Cats keep fighting.

Hi,

I would appreciate if all you cat experts could give me some advice. We recently got a new kitten. About 3 months old. I have a feral cat that lives in my shed, that we feed but never pet. She runs off when we get too close. The problem is that our kitten is eager to get out and explore the world outside. She is fearless of the other cat but once outside the other cat goes for her very aggresively. we are afraid that if let out unsupervised the big cat will hurt her or maaybe kill her. The kitten has yet to be nuetered, just waitng for her to get older. The other cat is female too. Will it make a difference once nuetered?

How can we make these cats get on? advice is greatly appreciated.

Pip

The feral cat sees the outside as its territory 24X7. I have 2 outdoor ferals too, and they are very territorial to any other cats that might wander into their "home", whether male or female.

If it were me I would put items belonging to the kitten in the shed, share blankets and stuff like that so your feral associates the smell of the kitten with you and with herself and her den.

Is your outdoor feral cat spayed? If you spay the new one and not the other, it could leave your new kitty at a disadvantage once outside- she won't have those hormones that give her the same pep and vigor.

I do agree that it would not be a good idea for your baby to be unsupervised until these kitties have had a chance to be introduced properly and their scents exchanged. My house cats and ferals know each other but it is because the ferals' "lair" is the back porch and so they hang with each other through the screen door. It would be good if you could get something going like that, where they can interact without fear initially.