out the front door to the "real outside". The vet bill savings + the generally happier, cuddlier cat and the fact you really get to see their personalities come out are the best things about indoor cats.

It's common over in Canada and even in some parts of Australia now but NZ it has been slow for people to adopt the indoor cat lifestyle.

FineWine

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#3271133 13-Aug-2024 15:56

We are on our third set of sister cats over 39 years. The middle two came home with us from Aussie. All our cats have been trained to come in for dinner and then are locked in till 0700. We have a manual door in the lounge and a microchip door in the garage laundry. Though they have been trained since kittens, even adult cats can be trained.

I volunteer at the Tauranga SPCA and see quite a few adult cats that are either feral and caught or owned outdoorsy and end up with us due to owner problems; death, hospital, nursing home etc but they are easily trained as long as they are given loads of TLC. Cats are grifters and always know which side of the fence has their best interests at heart and the best lap to receive scritches and pats from.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

johno1234

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#3271142 13-Aug-2024 16:44

Our cat is allowed out in the daytime but kept in after dark. We started doing this when we moved into a neighbourhood with rival cats and started getting the occasional vet bill. It's been great because we've never needed a litterbox; we had one but he never used it so we stopped setting it out and he was happy enough to sleep inside until the morning when he would go out to do his business.

However he recently has had a couple of accidents and wee'd inside. Perhaps this is a sign that he's getting old - about 14 years now. Cleverly enough he found a bathmat on a hard floor to wee on so easy to cleanup. Once he was shut out of the bathroom and found a shoe to wee into!

I guess this means we will need to set out a litterbox which will be a minor inconvenience.

MadEngineer

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#3271172 13-Aug-2024 18:00

FineWine:
Speak to your local SPCA with full history you explained above. They may provide you with a trap cage. What ever happens they need to be caught and desexed and adopted out to an owner that want cats responsibly.

Councils can also supply cages.

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lokeynz

105 posts

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#3271277 14-Aug-2024 07:45

We were at our wits end with random cats using our cat door to steal food/spray/fight our cat.
I locked the cat flap and put one of these outside. The problem was solved within a few nights.

askelon

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#3271348 14-Aug-2024 10:28

He was actually good last night. Didnt ask out at all. We have kitty litter for him in the bathroom now so hes happy enough to use that. He'll be allowed out during the day - he only ventures as far as the deck (he guards his deck!) or around to the other end of the house anyway - he requires extra sun baking every day. I did hear the other cat smacking the cat flap to get in and doing his howl but hopefully he will get the message. The other cats havent been seen since.

As for him being homeless, he most definitely is. He was dumped along with 3 others when one of the most dysfunctional set of neighbours left (the police were there practically every day!). The others were re-homed but this one wasnt.

We did think about an electronic cat flap but decided keeping him in at nights is better for him anyway.

We have been using Wet and Forget Pet Pong Gone for the smells and its doing a very good job! Wasnt cheap but really does work well.

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