Roomate's cat causing vet visits to my cat...

I'll give the entire background:
I have had my siamese cat for a year now. When I adopted her, she was already approximately a 1yr+ old. She is very laid back. She loves to just relax. She plays every so often, she's very affectionate, loves to be near mom and dad, right on top of us all the time. When brought to the vet, I don't cage her. She sits in my arms with no complaints. Dogs and other cats come in, she does not hiss, no ears going back, nothing. She's just all around a great cat.
Here's where the trouble starts. My roomate has been itching to follow in my footsteps ever since I adopted my cat. While sitting outside late one night, she sees this cat walking across our lawn. She snatches him up and brings him inside and decides he's hers. As awful as that is, which has caused issues on it's own ( "it's not right" "turn him in" "put up signs" trust me we've been through all this) we have bigger issues now.
Ever since introducing the two cats, the new cat is awful to mine. He corners her and stradels her on her back and bites the living crud out of her neck, back, and recently he's started to bite her knee joint on her hind leg, very hard. He bites her when she's trying to go in her litter box, bites her while she's eating, and bites her while she's sleeping. He bites her 24/7 and yelling at him and everything else you can think of does NOT help. We've tried squirting him, loud noises, he could care less. On top of all this, his two "fang" teeth are unusually large after his previous fell out (which I have never even heard of) and these new ones are HUGE! I've never seen anything like it! Also, he IS neutered. This did not cause him to call down at all.

He also digs away at the carpet (we live in an apartment, so this is great. he does this when I try to lock him in a room to keep them seperated from fighting), digs in our TRASH can and eats stuff out of it, knocks over plants, eats plants, knocks over anything on counter tops...etc.etc.etc. If you pet him, he bites you, if you hold him, he bites you (except his owner of course). I have NEVER seen any of these behaviors from my cat. Not to say my cat is great, but mine is an angel compared to this cat. Especially after I sit and watch him abuse my cat all day long. The thing that perturbs me the most is how my cat handles it. She cowers down, not defending herself at all except for a moan or scream, and runs full speed to me, as in, "save me!"

I came to my wit's end this past weekend when I was just sitting around the apartment and I noticed a big fight between the two. I ran into the living room as I usually do, screaming the other cat's name. He runs away, and my cat is left limping on her left hind leg. She shakes it off in a few minutes, and it sort of lame, but seems better. A couple days later, I notice she is walking fine, but sort of swinging her leg outward when she walks. I go to the kitchen to feed my cat, then feed him (which he always pushes her out of the way and scarfs down her food in two seconds, to which I then have to snatch him up and go feed him in a seperate room) and I noticed as I put down my cat's food, he bites her back hind leg joint (the tiny ball joint) and she screams. Of course, this has to be what's cause her limp. She continues to walk strangely, and hikes her leg out from under her to keep it straight when she's lying down. I call the vet, and I take her in. I also tell other cat's owner, who is less than happy, tells me she's tired of me always complaining about her cat, says "what do you want me to do? get rid of him?" and is just very defensive. Come to find out after the pet visit, she's developed an abscess and infection from his bite. Her joint is swollen. She is in pain, and she has a high fever from the infection. She gets an antibiotic shot, and I'm given oral pain killers to give her this week. Needless to say, I'm TICKED. This is obviously a new spot he's found that really hurts her, and he's not stopping. He's now stopping biting her anywhere else. He now just likes this knee joint. And obviously it's caused me a large vet bill. I spent over a $100 yesterday, and told said roomate. I told her she needed to come pick up the cat (she's been at her parents house the past week and a half, and I've been stuck with this other cat) and when she came, she did not offer to pay me, give me any money, nothing. Maybe I'm being unreasonable, but I feel as though if my cat inflicted an injury on her cat, I would be more than glad to pay the bill.

