To squirt this cat with a hose

[Moonpie6]

Just need some thoughts because my partner didn't let me do it.

I have a cat who is an indoor cat that goes into our back garden as she pleases. Mostly now I'm indoors not too far away. We've built up over 3 years for her to be left alone in the garden.

She's been neutered.

We have a male cat that is an outdoor cat that lives on our street. He's a bully and attacks the other cats in our road frequently which makes me think he's not been neutered.

Earlier I happened to be changing my cats litter tray and looked out the backdoor window. There's the bully cat sat at our backdoor as if waiting to be let in. He then went all over the garden speying with my girl sits. He left so then I went outside to hose everywhere down.

While he was there I told my partner that I was going to chase him away and he stopped me doing so saying it was cruel.

But now truth be told if he came back I want to squirt him with the hose. Normally I would never dream of this as not a cruel person but I don't want him attacking my cat.

She saw him earlier and followed him throughout downstairs through the windows. Fur on end, ears back, tail low. She was anxious.

My partner said she was fine and I'm being silly saying she was scared.

Am I cruel to squirt him with the hose? He honestly is aggressive with other cats.

YANBU. That isn’t cruel at all and I would be certainly doing a lot more than that.

That's awful. Imagine the fighting. Poor things.

@Moonpie6 it's bloody awful. The cats are generally lovely too. I'm trying my hardest to keep them out (there's 2 but one worse) . My cat is very much an outdoor cat so still needs to get in and out. It's driving ne mad tbh.

There's a cat like this on our street - any attempts to shoo him away and he gets aggressive to us. Hose etc only makes him back off temporarily, then he's straight back. Good luck!

How would that go? Take a perfectly healthy young cat to the vet. Put it down please. ? Why isn't it microchipped and neutered? Well its not mine. Or, lie and well I couldn't be bothered? Apart from not wanting to, even if I did I can't quite see how

Don't tempt me. I would if he hurt my cat. She's my baby, I don't have any children. Soft as that sounds.

Microchip cat flap?

I can imagine. Mines a nightmare when she only wants to go into the garden. Like I don't move from the living room if she's in the garden - I'm glad I don't know after that.

I'm fuming to be honest. Because we leave the back door open when she's outside so I'm worrying now he will run in.

@Datafan55 it breaks in through the locked cat flap. I'm not sure a locked microchip flap would stop it but that's my next thing to try.

A bit of water won't hurt him but a few soakings may make him think it's not worth it!

Cats being cats I bet they find a way round that. What is your cat like with him?

I have a water pistol in a similar scenario. The other cat isn't traumatised - I know that because it comes back. But if it sees me, it runs away and if I manage to get it with a bit of water, it puts it off for a while.

My cat's an old fella and too long in the tooth to fight. But he stands behind me and preens when I've chased the other cat off!

Shes not too bad actually, I've seen them playing in the garden. But it can't be nice for her having him spraying in the house.

Water gun

Keeping cats indoors is cruel - they're roaming creatures

Soak it.

I have cats, mine are lovely…I think! But more than likely use other people’s gardens as toilets. My neighbour has put little spikes on the top of their fence to stop them going in, seems to work. Not sure if it hurt them jumping on them but I imagine they only did it once

It depends on the cat really.

My cat wouldn't last outside and it very timid. She runs inside frequently to make sure we are still here.

As I say she has access to the garden when she wants. Just means we have to be cold...!

Our male (neutered, former stray living rough) is an absolute wuss, and is bullied by any other cat crossing his path. I use one of DC’s water guns - a sort of pump action far reaching thing - and it works a treat. You don’t have to actually squirt the cat - just at their feet is enough - and I can’t remember the last time I saw another cat. I would never hurt them, just warn them off.

Ouch!

Yes my partner wouldn't let me do that, he would say it's cruel.

I can't be sure she wouldn't jump onto the fence either as she likes climbing the palm tree.

Oh great thanks I will order one tonight!

Another vote for water pistol. One you can shake around to make the water swish around so it will associate getting wet with the noise.

I was all ready to say absolutely not, but as a cat lover I do think a wee squirt with a water pistol (definitely not a hose, that’s a bit much!!) won’t do him any harm, and hopefully he will learn not to come back to your garden.

I've got two cats and I say soak the little fucker. But be aware it might not work right away.

We had problems with cats pestering our Guinea pigs so they used to get squirted. We’ve got spikes on top of the fences now which keeps them out.

I think cats are anti-social pets. They roam where they please and cause trouble and poo in other people’s gardens whether the householder likes it or not.

Yes of course you should soak him! I used to with the bully cat in our old house. It doesn't hurt them and hopefully he gets the message.