New cat and neighbours cat - garden wars?!

[Kittyquestion12]

We’ve got a neutered female, who was indoor but has started going out (and absolutely loves it). Except there’s a neutered male cat who has always frequently been in our garden, and hasn’t taken very well to our girl exploring. She’ll come careering inside with him in tow, once he’s come into the house (she’s currently using the open back door but we’re fitting a microchip cat flap), and he’s chased her over fences. He doesn’t look particularly aggressive but she seems terrified. No fighting that I’m aware of.

What can we do to help?
I’ve tried sprinkling some of her little around the perimeter of the garden (I don’t think she’s going to the loo outside yet, still using litter tray!).
I’ve chased him off when he’s been at the back door.

he’s a lovely cat but need her to be able to go outside without being chased back in, any ideas? ☺️

There's really nothing you can do, other than leave them to it.

I guess that’s what I’m asking - should I scare the other cat off or leave them to sort it out? Doesn’t seem like our cat is standing up for herself though so will she just be chased inside forever?

I'd chase him out of your garden, squirt him with a water pistol too if he doesn't get the message. Your garden is currently his territory so of course he's cross that she's invading it and it doesn't sound like yours is about to fight him for it.

You can probably get him to understand that your garden is no longer part of his territory. Your cat can hopefully then claim it.

I got rid of a cat who liked to come in our garden because he was having conflict with my cat. It only took two or three times of getting soaked and shouted at, and we've not seen him since.

It's not fun to frighten a cat and it didn't feel good but ultimately it was more important to me that my cat could use the garden and the other cat won't have suffered any lasting harm.

You can attempt to shoo him off. You could try clapping your hands at him. If you want to squirt water at him do so but please don’t actually soak him. Ultimately if he still insists that it is his territory there is nothing really you can do but leave them too it. They will sort it out.

I would be inclined to chase him, clapping loudly. That's how I cleared the garden of my late Pud's enemies. I would be reluctant to 'let them sort it out' as that could mean your cat is too scared to go into her own garden, or has to fight the other cat which may result in injuries to both.

Yes, my cat was trying to 'sort it out' with this other cat and it ended in stitches for him.

After that I think it's better to intervene if possible and better a soaking than an emergency vet trip (though really you can only get one good shot in with a water gun before the cat's gone so it's not even a full soaking).

No cat understands the concept of gardens as owned by people. The puny fences and walls that humans erect to mark their boundaries are but a minor hindrance, and cats will sort out for themselves whose territory is whose.

At the moment, NeighbourCat has 'your' garden as part of his regular territory. As such, he will defend it from interlopers. You need to persuade him that your garden is not an inviting place to be, so the water pistol, the chasing, clapping of hands can all play a part in that.

Then your cat will be able to establish a territory and scent mark it as her own. She is scared right now because she knows it is not her territory, and that's why she doesn't want to go outside.

All good advice above. I will also say that cats are creatures of habit so the longer it’s been part of your neighbour’s cats territory the more consistent and persistent you’ll need to be to get him to change his habits. Also urban cats often have time territories as well as space territories - so they may find a solution between them that way.

Please be cautious. We have just been through a nightmare this summer with a very similar scenario. Male cat came into the house and cornered our girl and she was badly hurt. Both neutered, but cats are fiercely territorial and will fight to dominate.

I wish I had a solution to offer you. Just make sure she has an escape plan if attacked, and don’t leave them to "fight it out". That’s really bad advice. Our gentle cat almost lost her eye and will never be the same.

See him off. Water pistol. Chase him away and hiss like a viper. Reassure your kitty.

If you have 6ft panel fences you could fit an overhang to stop him getting in?

Id water pistol him every time I saw him.

Thanks all. She was injured (not directly by him, but in trying to get away) and has had a trip to the vets!
She does seem to just leg it inside - I don’t know if this means he “wins” each time, equally I’m glad she doesn’t seem to be actually fighting with him.

I’ll keep chasing him away and get a water pistol.

It makes me feel really nervous about her going outside when we’re not here - she’s got a microchip cat flap so he can’t get in (unless he tailgated - but that hasn’t happened so far), but I have also run out to scare him off when it’s happened or been in progress.

Unfortunately we’ve got fairly low fences and a wall so would be impossible (unless we totally changed the garden)

Would a catio be an option?

Yes, if she legs it, he wins. It's better than fighting but it will be very stressful for her.

She's got you on her team, though, and he's no match for you. 💧🔫

Keep the water gun loaded near the back door so you can get react fast when you see him. And get a decent one that can shoot a long way. Good luck!

Sadly not with our garden. Also she absolutely loves exploring the whole garden, she’s so much calmer since going outside, but it is a worry with the other cat

Thank you! 🤞🏻