Help -- My Cat's been fighting

Hello all. I've had a recent problem with my cat Iggy fighting with the neighbor cat. He's a four year old male (neutered), and we've lived in the same house since he was a wee one of five weeks old. He's been an outdoor cat since birth (I bring him in at night). Recently, my neighbor, who has lived in the area for a while, has started letting her male cat outside for periods of time. This cat is older/bigger than mine, but my cat, I think, feels as if the neighbor's yard is his turf, since he's had access to it unfettered for years now. Anyhow, these cats hate each other, and my poor Iggy is getting roughed up pretty badly. Is there anything that can be done to get these cats to tolerate each other? I know the obvious answer is to keep my cat in all the time, but he's miserable when I do that. Thanks in advance for any input!

The neighbor's male is he neutered as well?

It is still kitten season and the chemicals are hanging in the air, so that may have some bearing on these cat fights.

At this point, I would be inclined to look into an outdoor enclosure for your cat. It could come off your house and there could be access from inside the home to the enclosure. Your cat could be outside, safe and protected.

If the cats were in the same house together, it would be easier to get them to accept each other, but they are outside and not owned by the same person, so there lies the difficulty.

I wonder if this is your neighbors way of telling you and your cat that the cat is not welcomed in her yard?

You may want to look into that as while I love cats, I'd be getting a little annoied if I kept seeing my neighbors cat roam around my yard. Maybe she thinks if her cat will continually beat up yours, that your cat will stop coming into their yard.

Yea, I'd check into that as well. Hissy's idea of an outdoor enclosure is great. Heck, if I had a house I'd get one of those for my furbabies.

I can remember when I was a kid my dad would often let our dog out when he saw cats in the yard. He hates cats (thinks that they are malicious creatures that are too weak and unloving) so he wanted them out at all costs. So he let out Diamond, our dalmation who would chase the cats out and then come back all proud. Neighbors never knew because they never asked or even cared which I think gave my dad more aggravation.

I appreciate the feedback. Unfortunately, the idea of an outdoor enclosure, while a good one, won't really work in the space that I have. I think the problem I've got is one of two cats being territorial -- my cat really was there first, as my neighbor's cat was an indoor one. Unfortunately, there's no real way to contain the kitties to their own yards. It looks like the only thing is to keep them apart. I guess I was hoping that someone might have a suggestion about how to make them be "friends" or at least tolerate each other. Waiting until my kitty gets the clue after being in numerous fights that he can't go in the neighbors yard just really isn't an appealing option. Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks again.

A friend of mine has a cat that beats up the neighbourhood kitties. She finally had to make arrangements with the neighbours; her cat is allowed outside on even numbered days, the other cats are allowed out on odd days. Then they can go outside in peace at least every other day.

I would try sitting down with the neighbour and discussing the issue. Keep in mind, that your neighbour may be annoyed with you and your cat if your cat has been annoying in any way. That and the neighbour could be thinking that your cat is beating up their cat. Just keep an open mind on things and apologise for anything your cat may have done. Don't dispute it, it will cause more tension. Hopefully your neighbour will do the same thing.

Then hopefully you could set up a similiar schedule to what Sammie5 suggested. Alternate days where either cat can venture outside without running into each other.