Strange cat spraying around house

I had two semi feral cats hanging around outside my house - a boy and girl - that I was feeding. A strange cat showed up and started fighting with my two around May but then it disappeared. I brought the girl inside and she was spayed 5 weeks ago. I'm saving up $$ to take the boy down to be vaccinated and neutered. For the past week or so the "stranger" cat has been showing up again and spraying my front door and around my screened-in back porch. Anybody know why? I keep cleaning areas that he sprays with vinegar but he comes back and marks it again. He never actually sprayed my door before I brought the girl cat in. Is there a connection?

That's normal. The strange cat senses the resident cats are no longer around so he is putting his "signature" in the area. Your front door and porch are probably the targets since the scent of your cats is strongest there.

I know you said you're saving for the boy's neuter but if you can trap this new guy and neuter him, too, everyone will be better off. Any rescue or spay/neuter groups in your area?

Your vet may know of some.

Thank you for taking care of this. That little girl would have been pregnant very soon without you!

Originally Posted by Ondine

I know you said you're saving for the boy's neuter but if you can trap this new guy and neuter him, too, everyone will be better off. Any rescue or spay/neuter groups in your area?

Your vet may know of some.

Thank you for taking care of this. That little girl would have been pregnant very soon without you!

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As for the "stranger" cat I have only been able to get about 15 feet from it before it runs away...probably because I've always been chasing it at the time. (I know that sounds awful but in my defense it was fighting with "my" cats.)

And as for the girl getting pregnant, she already was by almost a month and so now I have little Spike, Sunshine, and Zuzu. Mama needed a c-section but they spayed her at the same time.

If you want the outside cat to stop spraying on your door I've heard that putting moth balls out will keep them away from it. You could probably trap him too if like someone else mentioned a rescue group was willing to neuter him.

Originally Posted by howtoholdacat

If you want the outside cat to stop spraying on your door I've heard that putting moth balls out will keep them away from it. You could probably trap him too if like someone else mentioned a rescue group was willing to neuter him.

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I experimented with the front door yesterday. Scrubbed the door, screen, and surrounding porch area with soap and water and then sprayed vinegar all over everything. My back porch got sprayed but so far not the front door! Hopefully I'm on to something here.
Also, my current location has no rescue groups. The next county over has a neuter commuter that does low cost spay/neuter/vaccinations but they won't help me out b/c they only help their own residents. It's frustrating because I am literally like two minutes driving time from that county line.

Originally Posted by dandi

The next county over has a neuter commuter that does low cost spay/neuter/vaccinations but they won't help me out b/c they only help their own residents. It's frustrating because I am literally like two minutes driving time from that county line.

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Do you have any relatives or friends in that county that might help you by using them and their address to get the males neutered? You could trap the males so there is no need to get close to him. Some vet offices or shelters may loan you a trap.

The fighting, spraying and territory issues will very likely be improved with a neuter. Best of luck to you. It's wonderful that you are taking care of them.