I cannot afford this vet bill everytime he bites her and punctures her skin. My roomate is uncooperative when I ask her to give him up, or give him to her mom. She said she is not giving him up or away, and that she will do one of two things. Remove his teeth or muzzle him. Both of which are animal cruelty, in my opinion. I am at my wit's end, I am so stressed out, and I'm worried about my cat's health. I have NO idea what to do, I need advice about trying to get her to give him up, or take him somewhere else. I need advice on how to make this other cat stop! Help!

The only choice i see is getting rid of him before he hurts your Cat even worse. My Brother had to get rid of Frisky and Charlie because they tried to kill each other and hurt the other cats. You can not muzzle a cat and removing the teeth is cruel. Do you know id he has any diseases since he was found outside? Can you get another Apartment?

I cannot move, I have 9 more months on my lease left. I'm thinking about finding someone to fill my spot and moving somewhere else, but that's very hard to do. I adore and love my cat way too much to put her through this. She's had a personality change since they've been put together. She used to be a lot happier. She just cowers for my help now. She's still sweet to me, but her personality is just..different.

He has no diseases. When she got him , she had him neutered and vaccinated. However, the fact that she was given an infection by his bite makes me leary. Although I know the infection is from the bacteria in their mouths. She is not going to get rid of this cat. My father wants to call her (he knows how spineless I am with things like this) and put her in her place and tell her she needs to get rid of him. I am a college student with a full time job over summers and breaks. So I have money on my hands, and she's very cared for. No matter what circumstance I have with money, if I need to get a loan from my parents for her care, I can. This past visit I had to borrow the money from my parents, and father is mad b/c, of course, this other cat is causing vet bills to my father. When I brought up to her she needed to get rid of him, she pretty much told me in round-about ways that she is NOT doing that. I have no idea what to do! She told me to keep MINE locked up in my room! It's just way out of hand, and I need extreme advice. Of course my dad's advice is to "accidentally" let him outside... hehe

Maybe this new cat is vicious because he doesn't want to be there, he might have another family somewhere around and he's taking it out on your kitty. Maybe you could take a picture of him and hang it around the neighborhod. If he let your room mate pick him up then he was or is owned by someone.

Good luck.

I just saw your second post about letting him out. Maybe he would go back home if he did get out.

Oh my goodness how awful!!!! Your poor baby!!! and you! This is just terrible!

First, no, you are *not* being unreasonable in expecting her to cover the vet bills for the injuries her cat has caused yours.

Secondly, take pictures of all of your cat's injuries. Document everything and make sure to get a copy of the vet's report.

Third, insist that she takes "her" cat, that technically she stole, out of the apartment before it further injures your cat. If she refuses, tell her you will take her to court to force her to pay not only for the vet's bill, but for the emotional pain and suffering it has caused you and your cat and I quote:

She's had a personality change since they've been put together. She used to be a lot happier. She just cowers for my help now. She's still sweet to me, but her personality is just..different.

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Do not let her bully you, if you have too, have your dad be present when you confront her. You aren't being a "coward" by having your dad with you, you are protecting your cat. But it has to be in person, that will be much more effective than over the phone.

Remind her that this cat does not truly belong to her in the first place. I know you already did, but with your dad present, it won't hurt. It could also be why the cat is so aggressive, it wants to be back out with its real owner.

Take pictures of "her" cat and put out posters. Maybe the real owner/s are devastated and looking for their cat! Don't ask her permission to do it, just do it! The cat does not belong to her, so you are not doing anything wrong. In fact, the rightful owner, if found, will probably be eternally grateful to you.

If you don't take action, her cat will eventually severely injure your cat and probably kill her. Plus you want "her" cat out of there before it permanently ruins your cat's personality.

Don't be afraid of this bully. This your apartment, not her's. If anything, "her" cat should be kept in her room.

Also, it goes to show how little this person knows or cares about cats for her to even suggest to have the cat's teeth removed!

Also, until she removes the cat, keep it in her room and feed it separately from your cat, so your baby can eat in peace.

