Neighbour's aggressive cat

[mimblewimble]

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.

Where are you? I can lend you a Jack Russell terrier
You really need to speak to the owners again, it's their problem to sort out

Hit it with a sweeping brush, you won't maim or kill him with a brush but you'll hurt him, but he's willing to hurt you so it's fair imo, if you back off or only spray water at him he'll know you're scared

I recognise the kind of cat attack you're talking about OP, because our rescue boy was like that when we first got him. I still have the scars on my legs, including one that got so badly infected I had to go to hospital for a tetanus boost (he did the same to the vet's assistant). He mellowed with age, thankfully, but that was us on, the owners, to deal with.

As cats REALLY hate loud noise and it hurts their ears, I suggest buying a really screechy rape alarm keyring that you can carry on you when you leave the house and go in garden. One blast of that and hopefully he'll run a mile.

This is your neighbours' problem to sort out. They need to keep him in.

Cats have a right to roam but if this one is repeatedly attacking people, which can cause severe injury up to and including death from sepsis, I'd say they have a legal responsibility to stop that and could be sued for negligence if something bad happened.

See the bit on this 'cat owners do have a duty at law to take reasonable care to ensure that their cats do not injure people or damage property. Cases involving damage to property or injury to people by cats are rare.'

https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/getting-a-cat/cats-and-the-law

He was probably born feral. An ex had a rescued feral cat - I was really fucking scared of it, so was my dog.

I'm a HUGE cat lover.l in my last house (a rural cottage on a big farm estate), I worked closely with the CPL to trap and neuter dozens of feral cats that were in a colony. Despite not owning a single one of my own at the time, my cat food bill was insane as I fed them all at my door every day. I had regular deliveries of de-wormer/flea spot ons coming and would treat each cat I could get near.

My own cat who passed after costing me thousands in vet fees (insurance didn't pay) to keep her alive over the years is now in a beautiful wooden urn, also at an crazy cost.

But if I or my child was getting attacked in the street by a cat for no reason? I'd still punt the fucker like a football in a World Cup final penalty shoot out.

Sounds like you have a good relationship with the owners - I’d definitely bring it up again and as someone else suggested get it on video if you can. As harsh as it might be, I believe you can contact your local council: cats have a protected right of ‘inherent right to roam’, but if he is causing a nuisance to you and there is the risk of injury or damage by the cat, I think the owners can be subject to a Community Protection Warning/Notice, whereby they’d be legally obliged to take action to prevent the cat doing this. I think it would have to be extreme, and ALOT of evidence (so I would also suggest keeping a diary with dates/times/what happened/how it affected you), but if further down the line the owners have done all they ‘feel’ they can do and no resolution it could be an avenue to look at. If I was the owner and my cat was causing harm to humans I’d look at trying to rehome them to somewhere rural where the opportunity to harm is massively reduced (even though it would break my heart!). Hope you, and the owners, can find a solution ❤️

I think they need to keep the cat in - can they not have him neutered?

Perhaps the neighbours could crowd fund it if they can't afford it! 😃

I think the idea of videoing him attacking you and showing the neighbours is a good idea.

Sometimes what helps when presenting a problem is to have a few suggestions for solutions up your sleeve. I know it’s not your responsibility but it’s a way of making sure something gets done.

Id try Googling Causes of Aggressive cats and see what vets are saying.

Is it possible that the castration hasn’t fully worked or is only recent?
It sounds like the cat is very territorial. Someone has suggested Feliway. I don’t know what to suggest, sedatives, going and spending time in his house and feeding him chicken? I’ve no idea, but you need expert advice.

We used to have a neighbours intact male cat come into our house a lot when I was a child. He was a fluffy tabby with short legs so always looked like a kitten. I fell in love with him and he would like me back.

I used to go to school via our back garden. Sometimes he would try to waylay me. My mothers told me how much she laughed when she saw me fighting him off with a twig when he decided he wanted to attack my poodle knee socks. (Poodle socks were a thing years ago).

We also owned a magnificent black cat named Simon. We in the family knew he hated, hated having his belly even touched. But he would sit or lie outside on the pavement and if anyone came near him, he would roll on his back as if offering himself for a belly rub. Wrong! He would then savagely attack that unsuspecting hand. He seemed to have it in for the Nuns who lived a few doors up.

Wear wellies for a while and dump a full bucket of water over its head every time you see it outside. Literally every time you see it out the window straight outside and soak it. Won’t harm it but it’ll soon learn to stay away.

It knows you’re scared (and loves it) and unless you take the initiative you’re going to be trapped in your house by a cat.

