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

Original poster

Cat keeps getting beaten up

47 replies

NastyOldBag · 29/03/2020 21:46

Any suggestions on how to stop my dickhead cat getting into fights?

He’s 18mo, pretty small, neutered, very friendly to people and to other cats when I’ve seen him around them. I used to let him come and go as he pleased but now I only let him out during the day.

Today he’s been at the vets for the third time in 6 weeks for an enormous cut which I genuinely thought might have needed to have his tail amputated for. Each vet visit has been for a separate injury, he regularly comes in with cuts to his face which suggests he’s the one being aggressive. He had a nasty cut on his tail about a week ago then another today but the rest have all been face and ears.

As we’re quarantined I’m trying to only let him out while I’m in the garden so I can keep an eye on him. Within minutes of losing sight of him I’ll hear screams and then he’ll come sauntering back covered in blood.

Am I going to have to keep him in? I’ve checked on various local FB sites to see if he’s injured anyone else’s cat and a few people have said they’ve seen him kicking off but then he’s just been beaten up.

OP posts:
Original poster
NastyOldBag · 29/03/2020 21:48

Here’s the little hooligan last week wearing a pair of pants to stop him worrying the last tail cut he got.

Cat keeps getting beaten up
OP posts:
AnneJeanne · 29/03/2020 21:49

You might want to contact a behaviourist to find out why he’s not learning his lesson. Most cats do learn about territory fairly quickly. Are there an abundance of cats in your neighbourhood?

AnneJeanne · 29/03/2020 21:51

Hey bro!

Cat keeps getting beaten up
chocolatespiders · 29/03/2020 21:53

I cant help but he is gorgeous.

Original poster
NastyOldBag · 29/03/2020 21:56

No, not many cats. There’s a massive cat across the road which he definitely doesn’t fight. Other than that I think there’s only a couple of other cats on our road, both owners tell me that their cats have shown no signs of a fight. I don’t know if there’s any feral cats lurking that he might be getting in a scrap with.

I just don’t understand why he’s not learning his lesson. He’s constantly wanting to go out, even when he’s got his ear hanging off and his face soaked in blood, he just carries on completely unbothered. He lets me put the antibiotic cream on with no issues, it’s like he doesn’t feel pain at all.

Could he just be a bit simple? I wish he’d hurry up and learn because he’s costing me a bloody fortune. I got insurance without worrying about the £50 excess because I wasn’t expecting to be at the vets every week for the same bloody thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
NastyOldBag · 29/03/2020 21:59

annejeanne you’ve got my bloody cat!

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Vinorosso74 · 29/03/2020 22:14

Oh no! Not again! Is it the same cat he's fighting with? Am wondering if there's a turf war over a neighbouring garden or something.
I remember saying ours was a nightmare at the age but seems better at almost 3 but it's always the same cat he goes for..

Original poster
NastyOldBag · 29/03/2020 22:43

I don’t know if it’s the same one each time. Whoever it is he’s certainly losing the fight! His tail was practically hanging off this morning, if that doesn’t stop him I don’t know what will.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 30/03/2020 09:17

You’ve got yourself a fighter there. You need to catproof your garden so you don’t bankrupt yourself on vets bills.

slipperywhensparticus · 30/03/2020 09:22

Cat proof the garden keep him close he will hopefully grow out of it

Original poster
NastyOldBag · 30/03/2020 11:24

Absolutely no way I can cat proof the garden unfortunately. I live in a conservation area and I can’t add any fencing or anything thats visible from the harbour which is everything in my garden 🙄. I’m going to keep him in for the foreseeable, he’s actually not tried to go out since his last beating so possibly he’s finally learned his lesson. Idiot cat.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 30/03/2020 11:34

If it’s a territory dispute one should eventually win. The other will stay clear then.

Vinorosso74 · 30/03/2020 12:36

You'd have thought the pants would have taught him a lesson!

BovaryX · 31/03/2020 10:07

He is lovely. The other cat could be invading his space, it sounds like he is up against a much more aggressive opponent. Ideally, cat proofing your garden would be best, but if that's not possible, can you use a water gun to spray interlopers? And keep the poor lad inside? Get him a nice basket that he can feel safe in and a big scratching post?

