Tiger is beyond threatend and hostile with outdoor cats... Help!

Ok so yesterday I made a thread that I wanted to adopt another kitty. Now Im not so sure that is a good idea. My older cat Tiger is a 5 year old neutered male and has been having bursts of hostility. At my apartment complex, for some unkinown reason, everyone lets their cats outside. Well in three instances when Tiger has seen cats (2 under our window ledge) he starts screaming, spitting, hissing, slamming himself into the window, tail puffed, hair on his back raised, and giving us caution signs that if we touch him in this state he will attack us too. Last night while I was in bed I heard a large crash into my patio sliding doors (located in our kitchen) i was startled so I went to see what was going on. Tiger had his head between the sliding blinds (patio blinds) and he was slamming himself into the window, hissing, screaming, hair raised on his back and tail poofed. It was dark so I couldnt see outside and I didnt want to approach my spazzing cat. My bf walked over to the patio window (with caution cuz Tiger was still freaking out) and sure enough there was a cat sitting on our patio.

I dont know what to do, this is happening a few times a week because everyone lets their cats outside and Tiger gets insanely hostile when he sees them (heck one jumped up onto our outside window sill while Tiger was sitting on the inside sill, and the window was open... that was a very bad situation). Its sad because all these kitties are drawn to my apartment and very interested in Tiger, but he isnt having it. My bf was actually talking to Tiger (his cat) saying that he needs to chill, that they kitties are outside and not in his territory... Inside is his territory and that outside is a different story... LOL as if Tiger understands that concept.

My older cat is fine with our kitten (they are buddies, though he has freaked on her like that 3 times never hurting her, but the reason he has flipped out on her is because she tends to be too rough when they play), but in that scenario he was gradually introduced to her and didnt have her thrown in his face (they were seperated a few days). Right now a kitten is out of the question

I've never tried feliway and Im considering it now, Im worried because I dont want Tiger to turn on us or for him to hurt himself when he slams into the windows... He really has become a crochity old man.

What to do?

Oh wow, I'm glad you put this link in the other post.

I have no useful advice, as I'm just re-going through all behavioral issues with my five month old cat, but I'm sure someone will have some soon!!!

Hang in there!!!

Yeah, I dont think a little kitty is a good thing now. The owner of that kitten not writing back makes things easy, because if she had considered me I would feel bad having to turn her down, due to my current situation

That is difficult. I tend to think th ough maybe your right about bringing home another right now. Although some cats wont act as aggresive with kittens as they do adults but you never know. How does he react if he smells another cat on you?

He doesnt care if he smells other kitties on me. He just doesnt like outside cats roaming in his territory. When I borught Nollee home I placed her on the floor in her carrier for about 10-15 minutes just to see how they interacted (before i seperated them)... Tiger was very curious and approached very slow... he hissed and tail poofed but he was not that hostile. Just weary of her presence and letting her know who is boss. I would let kitty out with my supervision for a little bit during the introduction process but Nollee would be placed in a different room whenever I went to work, after three days of that Tiger was absolutely fine with her. Im not sure if the situation would be different with the introduction method, but Im not sure I want to risk it and then have to give the kitten to another home because my crochity Tiger rejects him/her.

Now my 11 month old kitten Nollee has no issues with any cats... She is quite welcoming or non-threatend. She wasnt even threatend when i introduced her to Tiger... she was all over him.

I've been there. Our last apartment, which we lived in for about 3 - 4 years I think, had a horrible stray cat problem. It got so bad, that Raven started spraying.

At the time Pam Johnson-Bennett answered questions on ivillage.com for people. There was someone who was in a similar situation with her cats. This is what I did.

1. I put privacy film on the bottom half of all of our windows. This is cheap, can be purchased at any home improvement store. And is fairly easy to remove when you move out. Raven couldn't see the cats (we kept the windows shut, and blinds pulled to where they met the privacy film) so he didn't have redirected aggression on the other cats or spray.

2. Get a feliway diffuser. It will help calm tensions in the house, even if it doesn't stop spraying behavior completely.

3. Find out what the rules of your apartment are and your city's leash laws are. I'm guessing even if your lease doesn't say it's a violation, that the city doesn't look kindly on it. I had animal control visit a problem neighbor a few times. She also stopped letting them run loose when I called the LL threatening to trap. I borrowed a trap, but never used it. Our apartment, where we live now, has it in the lease, that pets are not allowed off leash in the apartment complex.

