What can I do about my neighbour's vicious cat??

[LissieJess]

I am at my wits end. This thing is properly vicious, absolutely horrible (she's a Bengal and the vet said that they are renowned for being aggressive).

This cat stalks mine continually in the garden. She attacks nastily whenever she can.

It's now escalated because she's started coming into the house and attacking my cats in their home! She bit my kitten so hard on his tail the other week that he developed an abscess and he had to operated on under anaesthetic and had antibiotics for a week.

We can't have a cat flap (literally nowhere to put it) so I leave a small window ajar for my cats to get in and out. They've started messing in the house because I presume they're too scared to go outside (they have a litter tray but they've always been outdoor cats and they don't like using it). This is how the Bengal gets in and out. Obviously if I catch her in the house, I chase her off.

My neighbour is actually very good about the cat, if he hears a fight going on he will usually come and break it up, which I'm grateful for.

I know there's pretty much nothing I can do because cats are free roaming animals, but the situation is becoming untenable! So if anyone has any advice, it would be gratefully received.

I would lie in wait and chuck a bucket of water over it, it might think twice about coming into your house and into your garden.

Seriously, get a water pistol. It won’t hurt and will deter the cat.

Yep water is the way to go ime.
My ndn just had to stand at her window and my dcat ran!
After a few sprays with a water pistol!!

Are you sure there isn't anywhere to put a cat flap? Even glazed doors can have them or they can be fitted in brickwork.

@PetetheCat absolutely! Stalk and wet it thoroughly, he will then associate coming onto their territory negatively. I say this as an animal lover, though cats are really not my thing. I have two cats (outvoted by family) and the boy bullies the girl but knows that if there’s any nonsense he’ll be a very wet boy so now thinks twice.
Your poor little cat, she should not have to hide in her home and knowing cats she is obviously stressed messing inside as she knows it’s the wrong thing to do.
Get a water gun as a matter of urgency! 😹

Get a trap, trap it, then drive it bloody miles away, let it go, problem solved

Oh please don’t do that! It needs to be disciplined but abandoning it could lead to all sorts of cruelty. I’d rather see it put down, could you have a serious chat with your Neighbour? He seems approachable so might be open to reforming.

Rehoming!,

Is it this cat?
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_litter_tray/3564597-Next-doors-thug-cat

Plant catnip. Next door's cat used to be a total bastard but now he comes and eats my catnip and he's too baked out of his noodle to make any trouble.

Why can’t you have a cat flap? They can go in glass, doors,walls. Also cat proof your back garden so she can’t get in.

There are some products you can buy to cat-proof your garden, though obviously this will mean your cats can only go in your garden - I don’t know if they like exploring any further. If you put it into Google it will come up with an array of ideas for you.
I appreciate the one terrorising your cat is vicious, but really not all Bengals are - mine is a complete softy. The one thing I would say is, Bengals aren’t that afraid of water, some actually love it, so the water spray might not work!
Maybe once you’ve cat-proofed you can take them out into the garden and play with them a bit, fuss them, whatever they like, and then they’ll start associating with nice things again. Though obviously the terror-cat will need to be dealt with first. Maybe some Feliway plug-ins would help calm them a little at the moment? Poor loves.

How tall are your fences? You can make rollers for the top (literally a thicker length of plastic pipe over a thinner rod) and as long as there’s no gaps cats can’t get in or out.. they try to jump on it, it rolls back, cat falls on its arse bemused but not injured. I know it means your lot can’t go any further than the garden but it means it’s a safe space.

Sprinklers on the garden at the side it jumps over from, beware some bengals don’t mind water.. some cats don’t my moggy swims in the bath like a mad man.

Soak with a water gun if water seems to bother it.

There’s also “lion dung” you can buy n apparently it makes them think the cat next door is a lion so they better not go into its territory.. this also doesn’t work on mine (he has no fear and sleeps on top of my neighbours hunting dogs run while it practically prepares a plate)

Air horns? It’d scare yours but if there’s a nasty fight if they both run it might save injury

If it's a Bengal then you are doomed. They are renowned for being territorial, intelligent, and tenacious.

PP linked to the Thug Cat thread which demonstrates their commitment to world domination (although TC is absolutely adorable).

You might as well move house.

Stop leaving your window open for one. Let your own cats in and out when you're around, they'll learn to use the tray if you're not around and they need out.

Second the notion of soaking the bengal when you catch it on your properly. If you can do it suddenly without warning all the better, cats hate not being able to see an 'attack' coming.

Third the plan to sink a cat flap into the glass of your window - and when you do, make sure it's a microchip reading flap so ONLY your cats can use it.

your neighbour needs to keep his cat in

We can't have a cat flap because we live in a Grade II listed property and there are all sorts of things prohibited. Certain windows, certain doors, etc.

You’ve still got cat proofing as an option though.

If your neihbour is approachable, I'd be asking him what he is going to do about it - it's really his problem. I hope you gave him the vets bill for the injury caused to your cat. If his cat is vicious he needs to keep it inside rather than let it go around attacking other cats (your's is probably not the only one that's been attacked)

Super Soaker. Every time. They think better of coming in the garden if they leave dripping wet a few times.

Failing that, get it with a squirt of vegetable oil. Won't harm it but they hate it as it makes their coat greasy for a few days.

I think several things...

Microchip feeding bowls
Super soaker water pistol
Cat nip
Ask neighbour to put a collar with bells on his Bengal
Look into cat proofing your garden

My old neighbour had a nasty cat that attacked me when I tried to defend my old cat outside.

So when he stepped onto my drive & tried to attack my cat again I got a saucepan & a spoon & banged it loudly in his face & shouted too.
The loud racket terrified him & he stayed on his side of the road after that.

Also I remember my mum's neighbours cat Kit attacked her cat - so mum got a broom & tried to push him out of her garden with it.
Except he banged his head on the broom which gave him such a fright he never returned!!

I'm not advocating banging cats on the heads with brooms btw...

But definitely make lots of noise to scare nasty cat away, spray a quick jet of cold water in its face, or even blast a hairdryer at it (some cats are terrified of hairdryers seriously!!).

My friend's two male cats were raped by the Bengal cat next door. It was awful. She could hear them squealing. She went mental at it clanging saucepans. Evil bastards. He's since been knocked over by a car (not my friend). No sympathy whatsoever. Her cats are so much calmer now.

nespressowoo

I've never heard of anything like that ever happening with cats before. Is that a thing?