Neighbourhood cats coming into my house

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I homed a cat in December. She was originally a house cat so she is now becoming acquainted with the outdoors. She is having to stake her claim on the garden territory.

A cat came into the house whilst I was out pegging out the washing. The cat squared up to mine. My cat was ready to take it on just as I came the door. Both cats startled by my coming in. Ended up in a chase upstairs; me in hot, angry, loud pursuit Horrible growling and hissing, with me bellowing. My cat has recovered. Me, not so sure. She’s currently casing the joint and has enjoyed a tummy tickle with dynamo purring. Me saying ‘help’ on MN.

Top tips for discouraging the cats coming into the house please? Hopefully that avoids my cat having to stand her claim inside and outside.

Water gun. Keep one on hand and squirt any cats who come into your garden, near the house.

She’s currently patrolling the house. I suspect that’s a good sign. Indicates she feels this house is her manor.

@FakeColinCaterpillar - water gun - simple but brilliant. Thanks

We squirt any neighbouring cats that come into our garden with water - I have a spray bottle near the back door as the ragdolls from next door are actually quite aggressive.

We also have a microchip cat flap, as we were having issues with other cats coming inside and eating our cats' food, which totally freaked them out.

We have a microchip cat flap, which is brilliant most of the year but in the summer the back door is often open and yesterday I startled a neighbour’s cat on its approach to our cat’s food bowl.

Water gun probably will help, but the cats will figure it out themselves eventually.

Water pistol.

Ime it'll get worse before it gets better then die down completely once your cat has made it clear your house is theirs and the other cats will give up.

We ended up cat proofing our garden 😱 £££

The neighbourhood gang aren't quite brave enough to come in yet. Although I caught my cats Bestie poking her head around the door on a couple of occasions. I imagine she's saying - "Bob's can you come out and play?"

(I wouldn't hesitate to squirt if they came in and a word from me didn't scare them away.)

Another one in today. Persistent little buggers. I think my cat is showing them who’s manor it is.

They will most likely begin to stay away if she establishes the house as her territory, and that she’s not sharing.

Can't help you there. My cat just lets them in
"These are my toys and this is my mama, and this is where she keeps the dreamies if you ask nicely"

I've told this story before on here.

We have black cats, and so does a neighbour. A couple of years ago, the neighbours' cat climbed in through the bathroom window and starting eating our cats' biscuits before falling asleep in the kitchen.

It took my DH three HOURS to realise there was an extra cat in the house Our cats weren't remotely bothered and happily shared their food and litter trays with the interloper

I have no advice but I love sharing that story!

To be honest it sounds like your cat has it well under control. My two dont even seem to notice someone else has come in. Microchip cat flap sorted it though.

And our little visitor just popped noth feet on the inside mat....might have come further if she hadn't seen me!! She's getting bolder.

There was a lovely thread about cat friends where people posted all their photos of their 'not my cat's curled up asleep in their houses.

My boys are indoor cats and we had the most awful, massive cat that would run into our house and if it couldn't get in, it would attack the glass doors out to our garden trying to get to them.
Eventually I leaned out the window and dumped a glass of water on it and it never came back.

I felt really bad but my boys were terrified of it and it was so evil.

Great stories.