Your sweet baby is helpless in this matter, don't wait another minute to act, you cannot allow her to get away with this! You are the one who is going to have to be strong and be her hero!

Please keep us posted!!!

Take you Dad to talk to her. i sure do not want your cat to get her bad worse. Your Cat was there first also. That Cat is a danger to your Cat. iw ould make her pay the Vet bill also.

I just came home on my lunch break to check on her, and with the other cat gone she is on CLOUD 9! She is running around, jumping around, purring up a storm, just so happy. When he is around, she is quiet (and you know how loud siamese are!), keeps to herself, and hides in the corner of a room.

Her mom was with her when she came to pick him up yesterday, and to add insult to injury her mom is on her side. Her solutions are the same as my roomates, and she didn't offer to pay me back either. Whatever her daughter says, she just goes along with. She won't be back with the cat until a week from now, and my fear is that he'll go bite the same area again and it will be round two of the same vet visit.

Do you really think the only option is to give him away? Of course that's all I want, and I think this is the only option, but I guess if there's some other option it could be tried.

Also, when locking up the other cat like suggested, he tears up whatever room he's in. Knocks everything over, digs through things, tears holes in things... so that option is out the door also.

That is just wrong of your roommate. Technically,the cat is not hers if she just picked one up at random who was walking outside. I would leave the door open for the cat to leave.

You know I hate to say this but someone might have dumped him because the way he is. I know how loud Siameses can be. My Coco is half Siamese even though you can not tell. Her Mom was a Seal Point and we got her because all her littermates were bought already. They didnt want her because she is black and white.

I would have to say, you essentially need to tell her that her cat was the second one to come in, has caused the trouble, and he needs to leave, however she wants to do it.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I would have to say, you essentially need to tell her that her cat was the second one to come in, has caused the trouble, and he needs to leave, however she wants to do it.

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Yes I completely agree! It's your apartment and you have the right to refuse her cat. Do not let her bring that cat back in!

Again get with your dad, get him to help you with this. Of course that girl's mom is going to side with her, it's her daughter and she will believe whatever she tells her.

So once again, take pictures of your cat's injuries, get the vet's report. Have proof on your side.

You say that if you lock her cat in a room, it will tear up the room. If that happens, take pictures. Since it's your roommate's cat, the responsibility if hers to pay for any damages caused the by the cat.

If your roommate argues that if her cat had not been locked in her room the damage would not have happened, you can argue that you had no choice because of the severe injuries it caused your cat. Hence take the pictures!

Did you sign a contract with her? If not, I would start looking for another roommate, with no pets allowed. I would not risk another cat coming in at all. Who knows what further trauma it could cause your sweet baby.

Your roommate is refusing to pay the vet bills, of course she is! Why should she if she can get away with it? But legally, I think she has to and I think with proof of what happened things will out in your favor. It's her cat that caused the injury to your cat. That's why you need to get proof. Talk to your vet, maybe he can send the bills to her parent's directly.

At the worst case, you take your loses (the vet's bills you have already paid). You refuse to have her and her cat come back. Your parents will be able to help you out until you find another roommate.

Did you see my earlier post? Please don't let this bully push you around! In fact her attitude speaks volumes of her character, and you have much more than her!

I agree with everyone else. You had your cat first, and her cat was the second one to join the home and is causing all the problems. He tears things up, digs holes in things, attacks your kitty and bites badly enough to cause injuries that must be treated by a vet... That is bad news. If your roommate doesn't care enough about animals to see how terrible it is what her cat is doing to yours, or care about the money you spent then she isn't a very nice person anyway.

I would tell her that the cat leaves, or she leaves with the cat. Either way, get that cat out of your apartment. If your name is on the lease and your roommate's isn't, kick her out and find another roommate if she refuses to get rid of her cat. She doesn't sound like the kind of roommate I would want anyway.

