Could they be friends?

[Ski37]

Sorry , this is long!
Since I adopted my cat last year he has always been very wary of other cats- there was a local stray that chased him into my house from my garden and attacked him so I can see why! There are also a few other neutered male cats in the neighbourhood that spray In the bushes at the front of my house and if they ever meet my cat they do the whole low moaning/ growling thing for ages and occasionally there will be a bit of a scrap but nothing serious . About two weeks ago I heard a massive cat fight in my back garden- proper screeching and crying- and when I got out there there I found my cats collar , loads of cat fur ( not from my cat) and some blood stained footprints - I checked catface afterwards and he had no injuries so I presume the other cat came off worse - I think I know the other cat!
Recently my neighbours- cats- neutered female has been appearing on the fence and when she is being particularly brave she will come into my garden. The first time this happened my cat chased her off but since then when she is on my fence ( in his territory) he either ignores her totally or just sits and looks at her from a safe distance. Earlier today she was brave enough to venture into my garden and into one of his favourite hidey holes amongst the long grasses - he was by the house and when he realised she was there he just meowed at me pitifully then started cleaning himself and ignored her! She eventually dissapeared back off to her own garden but then came back onto the fence to stare at him again. My cat just ignored her but stayed very close to the house when he would usually be off trying to murder small animals!

My gut is that if they hated each other they would have made it clear by now and I’m pretty sure she is not the one he had the big fight with! So, is my big brave ( wimp) cat scared of her or are they just curious of each other? and is it possible they could become friends? At the very least is this a sign they are sorting out their territory and could get along?

I will also obviously do the sensible thing and talk to the neighbours when I get a chance. I’m just ( sadly ) very into the catty soap opera that is being played out in my garden!

It's possible that they might be friends. I'd say they're sorting out the territorial rights.

One of mine is very friendly with some of the local cats. Most cats are chased out of the garden but there are a couple that are tolerated. Give it time and enjoy the cat chess!

Who knows what goes on in their weird little brains?

My cat chases most interlopers, but there's one stray cat that she doesn't seem to mind.

So it seems they tolerate each other..... up to a point! She has been in and out of the garden constantly for the last few days- and he hasn’t been too bothered, even lying on his back/ side relaxing until she gets a bit too close. At one point they were looking at each other almost nose to nose until she noticed me and ran off! The only time he really seems fussed is when she approaches his favourite place under the long grasses that he is hiding in at the time, but even then it is a bit of a half hearted chase .... she runs up the fence and sits looking at him and he retires into the middle of the lawn to lick his bum 😂
I’m getting more hopeful that this is not an aggressive relationship and I can relax and enjoy watching the cat chess!

Could well be. I have one that doesn't seem to have got the memo that small females aren't meant to be so territorial or aggressive to would be 'trespassers' on what she considers her territory. Even if it's the other cats garden. But with her she seems quite happy to let them be around once she's established she is allowing them, and in some cases she's quite friendly with cats she's been awful to in the past. One good friend is a local, very aggressive Tom who was previously battering all the other local cats.

I also acquired my other cat when she brought it home with her as an injured, emaciated, mess. (Not injured by her, think a car had hit her and then she'd got further infected by rat bites when she couldn't hunt efficiently).

I’d love my cat to bring a stray home as a friend- unfortunately the only things he’s brought home so far are dead animals small enough for him to carry 🙀

Least they were small enough to carry and dead. One of my old cats bought back a massive pigeon that was still alive and still hitting him over the head with its wing as he dragged it through the cat flap. He let it go and it took ages to get it out the house. Mind my best mates cat bought in next doors guinea pig. They bought a new one to replace it but the neighbours weren't friendly after that x

I'm delighted she did too, usually she brings home very much alive and unharmed wildlife for me to catch. Aquired cat is hunter extraordinaire in full health, and doesn't always stick to prey small enough to carry. Everything about her indicates she was/ is feral. She does mostly eat it, however gifts us, including other cat, parts or small rodents.

At present they are both inadvertently protecting a blackbird nest by hunting the magpies after it. I'm not sure if small cat actually realises she's providing a distraction whilst the other silently pounces, but it seems to be quite effective.