Original poster
NastyOldBag · 31/03/2020 19:20

He’s done it again! He was out for less than 5 minutes, I just let him out for his post dinner crap and has come back in with a great bite on his side. He’ll be wearing the babygro of shame until I get him to the vets tomorrow.

Cat keeps getting beaten up
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nettie434 · 31/03/2020 20:35

I agree with Vinorosso74 that if always coming off worse in a fight didn’t act as a deterrent, then having to wear the Babygro or Pants of Shame ought to make him think twice.

Now I am wondering if the other cat is lying in wait for him. Five minutes is not a long time for him to have looked for the other cat. It is so sad as he is the most gorgeous boy.

Vinorosso74 · 31/03/2020 20:52

Oh my it's a good job he's cute. I think you either ground him or go out with him armed with a water pistol to get the other cat.

Want2beme · 31/03/2020 21:38

I'd keep him in, if he doesn't throw a hissy fit and drive you bonkers. I've had fighters who've eventually grown out of it. One of mine is a real alpha female, extremely territorial and so far, always comes out on top.

What nettie434 says about another cat lying in wait for him?

He's a very naughty cute boy

slipperywhensparticus · 31/03/2020 21:43

Deterrents around the perimeter or the garden like lion poo or something to encourage him to stay close to home and bully cat to piss off

Original poster
NastyOldBag · 31/03/2020 21:44

I’m happy to keep him in but DH hates it as he refuses to use a litter tray and always manages to find some kind of soft furnishing to ruin. He used to happily use a litter tray but he’s now decided that he prefers to go outside. Locking the cat flap results in him charging at it and nearly knocking himself unconscious, crying at the top of his voice and then sneaking off and shitting on the sofa/ duvet/ dc’s soft toys. I have been locking the cat flap for the last few days and the just unlocking when he starts head butting it and following him for toilet supervision. He snuck out this afternoon while I opened the door for a delivery, 5 minutes later he comes back in bleeding.

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TrainspottingWelsh · 31/03/2020 23:27

Is there a pattern with the times? I'm just thinking that with more people at home a lot of cats might be on different schedules to normal, so maybe he's encountering cats with overlapping territories that he wouldn't do usually.

My old man was/is a fighter, the monthly vet visits and almost daily first aid only really ended when he was around 17/19. (We don't know his exact age) But he'd had a rough life and was entire for most of it. Despite sleeping most of the time and not straying far now he's still had a few minor scraps in the last few weeks after a years break from injuries, I assume because of longer/warmer days and usual movements changing because people are at home. I don't like to tell him that it's only the two girls, one of whom is very territorial, that are keeping other cats off his territory.

Alternatively are you sure they are all from cat fights? Squirrels and rats can do a fair bit of damage. And ime cats that come off worse are more likely to keep trying with them than they are with a cat that's beaten it up.

BovaryX · 01/04/2020 06:33

If he is being attacked five minutes after going outside, that strongly suggests that a much more aggressive cat is in your garden. Most of the time. Since cats are territorial, that must be very upsetting for him. He's getting badly hurt and you need to try to find out what is attacking him and try to get it out of your garden. Can you put lemons around your perimeter? Cats dislike lemon, that might deter whoever is coming in. Feel very sorry for your poor cat, it's not his fault if he is being attacked on his own territory.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 01/04/2020 08:07

Yes, can you rigorously patrol the garden looking for and scaring away any pretenders to his territory?

Original poster
NastyOldBag · 01/04/2020 12:53

trainspotting you were right! It’s a bastard squirrel! I just followed cat into the garden, he was sniffing round the bottom of a tree when a squirrel jumped down, landed on his back and started biting him. Cat bolted indoors while desperately trying to shake off the insane squirrel. I can’t believe it was a squirrel that’s been bullying my cat.

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BovaryX · 01/04/2020 12:58

Blimey, that's quite shocking! I wouldn't have thought a squirrel would be big enough or aggressive enough to attack a cat? Can you do anything to deter the squirrel? Dunno what anti squirrel measures are effective but you need to oust him!