Originally Posted by zorana_dragonky

I agree with everyone else. You had your cat first, and her cat was the second one to join the home and is causing all the problems. He tears things up, digs holes in things, attacks your kitty and bites badly enough to cause injuries that must be treated by a vet... That is bad news. If your roommate doesn't care enough about animals to see how terrible it is what her cat is doing to yours, or care about the money you spent then she isn't a very nice person anyway.

I would tell her that the cat leaves, or she leaves with the cat. Either way, get that cat out of your apartment. If your name is on the lease and your roommate's isn't, kick her out and find another roommate if she refuses to get rid of her cat. She doesn't sound like the kind of roommate I would want anyway.

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I couldn't agree more!!!

This sounds like a horrible situation for both you and your cat. I recently moved out of a roommate situation based on how the other person was treating my cat, so I can relate to a degree.

First off, I would inform your roommate that the cat HAS to go. If you are both on the lease tell her that she can either choose to get rid of the cat, they both can leave, or you need to leave and request a roommate release from the lease which leaves her responsible and you get out of there without breaking your lease. If she is not on the lease, you have every right to kick her out anyway and find another roommate. That way it is her choice as to whether she wants to keep the cat and find somewhere else to live, or if she wants to get rid of him. Give her a deadline to make this decision. You can also inform her that she is welcome to have her own cat, just not that one. That your cat was there first, and will need to get along with your kitty to be a permanent part of the family.

Stop being her free cat sitter. Inform her that you wonâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t babysit her demon-cat. If she goes to stay with her parents, so does he. Or she is welcome to take him to a kennel or other professional animal care facility. If she is not home to contain him – he needs to be locked up. She should be responsible for obtaining a cat cage/crate if necessary. You should not be stuck with him while she does whatever – thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not your job and since you have clearly expressed that the cat has to go, you have every right to stick to your guns here. Of course this means you wonâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t be able to count on her to watch your cat either – but from the sounds of it I wouldnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t let her anyway!

I agree with documenting your catâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s injuries and giving her a written demand for payment. Make sure it is in writing, keep a copy, and make sure you have a witness when you give it to her. I would also photo document the damage caused by the cat to the apartment. If you are the only one on the lease, I would also demand payment for the damages to the apartment, because you will be made responsible for them when you move out. You donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t want her irresponsibility coming back to bite you later! Do not be afraid to take her to court if necessary. I know sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s your friend, but anyone worth keeping as a friend is not someone who is willing to overlook physical harm to something you clearly love!

Contact your apartment complex. I assume when you signed your lease there would have been a pet addendum, right? If she just caught this cat and brought it inside, I doubt it was added to the lease? I know I just signed a lease at my apartment, and it very clearly states in my addendum that the complex can evict either an animal or even its responsible owner for possessing an animal on the property that is not approved by the leasing office. Additionally, many complexes have clauses in their pet addendum that indicate that even approved and listed animals will need to be removed from the premises if they are shown to be dangerous or destructive to the property. You can check with your leasing office, or even just read your lease. Documentation by your vet of it causing injuries to your cat and photographs of the property damage caused should be enough to get them to act on it, and that would give her no option but to get rid of him or leave.

Though really I have no idea what sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s expected to do with him. I doubt heâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll get adopted if heâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s nasty and doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t get along with other cats – what can she do, send him to the shelter? I know your interest in this is protecting your baby and I support you wholeheartedly, but do keep in mind that even the mean kidsâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] mom still has to love him, and sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s in that same boat!

Best of luck! Keep us posted!

Mary

While you've gotten a lot of good advice, it's also important to be as realistic as possible. If you can't find the cat's original owners, (and there may not be any; this cat could have been dumped) and you fail to convince your roommate to get the cat out of the apartment or keep it locked in her bedroom, you need to keep your cat safe. Which means keeping her in your bedroom. It might be possible to try the slowest possible introductions, associating smells of your cat with good things for the other cat, and eventually have the cats live together without terrorizing or injuring each other, but, with your roommates lack of cooperatively and assumed 9-month limit on how long the cats will live together, don't count on it.

