Woken at 4am by intruder!

[missmakesstuff]

Dh sits up in bed at 4am, switches on the light, I ask him to fuck off what's wrong - he says we have another cat.

Bloody thing is down stairs, throwing itself against the back door trying to get out. It hid when I went down and opened the door, turned around it had gone.

We think it is a horrible tom who wails at our back door, sprays all over our garden.

Our cat is wailing, snarling, very very scared - and now we are stuck, because we are out at work all day, and the nights are warm, we leave DD's bedroom window open - our cat has come in and out of it for years with no problems, during holidays too. We have never tried her with a catflap, as she is very nervous, and won't go near strangers so won't be let out/in either. I am worried that the cat will come in during the day when it is open, at night ours is in, and we shut DD's door, with window open - it could get in and be trapped in there with her.

We are going on holiday next Weds, so have no idea what we will do!

She is getting on a bit, so would probably only go out for the loo and to sit in the sun, but I really don't like the idea of leaving her in for two weeks, equally don't like the idea of leaving a window open in case it happens again, and we end up with wee everywhere from a spraying cat, or worst, she gets bitten and no-one realises ( people who have come to feed her before have never seen her, and judge she is ok by the missing food!)

Have never tried her with a flap, she is microchipped, we were going to get one, but she really is nervous - hates being picked up too - I cannot imagine how we would train her to use it as she has never had one. She has also never been in a cattery.

Aaargh!

Any thoughts? or would it be cruel to leave her in for two weeks? she would probably just sleep somewhere cool, but I would worry either way I think.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Who feeds her while your away?

[Northernlurker]

Were you going away on holiday leaving a window open?

[Northernlurker]

I would book her in to a cattery tbh. I don't think it's particularly kind to leave an animal alone for two weeks. She is used to you all - having silence except for once a day visits is not great. I've done it for a night or two but two weeks is too long. YOu could ask your friends to stand by to rescue her from the cattery if she freaks out and stops eating.

[missmakesstuff]

Friends come in and feed her for us whilst we are away - we use dry food and she ha that, litter tray and water changed daily. Some have managed to get her to come down from wherever she is hiding for short periods, but I am really not getting across just how nervous she is. We cannot walk across a room while she is in the middle of it, she would run, or startle. She will not be touched unless she wants to be. She is very affectionate with us (on her own terms) and sleeps on our bed etc, but is very, very scared of others.

We have had her 8 years, she has always been like this, even as a kitten.

We have tried everything, but it is just the way she is. She cries and wails in a cat carrier until let out, I can't imagine what she would be like in a cattery - she is petrified of other cats - I assume they are all together in one area, so she would smell and hear them at least.

Yep, we leave a window open, no-one can get into our garden, it's impossible - but for her, a series of jumps and walking along the edges of things gets her in - she is perfectly happy doing it.

She is on her own all day - she rarely goes out even if she has chance to - mostly recently because of this other cat I think, she is scared to.

We have worked out that the other cat got in our front window, which is a huge jump from a nieghbours shed roof - but we found claw marks all along the curtains. So we will close that window, and see how it goes at least for a few days.

I really am at a loss to know what to do over the hols though, it's next week.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Well I think the only option you have is a cat flap.

We all know you cant stop the other cat coming in.

You can get ones that read the cats microchip so she wouldnt have to wear a cat collar.

She might take to it really well, it surprising what the promise of food can do, our cat took to his straight away I just held it open for him a few times and he got the hang of it.

[SparklyCloud]

northernlurker, you are wrong, it is far more cruel to put a cat in a cattery, especially a nervous, solitary cat. I did it once, years ago and swore I would never use one again, and I haven't. I have someone who comes in to feed the cats, they are in and out in a minute and thats how I, and my cats like it.

cats get very stressed, very easily. She is better off quiet, at home, as you usually do, when you go away.
I think you will be fine if you make sure this cat can't get in the way he did last time. It sounds like he has not worked out your cats route, if so, i am sure you will be fine. I would squirt him with a hose or water gun, making a lot of scary noise while you're at it, next time you see him. Do this every time you see him in your garden. With luck, he will have pissed off properly before you go away.

is your cat spayed?

[missmakesstuff]

Thanks Sparkle, I have found a solution now I think - a lady who does 1 hour visits, we are hoping after speaking to her that she will be able to tempt puss out and let her out for a bit every day (and get her back in!!).

Going to try that with the invader cat - we have stamped on the floor and made lots of noise at it before, but it doesn't seem overly scared! ours is spayed, this one just seems to want her territory!

I just have to decide how often to get this lady in - I am thinking day or every other day, as that would be enough to get her out for a bit, without scaring her too much having a stranger in the house!

I really have to get my cat to man up a bit!!

[SparklyCloud]

I have a lady in, twice a day to feed mine. But I need that as mine eat wet and dry food so can't just leave some dry food down, plus with having more than one, she stays while they eat to make sure no-one steals the others' food.
So, I think your idea is great. It means you can go away in peace knowing that there is someone to keep an eye on everything.


As for your cat manning up, its her house and I don't blame her being scared, we would be if an intruder came into our house. She has the right to stay in her own home undisturbed.

Water is your best bet with twat-cat, they hate it. Full on in the face with a water gun should do it (if you can catch him)