cat being beaten up by other cat

[Crosbybeach]

Our, very large, 7 year old cat has started coming home with bites and scratches. He's obviously getting into scraps and I had to take him to the vet last week to get antibiotics for a particularly bad one on his neck.

He's neutered and this hasn't been a problem except recently, the bites are usually on his head and front - so the vet says he's giving as good as he's getting, rather than running away.

But..is there anything I can do other than lock him in - which I'm reluctant to do. He's always had access to outside (safe back lane etc) and a microchip cat flap.

if this has just started happening i would ask round the neighbourhood to see if a new cat has moved into the area and if this is the case ask the owners when their cat is let out and about and let yours out when theirs is in

You could also give him an inside litter tray - if he hasn't already got one - and up his TLC and games. (Just in case he would prefer not to go out sometimes. Colder and wetter weather is a-coming now and that, combined with a possible new mean tom outside, might make inside preferable. Not every cat is a great scrapper, I'm afraid, even if they have the heart of a lion.)

Good luck to him.