It is more important that your cat not be terrorized and continually injured than she have the run of the entire apartment. You'll have to spend more time in your bedroom, but it will be worth it, if you can't find another way to fix the situation. Another possibility is to have your cat live with your parents or another friend until you can get out of this lease situation. Probably a terrible option, but better than continual injury.

By the way, was this cat neutered before your roommate scooped him up? Has he been to a vet's office and been checked for a microchip? Because if he wasn't neutered and has already been scanned for a microchip, you're not all that likely to find the original owners. I'm pretty sure a stray I adopted was abandoned, partly because she didn't appear to be litter trained at all. She was super-skinny, very young, nursing kittens, and insanely friendly. Maybe she was fed and pet outside by people, and then just ran away, but she was emphatically not owned when I met her. On the other hand, a healthy, neutered, well taken care of, litter trained cat is much more likely to be owned.

Hi, are you still having these issues? Best of luck to you and your kitty - that situation sounds terrible!

As far as your lease, if you're both on it - My fiancee had a situation a few years ago where the apartment complex allowed him to move out of the apartment he was in, and into another single apartment for the rest of his lease. His roommates were a dating couple - they had a HUGE fight that got physical, and broke up - and basically ended up moving out. I don't know whether your landlord would treat this the same way, but your roommate's cat is causing physical harm to your cat, and is not taking responsibility for it .

Even if you have a lease, the circumstances might allow for you to move to another apartment within the complex for the remainder of it. It might be worth checking out. Also, it's a good idea to let the landlord know if there is a pet addendum, and your roommate hasn't registered the new cat.

Anyway, good luck with all this, and I hope everything ends well for you and your kitty (and that your roommate takes responsibility for herself and her cat)!

I am going to sound cold blooded because I can't stand it when people are callous about their pets and other people's pets. Irresponsible owners are what cause a majority of the pets in shelters to be PTS.
I would keep your cat away from her cat. Period. When she leaves him there put him in her room. Let him rip her room apart. Let him bite through her things and ruin her stuff. If she gets mad. So what. Keep doing it. She wants a demon cat then make it her problem. Hopefully he pees on some of the stuff she loves and rips apart a few favored pieces of clothing. Since it is her room, she will be responsible for repair.
Put the posters up and advertise to see if someone is missing a cat. He may hate living there just as much as you hate having him.
Tell her that she had better pony up on the vet bills or you are going to sue her for them. Tell her your father is fed up and extremely angry.
Have your father come and intimidate her into leaving.
Think of it as establishing a hierarchy in your own home. You need to be top cat of the house, not her.
If she threatens to mutilate her cat, threaten to call ASPCA and report her for animal abuse.
During this time I would have your cat stay with your parents so she doesn't get some bright idea to retaliate and hurt your cat.
If she fails to comply and you don't want to kick her out, then you go ahead and break the lease. She has made living with her unbearable and not safe for your cat. Yes, you may get stuck giving up your deposit but you are going to spend as much, if not more, money on vet bills if this doesn't stop immediately.
If you are worried about the friendship then I must tell you she is no friend if she would do this to you and put you through this.

I agree with all of the above advice!! You're in a really horrible situation, and it makes me so angry that your roommate is treating you and your cat this way!!

You need to be TOUGH and STRONG, and stand up for yourself and your cat! I have a hard time standing up for myself sometimes too--but just keep thinking of your sweet kitty, and how much emotional and physical pain she is in because of this cat. You are doing this FOR HER! Have your dad there to back you up.

I also thought of one more thing you could do--look in the newspaper to see if someone has reported a missing cat that fits the cat's description.

Good luck and please keep us updated!

I love how all the cat-lovers read things like this and get all heated about it hehe I bet most of us are feeling like going over to your house and telling off your roommate ourselves right now!