Bully neighbour cat problem

[RogueFemale]

I have an adorable but anxious ginger tom rescue, he hates other cats, is gentle and not fighty. So much so, that he doesn't leave the boundary of my garden any more, after meeting other cats.

He's 7, and historically there have been incidents, such as an attack by a neighbour's cat last year at night in the garden. He was so traumatised that he hid upstairs for two days and also peed on my bed (never happened before).

I provided a litter tray after that, but he wouldn't use it.

Anyway, last night he was attacked again by the neighbour's cat. Not as bad as last time, but it triggered him.

Aside from fleeing inside and hiding for a bit, he seemed okay, but tonight I noticed he was behaving oddly in the laundry room, and digging around in piles of laundry on the floor. Like he needed to pee/poop.

So I opened the sliding door to the garden, to encourage him to go out. And he did go out and I stood there while he peed, and then ten mins later again to poop. Now he's disappeared to a safe hidey place somewhere.

My question is, I know this neighbour with the bully cat, - so would it be reasonable to ask her to keep it in after dark? I'm fairly sure she has a litter tray as she has two cats.

There cats ffs...

Cat proof your garden, he can’t get out and others can’t get in - sorted

They’re cats, if you let them out they will fight with each other. If your cat is traumatised by other cats then keep him inside, but you can’t ask someone else to keep their cat inside.

Weird peeing/pooping behaviour is actually something you should take him to the vet for if there’s no another reason for his weird toilet behaviour as he might have a UTI. As an aside it’s problematic that you didn’t provide a litter tray before so make sure you have one in the house moving forward. If he won’t pee in it try and change the litter you are using (nothing scented)

Get him neutered, other male bully cats will not be so in his face

These two peeing/pooping incidents were entirely connected to him being attacked. He doesn't have a UTI.

After I got him, 6 years ago, I kept a litter tray in the bathroom for 5 years, and he never once used it so in the end got rid. I used 'wood' chip stuff, which he was fine with in the first few weeks.

Yes I think you’d be unreasonable to ask your neighbour to do that. Given how scared your cat is of this one I think you have to cat proof your garden or keep yours inside at night to keep him safe.

I do keep him inside overnight, and block the catflap when I go to bed, but he won't use a litter tray. (so far he's not peed/pooped overnight, and waits until the morning)

@SirChenjins I'd happily keep him in after dark if he would use a litter tray.

@SirChenjins Not possible to cat-proof the garden. Terraced house, and neighbour's cat is a ninja.

I think your only other option then is to cat proof your back garden - you can’t ask someone else to keep their cat in, it seems to be the law of the jungle where cats are concerned as the assumption is they have the right to roam outside as it’s better for them. Unfortunately ones like your neighbour’s control the neighbourhood.

It's not possible to cat proof my garden. Here's a photo of the back.

So the neighbour's cat can access by dropping down from the side return plastic roof, or from the roof of my shed at the end of the garden.

No, you can't ask her that - fights are one of the risks you take when you choose to let your cat outside.

If your cat is finding it too stressful then maybe you need to consider a catio.

I don't regard it as choosing to let my cat outside. I think he has a right to go outside, just as humans do.

Edit: he also will not use a litter tray, and has not done so since the first month I got him. I left the litter tray in situ for five years

I'm not attacking you, I let my cats out too - but it does mean that there's a risk fights (as other people are going to make the same decision as you!).

Are you ignoring me? Just get him neutered and stop breeding unwanted kittens

He's a rescue cat so will already be neutered. Neutered cats still scrap btw.

I think @BrightLightTonight is a troll or bot or something. I've reported it.

I think they're referring to the fact that "tom cat" means entire male.

To clarify, all cats involved are neutered.

The best thing you can do is scare the bully cat.
My dad used to do this when we were kids and a bully cat would come in our cat flat at night. Try and corner it and chuck some water at it, it will be very unlikely to come back after that.

I have to say, I don't think your cat is a Tom. It would be highly unlikely that a Tom would be so anxious of another cat, especially age 7 with some years behind him, have you checked the backside of him to see if the testicles are still there?

No, it just means male cat.

I have a cat that's lost his confidence. It could be from other cats in the area or the foxes or his age. He's much more confident outside if someone else is with him.

Maybe you could go outside last thing before locking him in and let him do his business?

He will use a litter tray if he needs to, we always left a litter tray for our cat that was kept in at night, he never used it for years. I don't know if it was due to getting older but he eventually started using it once in a while. At least he knew he had somewhere to go if he got desperate.

I went out with him tonight, and stood there, when it was clear he needed to pee/poop but was extremely anxious about it.