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Original poster

Neighbour's aggressive cat

210 replies

mimblewimble · 06/11/2023 23:29

Our neighbours a few doors down have a very territorial and aggressive tom cat.

He was fighting with and injuring our cat so much that we had to speak to his owners. The owners are lovely so it's really awkward to bring up with them. The cats now don't go out at the same time any more - we have to coordinate with the owners on WhatsApp every day.

We also can't leave any doors or lower windows open if their is out, as he will enter our house, or fight our cat through the windows. Now this isn't ideal, but it's been workable.

However we now have the problem that he is attacking us. If he is in our back garden and we go out there he stalks and tries to attack us. DH, the kids and I are all scared to go out there on our own is we know he's out.

We have tried to shoo him from the garden, but he will either just stay put and stare, or if you get too close he turns on you. We have tried water pistols but he just moves slightly away and then returns.

It now seems to be getting even worse, as a couple of times recently he has actually chased me down the street. I have been scratched by him a couple of times, and he can't be scared off.

I'm worried he will cause one of us a serious injury, especially one of the kids.

How on earth do I go about raising this with the neighbours, and what can I reasonably expect them to do?

The cat is already neutered, and he's just a normal tabby as far as we know.

OP posts:
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7
Whiteday · 06/11/2023 23:51

He chases you down the street?

Original poster
mimblewimble · 07/11/2023 00:01

Whiteday · 06/11/2023 23:51

He chases you down the street?

Yep.

And he's ran at me from behind with no warning and clawed my foot before.

He's definitely not trying to be friendly. He goes into full stalking mode, then if he gets close enough comes at you ears back, teeth bared.

He was stalking me today, I ended up running to get away and he chased me. Then a bit later he tried to attack my DH as he approached our front door. DH is very level-headed but is also scared of the cat.

OP posts:
Seren00090 · 07/11/2023 00:18

You either needs a super soaker 2000 or you need to show him what it's like to be whacked on the arse with a broom.
Ffs it's a cat, show it who's boss!

laclochette · 07/11/2023 00:35

This is awful! I feel for you, your cats, and your neighbours. Presumably they had no idea what they were getting into with this animal. They honestly need to speak to their vet and potentially a cat behaviouralist sharpish to get expert views on what can be done. Could this be something you gently raise with them? Ultimately there is a real risk someone will retaliate and really hurt their cat, and monstrous as it seems to be, nobody would really want that to be how this ends.

purpleme12 · 07/11/2023 00:50

Cat proof your garden?

Winterscoming1 · 07/11/2023 01:06

I've a neutered male house cat who behaves like this but it's only our family who are subjected to him. Have you tried making friends with him in an attempt to make him see you as a friend?

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 07/11/2023 01:21

I'd give it a really good hard kick if it approached me, clearly intending to hurt me.

I'd never deliberately hurt an animal that wasn't harming me or another human, but if it was actually trying to attack me or one of my family, I would consider that the vicious thing had left me no alternative but to defend myself from it by using my considerably greater body mass to my advantage.

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 07/11/2023 01:24

If a dog did this on a regular basis, it would be very quickly put down.

And before somebody 'informs' us that a cat is not a dog and protest that it is smaller and lighter than most dogs, would you use that excuse and not imprison/punish a human serial killer if they were only 4'6" and 6 stone?!

Frozensun · 07/11/2023 01:27

Firstly, can you record the cat and capture his behaviour? Then, I’d talk to the owners and show them. They’re unlikely to have any idea. If they’ve already tried to work with you, it would appear that they’re responsible owners.

DiscoBeat · 07/11/2023 01:29

What do the owners say? They need to be stopping it coming into your garden.

bluewanda · 07/11/2023 02:59

Hmm. Is it April 1st?

momonpurpose · 07/11/2023 03:29

Seren00090 · 07/11/2023 00:18

You either needs a super soaker 2000 or you need to show him what it's like to be whacked on the arse with a broom.
Ffs it's a cat, show it who's boss!

This! It will learn fast

FloofCloud · 07/11/2023 03:37

One of our cats was neutered late abs he was like that. He grew out of it abs was one of my favourite cats but god he was an arsehole as a younger cat!
I'd try recording too and show the neighbour, what's he like with them?

