Unneutered cats CONSTANTLY attacking my spayed female?

[LollipopsandWine]

Someone is going to call me unreasonable here but I'm terrified/fuming right now.
My cat is tiny, the friendliest little thing ever. She is spayed, chipped and well cared for.
There are about seven un-neutered male pet cats in my area that I now recognise, as they are all in my garden at least once a day respectively. They harass my cat.


Last week she sustained an injury in the most unfortunate place; a nasty bite mark the vet says she will have gotten as she tried to escape "advances" from a larger male cat. I had her treated immediately and it was healing well. She has been allowed out for the past two days (waited for vet to say so) and then tonight I hear a cat fight.


I rush out to see my neighbours gathered in the road, DP almost crying, and one of the male "visitor" cats sloping away. He had attacked her, and the neighbours informed us that as she tried to run away she was clipped by a car.

It took us 25 mins to lure her out from her hiding spot under a parked car. The previously mentioned wound near her bits was torn from the male cat's attempt. No other obvious injuries but of course she has gone straight to the emergency vet.


Tomorrow I will be informing the owners of these unneutered males that if they do not go and get them neutered (it costs £5 ffs, I'm paying over £200 tonight just to be seen and we have money trouble) and they turn up in my garden again I will be calling the RSPCA. I think the owners are fucking irresponsible.


Anyone got a better idea of what to do? Not going to see my cat hurt like this again.

[Redsippycup]

I was thinking you could maybe give her her normal litter to encourage her, but that obviously wont work.

It is hot too so I guess she will be 'using' more water and peeing less? I don't know.

Is she allowed milk / watered down milk? Vet advised diluted cat milk for my constipated cat once.

[Vinorosso74]

The vets can express a sample (tho I realise that area will be v painful) so would soil in a tray help so at least she goes?
Poor girl, I hope you all get some rest.

[LollipopsandWine]

Morning all. Me and DP got a few hours between us but up every time she moved. She lay on my chest and slept for an hour which was lovely, she was purring and seemed very content.
This morning she is grumpy because she wants more food, and she wants to go outside. I think that means she needs a wee... But sadly we've still not had one. The vet didn't recommend milk but we are back there in an hour so I will ask. I wouldn't mind if she peed somewhere else at this point... My bed, the rug, my clothes... Just as long as she peed! Eager and nervous to get her back and see what more can be done. Will update!

[Reow]

Oh bless her. Good to hear that's she's purring and grumbling though! It would be more worrying if she was listless and quiet?

She might be a bit dehydrated in this heat, mine hasn't been going to the toilet much this week. When can she have more food?

Are you going back to the vet this morning? Perhaps they'll catheterise her to make sure her bladder is drained.

[LollipopsandWine]

Okay we are just home from the vet - and it is good news! The vet is really happy with the wound, everything has stayed put nicely and no yellow discharge. He said not to fret about the not drinking, wet food is mostly water and if she is eating well that means she really isn't uncomfortable or too upset. He also said they aren't too fussed about the sample now that they have seen her, and that she is probably "using" the water rather than peeing it out - apparently this is common in cats?

Strict supervision for another couple of days, she can eat and drink as normal. She has painkillers and antibiotics at home, and will be going back next week on Friday for a check up. He said if she stops eating or the wound swells or leaks to call immediately, but other than that there is nothing to watch for. I feel so so much better now. Biggest threat to her now is herself - just got to make sure the cone stays put!! She is very grumpy, which I think is great - at least she is showing some attitude

[Reow]

Hooray! Oh, poor baby girl. I think maybe a trip to the fishmongers for a big piece of cod when she's feeling better?

Well done for getting through all of this OP. I would be a complete hysterical mess. I'm going to go and hug my cat and tell him to be nice to the ladies out there. Not that he has any balls.

When are you planning to pop round the neighbours?

[TheRollingCrone]

I'm so glad she's feeling perkier.

[LollipopsandWine]

Definitely going to be spoiling her once I know she's all healed up

[Reow]

Yeah, they hate the cones of shame.

I agree, it's not the tom cats fault. They're animals and it's what they do. He does sound like a bit of a sex pest though, and absolutely needs snipping.

Mine is a huge ginger and although he's neutered and doesn't go about trying it on with the ladies he is still quite feisty and wants to fight for his territory. I've spoken to the owners of 2 other toms and given them permission to chase him off/hose him if he's in their gardens trying to start fights. He's never hurt another cat, but he does like a bit of a screech and hiss at them. Sometimes the 3 toms just sit on a shed glaring at each other :-)

Hope the neighbours are nice for you. Let us know what happens.

[LollipopsandWine]

Awww Reow your tom sounds lovely. My Dad has two neutered toms and they do love a good stare off or a shouting match, but I think that might be why I was so shocked. Cats round here have "fights" all the time and I have never seen one come away as my girl did. I guess that's the difference between neutered males and not though. Currently gathering up all the vet fees and information so that I can put together a letter detailing exactly what happened, and also offering discounts/help from charities to get cats snipped. Going to print several and post around, as well as sending one to the paper. I wanted to upload a picture for you all, not of her wounds but just of her chilling out atm. Can't seem to figure it out. Will update with whatever result I get from the owner - and thanks again to everyone for all the support - you were all really helpful through this!