We also kept a long range squirt bottle near the door, we actually had to chase some of the cats away while we were right there! One of the worst offenders was a neighbor. We did a happy dance when she moved out. And that city had both cat and dog leash laws.

My in-laws have had similar problems, and had their neighbor's cat picked up a couple times. Then the neighbor's got a clue.

Thanks I will definitely check into that privacy tape... At least for the back patio doors... He hasnt sprayed (he is fixed and hasnt to this point, though I have heard it is possible to spray after being neutered but more common if the neuter was done at a later age than a younger... not sure if this is true)... I just dont want him to break his neck when he bashes into the window. I am definitely going to check into the tape situation.

None of the cats in the area are full outdoor cats... They are usually let outside under supervision (for the most part) but without a harness... Im not sure where or whose cat was roaming around at 10:30 pm last night when the incident occured. Both of my neighbors to the right and left of me let their cats outside. Granted I love one of my neighbors kitties dearly, but he is causing Tiger to go crazy (the neighbors cat is named bones, he is all black long haired, and the same age as tiger... bout 6 and male)...

Originally Posted by trixie23

None of the cats in the area are full outdoor cats... They are usually let outside under supervision (for the most part) but without a harness... Im not sure where or whose cat was roaming around at 10:30 pm last night when the incident occured. Both of my neighbors to the right and left of me let their cats outside. Granted I love one of my neighbors kitties dearly, but he is causing Tiger to go crazy (the neighbors cat is named bones, he is all black long haired, and the same age as tiger... bout 6 and male)...

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Definitely check your lease and if your city has a leash law. Our problem neighbor was just like yours, she let her owned cats roam--and Raven had a really rough time because of her irresponsibility.

She even watched one day when her one cat took a poo in the bushes right in front of our kitchen window. It stunk. It was nasty. And she didn't clean it up. I have no patience for people who let their cats roam.

Hmmm well they wont care I presume, the apartment managers that is. They gave me alot of privelages that go against their basic rules, with my cats... The rules are one cat per unit, they must be declawed, they must be at least 1 year old, etc. I already am a rule breaker myself but my landlord made an exception... considering I have 2 cats, one is under 1 years old, and both are clawed. I wouldnt want to be a hypocrite and complain when I myself was given privelage regarding the rules... Where could I find out more information about if this is an acceptable by the city itself? I dont want to be a snitch, but my cat is stressed and Im sure his actions even stress the outside kitties.

Originally Posted by trixie23

Hmmm well they wont care I presume, the apartment managers that is. They gave me alot of privelages that go against their basic rules, with my cats... The rules are one cat per unit, they must be declawed, they must be at least 1 year old, etc. I already am a rule breaker myself but my landlord made an exception... considering I have 2 cats, one is under 1 years old, and both are clawed. I wouldnt want to be a hypocrite and complain when I myself was given privelage regarding the rules... Where could I find out more information about if this is an acceptable by the city itself? I dont want to be a snitch, but my cat is stressed and Im sure his actions even stress the outside kitties.

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See if your city has a web page. Often they will post animal regulations somewhere in the Animal Control section. You could also contact the local Humane Society, especially if they contract with Animal Control.

Given what you said about your neighbor's and the apartment managers...I would get the privacy film, and check the leash laws. For all they would know, someone else is tired of their cat roaming all over.

I will check into it and let you know if I find anything. I personally dont think our complexes is safe for indoor/outdoor kitties. We have alot of traffic and right out of everyone of our doors in the parking lot... Its just asking for tragedy.

How about finding a way to cover that window, so he can't see the other kitties?

Hi,

His behavior is perfectly normal for a cat inside with other cats outside.
He is defending his territory and wants to attack them and goes nuts when he can't get at them.

My vet said the only way to handle this is to block the windows somehow.
That film sounds like a good idea. You might also want to consider some medication to calm him down for a while. Sounds like he could really hurt himself.

Good luck!

I know he is looney toons. My kitten on the other hand is not threatend by any kitties, yet timid as can be with humans?? Ive got a strange bunch. Im definitely going to check into that window tape or some other method to block views...

My cat hates outdoor cats! He don't slam into the window hard though. He will mostly hiss and smoosh up against the glass and growl.

But he behaved differently when I have brought my last two kittens in. he hissed and growled a bit at George when I first got him. But now they are the best of buds. He has never even hissed at this new kitten.