CrikeyMajikey · 07/11/2023 03:37

There’s an air spray on Amazon called Pet Corrector. It basically releases air at high pressure and makes a hissing sound. Just picking it up is enough to frighten my dogs into good behaviour. It’s about £17.

newnamethanks · 07/11/2023 05:24

One of my neighbours has a Cat That Knows No Fear. It hates my dog and will lurk in shrubbery or under a car. If I'm rash enough to walk past the hidden menace it will run out and attack my dog. If it decides to stroll around his domain and my dog spots him some distance away, dog will start yelping and shouting "Cat! The Scary One!" Cat will sit down, watch the hysterics for a while then insolently start washing it's face. I've never known another cat like it.

NotObligedToArgueWithStrangers · 07/11/2023 06:22

Forget the water pistols and get a hose pipe.

LostAtTheCrossRoad · 07/11/2023 06:27

It'd definitely be getting a swift boot up the arse if it ever approached me again. I wouldn't aim at the head, but no way would I allow it to ever attack me again.

JazzHandsYeah · 07/11/2023 06:34

My Lionel, good bless his soul, was like this as a kitten and it drove us bonkers. His favourite place was on top of the wardrobe from where he would lurch claws poised for our shoulders.

We got a plug in from the vets, called Feliway, or something like that. It calms Lionel down and he was the most loving gentle boy after that.

So you could suggest that to your neighbour maybe. Using that, and having a ton of toys for him to savage instead of us did the trick.
But for you, for in the garden, just get a water gun, he’ll soon learn.

Mouthfulofquiz · 07/11/2023 07:07

You need to woman up and have some stronger words with your neighbours. I don’t think someone else’s pet attacking you in your garden is your problem. They need to keep it inside, cruel or not.

Original poster
mimblewimble · 07/11/2023 07:17

purpleme12 · 07/11/2023 00:50

Cat proof your garden?

We have genuinely looked into this but even if we could afford it it's not physically possible because of the way the houses/roofs link together.

Anyway he is now attacking us in the front garden and on the street!

OP posts:
greenacrylicpaint · 07/11/2023 07:18

it's not a bengal is it?

we had a neighbourhood monster bengal that was like that.
we couldn't open our windows on a tilt or he would get in, piss on our beds and scratch anyone in his way.

owners didn't want to keep him in as he was destroying their house if he was in Confused

the day he got run over by a car was a good day.

Fairyliz · 07/11/2023 07:20

Seren00090 · 07/11/2023 00:18

You either needs a super soaker 2000 or you need to show him what it's like to be whacked on the arse with a broom.
Ffs it's a cat, show it who's boss!

This! I’m a cat lover, but if a random cat attacked me with no provocation at all I would be booting it up it’s arse.

Startingagainandagain · 07/11/2023 07:21

It is a cat, not a dragon...

Next time he comes take the garden hose and give him a little shower...and repeat every time he tried to come near you or take a broom and shoo him away, make a lot of noise to scare him off.

The issue is you have left it walk all over you so far and showed fear so he sees you as a soft target.

Original poster
mimblewimble · 07/11/2023 07:21

Seren00090 · 07/11/2023 00:18

You either needs a super soaker 2000 or you need to show him what it's like to be whacked on the arse with a broom.
Ffs it's a cat, show it who's boss!

We literally bought the biggest water pistol, he doesn't give a shit. He moves away and then immediately comes back to attack.

I have tried the hose and it's the same. I've shooed him over the fence before to have him turn around and jump back up it at me.

I did try shooing him with a broom, he attacks the broom.

I can't carry a hose, a broom, or a super soaker whenever I go out the front door, so in the front I am undefended!

OP posts:
Offcom · 07/11/2023 07:22

A friend had a similar situation with an neighbour’s cat and got a bite so severe it damaged a tendon. So you’re right to be concerned.

Sorry it’s not an answer to your problem but I wanted to comment because, like other posters in this thread, I’d never have thought a cat could be that dangerous until it happened to someone I know who loves (and has had a lot of experience) with cats.

Good luck dealing with this menace to society!