[Reow]

Can we see a picture of her?

(Obvs what she usually looks like, not a current cone-head one )

[UnbornMortificado]

Pleased she's on the mend Lollipop, I don't get the neighbours not neutering. Is there any benefit for the toms not getting them done?

We are a dog instead of cat household (through allergy's not choice) but my mam's boys have always been done. It's just common sense.

[LollipopsandWine]

I'd love to show you a pic but can't figure how to post one... Suggestions?
And no to my knowledge there are no pros to leaving them complete :/ but getting them done can protect them from health problems, it gives them a better temperament, stops them spraying etc. It's a no-brainer really, and it is the first piece of advice given to new cat owners by any vet. I guess they are just ignorant people.
Kitty is lay on my bed at the mo, napping in the sun. Going to source her some normal litter so she might have a go in the tray.

[Reow]

You go to choose file under the message box where you type your posts, and choose a photo to upload.

[Reow]

This is my silly boy.

[Reow]

Though he's on my shit list today for waking me up for breakfast at 5.30.

[Allergictoironing]

Sadly an awful lot of cat (and dog) owners seem to think that neutering is cruel because they wouldn't want it being done to themselves/their DH/their DS etc, and don't realise that it's completely different for animals than it is for humans as animals don't overthink stuff the way we do. I've seen this thinking in women almost as much as men.

Similar thinking leads to things like men insisting that if a dog is neutered, it has fake balls inserted as a neutered dog somehow impacts on how others see THEIR masculinity

[esk1mo]

could you get her a harness and take her out in the garden yourself? she will still get to enjoy being outside while you speak to the neighbours etc. dont think harnesses are too expensive on amazon

[LollipopsandWine]

I don't seem to have a "choose file"... Is it because I'm on mobile? Bet it is :/
Your cat is gorgeous!!! Bet he can be trouble haha :) he is huge!

I totally do not understand the thinking of people sometimes; why would a vet condone and even suggest the neutering of male animals if it was in any way cruel or bad for the animal? Honestly it's daft. And neutered toms are still very much "male", and come across masculine (most of them anyway I guess... One of my Dad's is a really effeminate looking cat) they just aren't aggressive awful smelly males! I'm glad everyone on this thread seems to have the brains to have done it anyway - we are all good pet owners

[Reow]

He is huge. He's bolshy and will come and headbutt you if he wants some fuss

Is there no little paperclip button next to your text box on mobile?

[paddypants13]

@Allergictoironing fake balls? Do they honestly exist? Not being goady, I genuinely have never heard it.

@LollipopsandWine I hope your little lady is still doing well and that you are waiting on her hand and foot like a good cat slave.

Fwiw I think that it should be illegal to have an unneutered, unmicrochipped dog or cat unless you are a registered breeder. I think all breeders should be licensed and regulated. When we were looking to adopt a cat we had loads of people saying "oh my cat is pregnant you can have one of her cats." Errr, no. Get your cat neutered! They went down in my opinion when I found out they weren't responsible pet owners.

[Reow]

I also agree it should be the law to neuter your male cats/dogs unless you are a registered breeder.

Aside from the issue we're talking about there are so many strays!

[LollipopsandWine]

I wouldn't trust a harness at this point, she is tiny and would probably slip out :/ what with the vet saying to keep her in I think it's probably just safer - but she is mighty sulky. She has just come and got on my knee bless her, I'm glad she isn't mad at me!
I can't find any paperclip no... I have tried copying a pic in but it doesn't work. Frustrated. I'm on Android, is this one of those things that only works on iPhone maybe?

I genuinely do think there should be better laws or maybe we should bring back licensing for pets. Too many strays about who are probably the result of litters made by irresponsible non-neuterers in the first place, and we all know the cat shelters and charities are full to bursting! Poor kitties. But at least they have people like us who will spoil them and wait on them like the worshipped cat gods they are xD

She's taken her antibiotics nicely as well, I'm so proud of her. She's always good with tablets and at the vets but it must have been scary for her this time. Me and DP have agreed that we probably won't be having any more cats - we had been thinking of getting a kitten if my cat didn't mind too much but this whole thing was a little too traumatic and the thought of one ever getting injured again is terrifying.

[Allergictoironing]

@paddypants13 yep, definitely available. Saw them in an episode of Bondi Vet, where the client's DP refused to let her have their English Bulldog done because it mage him feel less masculine having a dog without balls. They did the inserts to make the DP happy.

[NeedATrim]

My cat had to wear a babygro typre vest to stop her from getting at her stitches. She houdini'd her cone too many times and I was getting fed up of finding it discarded and hairy in random places in the house. After spending 20quid on this vest from the vets, and thinking that's that, she houdini'd that an all. She went back into the cone and it was stapled together this time. Naughty thing.