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Neighborhood bully cat....(grrrr)....what would you do?


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Seriously looking for opinions here, and if you don't feel that you can put it down "in public", I'm giving the option to vote anonymously via the poll.

 

Brief history: There is an unneutered cat which lives 3 houses down from ours. This cat was responsible for us having to take our much smaller cat to the vet on two occasions in the past year - once for a laceration to the leg which required two staples, the second time for a mean infection that resulted in an overnight stay at the vets'. The cat has now taken to coming up onto our deck, sometimes in pursuit of our cats, other times simply to come into our house. He has entered our house twice within the last month that we know of. The cat's owner is the MIL to the homeowner. She lives in back of his house, in a small out building. Her daughter left the homeowner (dd's husband) going on a year ago, but the husband can't get the MIL to leave. We know and have talked to the man who owns the house (ex-husband to the cat owner's daughter), but he says there is nothing he can do.

 

What would you do? See poll. Feel free to explain or not, as you wish.

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Talk to the MIL directly and if no change...call Animal Control. If the cat is coming into your house and attacking your cats I think you would be in the right to call. I would do that over trapping the cat...just to protect yourself both physically and from MIL's ire.

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I chose "other." I would stake out the area with a water gun. Kitties don't like getting squirted. An airsoft gun would work even better.

 

 

I think more force is needed. I'd bring out the hose with the hard spray nozzle. A nasty tom cat like that is not going to be easily intimidated.

 

I would talk to the owner directly and then if you get nowhere, let the water fly! If you have no luck with that, I would resort to trapping the cat. As much as I love cats, this one is invading your property and bullying your cat. That has to stop. You wouldn't let a neighbor's kid do that to your kids, so you shouldn't have to tolerate this behavior from pets either.

 

Good luck!

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I generally scare the cats that come into our yard away, but they are not aggressive and after being chased off a few times, don't come around that often. If I had a troublesome or aggressive cat, I wouldn't hesitate to get a live trap from the Humane Society and turn the cat in. People often don't think that cats running loose around the neighborhood are a problem, unlike dogs, but they are. I absolutely detest scooping up other people's cat poop out of my yard!

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I would tell the woman that if you find her cat on your property again it will be caught and sent to the HS. Really, if it is attacking your animals, (not to mention coming in your house GACK!!) that is what I would do. I have ZERO tolerance for people who don't deal with their own pets!!

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I chose "other." I would stake out the area with a water gun. Kitties don't like getting squirted. An airsoft gun would work even better.

 

 

A BB gun with only 1 or 2 pumps. Hurts like hades but doens't break the skin. Don't ask me how I know :D

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I might mention to the neighbor that it might be against zoning laws for someone to live behind his house. The sheriff may be able to escort her and her cat away. Fixing the problem for both of you!

 

Though fun to consider this would probably be kinda mean ;)

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I say keep your cats inside. I used to have outdoor kitties, especially when I live in the country. I never had a cat live more than 5 years as an outdoor cat. Either they came up missing, or got hit by a car, or a dog killed them, or kitty was poisoned...always something. Not to mention them catching FIV, FIP FeLV and all those other nasties they get in cat fights. I figure they are safer indoors. Live longer, and just generally heathier.

 

And besides, if there is even a chance that your cat sometimes visits the neighbor, I'd really hesitate to complain that her kitty is visiting your house.

 

I don't blame you for being annoyed though, especially if yours generally stay close to home and are not aggressive.

 

Good luck.

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I say keep your cats inside. I used to have outdoor kitties, especially when I live in the country. I never had a cat live more than 5 years as an outdoor cat. Either they came up missing, or got hit by a car, or a dog killed them, or kitty was poisoned...always something. Not to mention them catching FIV, FIP FeLV and all those other nasties they get in cat fights. I figure they are safer indoors. Live longer, and just generally heathier.

 

 

I do understand the reasons for keeping the kitties inside. Dang it, though, I refuse to let a poorly behaved animal force me to change my life!!!

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I do understand the reasons for keeping the kitties inside. Dang it, though, I refuse to let a poorly behaved animal force me to change my life!!!

 

 

I admit, I kind of wrestle with this option as well. But, I included it among the choices because it's what many, including our vet, recommend. My trouble is, I think I'd rather not have cats than to have ones that never get to go outside. I might reconsider if I had a screen porch...or maybe a cat that was never allowed out, from the time it was a kitten. It's tricky no matter how you slice it, at least for me. And, I do understand why some feel that this is the best choice. I just can't get myself to believe it. :001_huh:

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I admit, I kind of wrestle with this option as well. But, I included it among the choices because it's what many, including our vet, recommend. My trouble is, I think I'd rather not have cats than to have ones that never get to go outside. I might reconsider if I had a screen porch...or maybe a cat that was never allowed out, from the time it was a kitten. It's tricky no matter how you slice it, at least for me. And, I do understand why some feel that this is the best choice. I just can't get myself to believe it. :001_huh:

 

This would be a deal breaker for me as well. I don't do litter boxes.

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I admit, I kind of wrestle with this option as well. But, I included it among the choices because it's what many, including our vet, recommend. My trouble is, I think I'd rather not have cats than to have ones that never get to go outside. I might reconsider if I had a screen porch...or maybe a cat that was never allowed out, from the time it was a kitten. It's tricky no matter how you slice it, at least for me. And, I do understand why some feel that this is the best choice. I just can't get myself to believe it. :001_huh:

 

We had to resort to keeping our cat in. The vet bills that resulted from his going outside and fighting with the bully cat were not worth it, especially since he has to be given anesthesia (spelling???) just to get him out of his carrier at the vet. It has been a difficult transition for him, but he is doing fine and is content with an open window.

 

Also, we don't have to vacinate for FIV and Feleuk. since he doesn't go out anymore. Finally, not worrying about cars makes keeping our kitties indoors a better decision for us.

 

Just my .02.

 

Oh, I almost forgot, I would say something to that woman and if that kitty is really getting into the house, I would trap it and take it to the humane society. I guess that is another .02! :D

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My elderly cat, who never left our front yard, kept getting attacked by the neighbor's tomcat. She had a horrible abcess on her head that was very expensive to repeatedly treat. I spoke to the neighbors on numerous times, only to be told that God made animals predators and they loved their cat too much to keep it indoors. ??? The problem resolved itself when these same nutters got a pit bull and apparently, God told him to dine on feline.

 

If that's how they feel, humans *are* at the top of the food chain and dh has a gun...

 

Maybe they would like to rethink their argument???

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This would be a deal breaker for me as well. I don't do litter boxes.

 

 

We do have a litter box, and we do lock our cats in at dusk every night. We started restricting our cats' night roaming at the farm where these small kitties would have become pretty easy prey for a Great Horned Owl. :001_unsure: So, we just kept up the habit when we moved to town.

 

All the bully cat "antics" have occurred during the daytime.

 

:glare:

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We have a nasty wild tom up in our barn. He's been beating up on our housecats. I'm going to trap him and bring him in for brain surgery. (neutered). That ought to do it.

 

 

 

I would neuter him and send him home:lol:. But I can do that! Problem solved. I might even declaw him in front as well but the MIL might notice the bandages:glare:!!

 

 

You gals are SO funny!!! :smilielol5:

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