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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Tips on stopping a local Tom from terrorising my cats?

17 replies

BetsyVanBell · 13/03/2013 21:17

I have 2 young cats (18months), a neutered male and spayed female A very unpleasant tom cat from down the way somewhere is terrorising them. We have a catflap that only lets in our microchipped cats and we frequently hear them racing in with a great thud as the tom crashes into the locked door. Female cat is braver and tries to punch the Tom through the catflap but the male is becoming increasingly more fearful and is hardly going outdoors. We spray the Tom with water whenever we see it in the garden but he doesn't care and keeps coming back. Any tips for scaring him off?

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 13/03/2013 21:46

I'm not sure there's a lot more you can do, Betsy, assuming that you don't know the owner and can't jolly him into neutering the tom. (And even that might not stop the behaviour if he's formed a dislike for your two: neutered boys can still have mighty good scraps.)

You've got a microchip flap so your two know they have a safe haven to come to. Perhaps put a tray out in the house as well (if you don't have one out already) so that your boy doesn't have to go out if he doesn't want to - and give him lots of TLC.

Sorry not to have any ideas on the matter.

ozymandiusking · 13/03/2013 21:51

Get a cat trap beg or borrow, or buy from ebay. Put it in your yard. Catch cat
take to RSPCA or many miles away and dump!

simpson · 13/03/2013 21:54

Chuck a bucket of water at it every time you see it

I have been in this situation with my 2 spayed nearly 3 yr old kitties. He tried to mate with one of them (did not think this was possible) and my cat was so distressed she charged in through the cat flap and was bouncing off the walls/shaking etc...

Original poster

BetsyVanBell · 13/03/2013 22:14

Thanks for the replies...

Hmm, am tempted to try and catch it. However, feel morally ambiguous about that really and I guess someone loves that 'orrible moggy. Not that I've ever heard of a cat trap before! I do soak him whenever I spot him, had the hose out on many occasions, doesn't deter him but it makes me feel better!

Lots of cuddles being given to our terrorised kitties and home is at least a safe haven. They absolutely won't use a litter tray though but get out often enough without the tom being around to not worry about that too much.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 13/03/2013 22:31

Well you can't catch it, of course. It's not your cat - and there's no law that says you have to have your cat neutered.

They may not have used a tray before but if you haven't got one, I'd buy one to have it in the cupboard. Their minds may have changed with the tom outside and they're very handy to have in case one of your two is ill, say, and has to be kept inside for a few days.

Best of luck.

Startail · 13/03/2013 22:33

DH used to discourage pesty visiting cats with a squinty bottle of water, probably not allowed any more.

cozietoesie · 13/03/2013 22:42

Squirts of water are perfectly well allowed as far as I know. I used to have one of those pressurized watering bottles and that was marvellously effective: you could get a jet of water a good 15 or 20 feet. Never hurt the cats of course but they truly hated water on their fur.

The best way of keeping mean toms out of the garden I found was having a collie sitting out on the lawn. He adored cats but would get very excited when he heard the sound of pumping the water bottle because he wanted to play and gambol with them.

The cats misinterpreted this excitement and his rushing towards them - and who was I to enlighten them

Of course, getting a dog to scare away cats is not a practical solution. We just happened to have one.

Original poster

BetsyVanBell · 14/03/2013 08:13

Well I guess the cats are feeling peppier again - just had a "ooh isn't the mauled catnip mouse looking realistic... oh, nope that's a real dead mouse I've just stepped on" moment. Blee.

Love the idea of having a friendly dog to sit in the garden but I fear one would scare my own cats off!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 14/03/2013 08:20

Hope it wasn't in your bare feet!

I think you're doing as much as you can, Betsy. The safe haven you've provided by virtue of the microchip cat flap is excellent and I think is demonstrated by your girl doing a pawing at the mean tom through it. (That's a na na ...na ....na na if ever I heard of one.) They won't mind being in as long as they can get out occasionally and know they can still run for safety if needed.

And surely the mean tom bashing his head every so often will put him off in the long term. He can't have very happy memories of your house.

Original poster

BetsyVanBell · 14/03/2013 08:34

Luckily I am wearing some very sturdy slippers cozie!

Seriously the number of times that tom has pounded his head on our catflap... you'd think he'd be put off! It's been going on for at least six months. I was just particularly worried this week as the boy cat just seems scared of everything - I think he might have been cornered and attacked by the tom last week. I'm keeping a watchful eye for any injuries but other than a couple of tiny scabby bits here and there he seems ok physically. And he's mostly been outside this morning, just popped in for a bit of brekkie and off again - normal cat behaviour :)

Haha, girl cat is now looking for stinky mouse in a "I'm sure I left it under the table here" way.

OP posts:

post · 14/03/2013 08:46

I bought a super soaker water gun when our cat was injured by a Tom several times; way more effective than a bucket because you can quite accurately wet it from further away, so more deterring, and it makes a good noise just before the water comes out, and soon the noise was enough to make it scarper, and I don't really want to make a cat all wet, despite its attacking ways.

Not 100% effective, but it did get better and soon the sound of me even walking near the kitchen door made it run away.

cozietoesie · 14/03/2013 09:55

I think we may be thinking about close to the same thing, post. This is a newer version of the one I had.

\link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-Pressure-Sprayer-Bottle-Garden/dp/B008AGVEJW/ref=sr_1_13?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1363254736&sr=1-13\water sprayer}

The noise of the pressure plunger being pumped was indeed enough to start them going eventually. (And to get the collie up in the air!)

Original poster

BetsyVanBell · 14/03/2013 10:00

Oh I find the hose has enough reach! Can't use it this time of year as the outdoor tap is switched off from the inside and the bugger has already disappeared by the time I get it sorted.

The cat is scared off by me opening the door and wailing like a banshee whilst chasing it down the garden shouting at it. It didn't used to have the good grace to run away but it does now.

Supersoakers are great but they don't last long due to the population of super-destructors that live in the house (2 DCs).

OP posts:

Original poster

BetsyVanBell · 17/03/2013 09:01

Good news, boy cat is back his usual kittenish, friendly self and naughty Tom has not been seen since I first posted - I think maybe my cat won a fight and Tom is lying low. Hope so anyway.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 17/03/2013 09:04

Excellent news, Betsy. Keep up the extra TLC to both cats to bolster confidence in the event of a return.

Original poster

BetsyVanBell · 17/03/2013 09:59

Thanks cozie it's a relief

OP posts:

TheFuzz · 20/03/2013 15:30

Super soakers are very effective. The cat doesn't see you throw anything so doesn't move, so you've got a good shot.

We had one Tom that was doing this, managed to shoot it down one side of the garage, as it came round the other and over the fence, got it again. Didn't see it after.

We have a persistent Tom at the minute, but he is the neighbours. He's just a pest, and if doors are open he comes in. He is friendly enough, although I am sporting a few wounds on my palm after trying to shoo him off my car bonnet.

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