Film it so your neighbours know the extent if it, as well as your injuries. Also, tactfully worth asking if they've looked up Jackson Galaxy, 'the Cat Daddy' on You Tube re aggression issues. Point any aerosol that hisses near him. Most cats will run a mile. Sometimes tho', this can backfire & ramp up what's prob fear based aggression. I tried distraction with the Tom cat always after my cat . Crouch down ( less threatening), soft voice ( they are v sensitive to tone of voice), scatter a few dreamies on ground, NO attempt at stroking or any sudden movement, wait til he leaves before you move. It worked. He'll turn up, my cat will make a discreet exit into the living room window , then he will disappear for the rest of the day once hes scarfed the treat. Prob only worth a go if you've experience with aggressive cats tho.

It does feel like anything we do ramps up the aggression. All of the things we've tried are enough to make him back off for a second but then he comes back hissing.

I've raised it with them now, they seem surprised and don't really recognise this description of their cat. I think they feel we are exaggerating. They said they will talk to the vet.

I'll try and get him on film if I can. Thinking perhaps I can persuade DH to don wellies/thick trousers and go out in the garden on purpose when we know the cat is there!

Some of these replies!

OP the cat is your neighbours’ responsibility, they need to be keeping him inside and exploring what is causing the behaviour.

Please do not go round kicking animals! WTAF!

Don't worry, I'm not planning on deliberately kicking him!

I'm more interested in whether there's some way to stop him attacking us in the first place, and also what we could ask/expect the neighbours to do about him.

Please do not go round kicking animals! WTAF!

Don't misunderstand me: I'm purely talking about self-defence, rather than just standing back and letting a 'sweet little thing' attack and maul your child and send them to hospital.

Exactly.

It would of course be best if the neighbours took action and were able to stop the cat from ever attacking anyone again, but bearing in mind there's no guarantee whatsoever this will happen it would be wise to think about self defence and deterrence. Clearly it would be entirely legitimate to physically defend oneself or one's child against an animal in the event of an attack.

Bahahaha, seriously? People saying "cats are as dangerous as dogs"- that's ridiculous, stop it. Cats AREN'T comparable to dogs because even the most wild, feral, berserk house cat can't kill you. An average, "friendly" pit bull can rip out your throat in a second.

OP, try spreading male urine in your garden to deter him/ Google common cat repellents and find one that works. Alternatively, explain to your neighbours what is happening and request they only let him out at night to reduce the impact on you.

Vinegar can cause corneal damage. Deliberately blinding a cat is not a good idea.

The neighbour can't do anything tbf she can't discipline the cat. If it was me I'd make sure it feared me enough to stay away ( without doing anything that wouid cause serious injury )

I think I'd raise it with the owners. I was in A&E being treated for an allergic reaction and in the next cubicle was a young adult chap being treated for an infected arm - his neighbour's cat had attacked him when he tried to stop it entering his home and the resulting damage, scratches and some nasty bites, had led to his whole arm becoming very badly infected and swollen, needing emergency treatment. I rate viscous cats in the same league as dogs after seeing this damage / injury and if not you then what it it goes for someone smaller!

You might have some luck with one of the grabbers that rescuers use to catch cats and dogs.

When he comes near you put it round his neck and keep him the full distance of the stick part. Then take him home and dump him inside his house, let his owner take the brunt of it.

I had an ex stray who would sometimes turn on me (mostly) although if someone ignored warnings and went up and put their face up to his, he would go for them. Do not look him in the eye, it's a threat.

I kept my wellies handy. A tin of dry beans did nothing, a water spray worked once, then he backed off when he saw it and went for my ankles as soon as I tried to walk away. I used to scruff and crate him until he calmed down. Believe he was an ex feral who had been found injured, but he was also very loving. I used to know the signs and could be prepared.

https://burtonsveterinary.com/furniture-lighting/animal-handling/quick-release-dog-grasper-1.html

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We have a dog that hates cats so they don’t come in the back garden at all .
They poop in our front garden and I got fed up cleaning it up so we bought cat deterrent that makes a low frequency noise they can hear .
So they no longer poop in the garden .
Unfortunately my dog dislikes the noise too but he can’t hear it from inside .
This cat sounds like it’s lost the plot completely and you need to protect yourself .
scratches and bites are nasty !
I would try to get video footage of it

Feliway has changed in recent years and has the potential to knock out a small cat. Last time I looked (about a year ago) there were different types, although I couldn't work out what I was meant to choose so went for Pet Remedy in the end as it is natural ingredients. Also very strong. I am not a fan of Feliway as it had such an effect on 2 of mine (both small) that they wouldn't eat or interact for a couple of days after I used it. It was never that strong before.

General cat deterrents are not an option - we have our own cat!