Aggressive tomcat coming into my house to attack my cats

[MonaChopsis]

Hi, anyone got any way to help me? One of our neighbours has an extremely aggressive tomcat that was very late to be neutered.

I have a microchip cat flap and don't let the cats out unsupervised during the day, but he has started coming into my house any time I have windows or doors open, and attacking my cats while they are sleeping. My vet bills are £625 this year and rising. I have looked at my options online (The Cat Group etc) and am aware that their is very little I can do if he's attacking in the garden, but do I have any options to make his owners pay if he is attacking my cats in my own house? I have spoken to them many times about his aggression but they couldn't care less, just say he has 'the right to roam'.

Is there cat microchipped and neutered? If they wont make some effort to control the cat tell them you will be handing it in as an uneautered stray?

Ahh he is neutered looks like you will just have to butter the windowsill so he falls off and keep them latched as much as possible

He is neutered now, yes. slippery that effectively leaves me as a prisoner in my own home, unable to open a window all summer long.

He may have the right to roam, but not into your house.

From the Telegraph:

"Cats Protection also says that it is a commonly-held view that cats have a right to roam wherever they wish. This view is largely based upon the fact that certain duties imposed upon the owners of dogs and livestock to keep their animals under control do not apply to cat owners.

The law in these respects recognised that, by their nature, cats are less likely than some other animals to cause injury to people or damage to property.

However, cat owners do have a general duty under law to take reasonable care to ensure that their cat does not cause injury to people or damage to property. In practice, cases involving damage to property or injury to people by cats are few and far between, says Cats Protection."

This might be useful too. Different circumstances, but I'm assuming the same laws apply.

catsaway.org/cat-law/

Would you be assuming it is chipped?

I'm on a roll here :)

"QUESTION REGARDING CAT AGGRESSION:

When a person lives next door to an aggressive cat, who is liable for any aggressive cat attacks and what options does a person have when they are suffering from cat attacks and aggressive behaviour that either cause stress and harm to neighbouring cats or, in extreme cases, where the aggressive cat scratches humans or causes property damage?

ANSWER:

This question has been raised in relation to what seems to be the systematic behaviour of some Bengal cats that attack other cats, sometimes even entering into the neighbour’s home to do so. But it also applies to other territorial cats that are unusually defensively aggressive towards other cats in the area. Extreme cat behaviour could be dealt with as nuisance behaviour, although for simple keeping of animals to be classed as a nuisance some ‘extraordinary, nonnatural or unreasonable action’ is required. As mentioned earlier in this guide the law specifies nuisance as being ‘the unacceptable interference with the personal comfort or amenity of neighbours or the nearby community’. A civil trespass action would be unlikely to succeed for cats entering into property and causing damage, but abnormally aggressive cat behaviour that results in property damage (including damage to the resident cat) or harm to children could be the subject of enforcement action. The local authority could serve an abatement notice forcing the owners to take steps to prevent the nuisance being caused by their cat. Failure to comply with this notice is a criminal offence. There would also be the potential to take legal action for negligence against the cat’s owner, who owes a duty of care to his neighbour not to cause harm which is foreseeable. This applies to any harm which the owner knew or ought to have known his cat would be likely to cause. Additionally, if the owner knew that his cat was inclined to cause damage and had done so in the past then potentially he is responsible for the cat’s damage whether or not it could be predicted in these circumstances. It would be advisable, therefore, to inform the owner of an abnormally aggressive cat as the law, in this instance, requires prior knowledge on the part of the cat owner. (Separate from the legal issues and subject to appropriate cover being in place, there may also be potential to pursue a claim against a cat owner via their cat insurance. The parties involved would need to seek advice on this possibility.)"

I'd be catching that cat and carting it off in my car 50 miles away probably not but a girl can dream

Thanks AFistful, I found that website too, but unfortunately when you go into the faq's it says:

"My neighbour's cat keeps coming into my garden and attacking my cat - what is the legal position?
Unfortunately an owner is not legally responsible for what their cat does outside. You should have a quiet word with the cat's owner and ask them to keep it inside more and to have it neutered if this has not already been done."

And in addition, although it refers to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in that pamphlet, I can't find anywhere in the Act that states in law that the owner of an aggressive cat is responsible for its behaviour. The police aren't interested, and I don't know if I have any other avenue to go down to make them be more responsible.

I'm thinking maybe I could serve them with a "Letter to Claim" as a precursor to opening a Small Claims Court action against them for damage to property??

Can you throw water with food colouring in it over it? The owners can deal with dripping pink water....

I’ve just come onto Mn to ask the same question! The Tom that’s attacking my cat is definitely not neutered as he’s spraying in my house too and it stinks. It’s been beautiful today but I had to shut my doors and windows cause he was around. I want my doors open and for my cat to be able to go out into his own garden. My friend said to get a super soaker gun! I like the idea of food colouring.

We had a very territorial and aggressive tabby that kept coming into our garden and attacking out cats. On one occasion, I just happened to have filled the washing up bowl with nice hot soapy water when this cat made an appearance, chasing one of my cats over the fence, into the garden and in through the back door.

A washing-up bowl full of bubbly water literally in my hands - what else to do...?

You have never seen such a wet cat, and it never came back again.

Lol

Food colouring is genius! First thing that made made me laugh in the last few days. I have a spray bottle and use it whenever I see him, but honestly he's so vicious, he's like a cat terrorist. He just won't leave us alone.

Is there anyway you can cat proof ur garden so it can’t get in?

I’m thllibking if doing this. So many cats come in and eat the food I leave out for my cat. And it’s not cheap food. So my cat can be let out by the window in the front if it wants to roam a bit more. But then the other cats can’t come in anywhere else

Agree with the letter informing them of problem, the costs to you so far, photos of injuries/evidence of his incursion and asking them politely what they intend to do about it? Then one of options is future claim vs their insurance esp say for redecoration due to spraying, replacement of rugs.

Practically you caN get cat net for the windows, either diy or premade www.amazon.co.uk/Flat-Cats-Window-protection-Standard/dp/B00PKFB3BA/ref=pd_sbs_199_3/261-9550370-7076648?psc=1&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_wg=EnFzk&pf_rd_r=TBSJ0HD83DEEJA9B765S&pd_rd_i=B00PKFB3BA&pd_rd_w=lQXP8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&refRID=TBSJ0HD83DEEJA9B765S&pd_rd_r=43910421-50c4-11e9-aaac-1b9af162ec26
And plastic spikes for windowsills. I know I'd be pissed off forking out for this but at least you can then open windows and it also keeps your cats in safe if necessary.

I'd also be getting the big water pistol, food colouring and some nontoxic but stinky stuff like cider vinegar well diluted, or lemon juice and water that the cat will hate to have on his fur but not going to hurt him to lick off.