One of my semi-ferals was in a fight :(

I have one left outside that is semi-feral. He never leaves my lot and is the only one who has ever used any of the snow houses I set up for them in the winter. He's a huge black tabby and he was neutered and ear tipped last fall. He's still terrified of me when he can see my face, but if I walk backwards to him or it's dark, he'll let me get within feet of him, he even mews and holds his tail up when I go outside at night. He has also been scratching at my front door nightly for the last couple months, but runs away when we open it. He's the next on the list to bring inside to try to socialize and rehome.

This morning I gave him and a stray old lady cat breakfast a little earlier than normal because I had to get to the laundromat. Usually there are a few of them waiting out on the deck, but because it's been drizzling, only the two who stay permanently on my lot were there, so they got first servings. I headed out and did my stuff for about an hour.

When I got home I saw my boy across the street face to face with a smaller black cat I've never seen. I brought everything inside and got my mailbox key and headed over to where they were sitting just to make sure they were going to settle down, but as soon as I stepped into the road the little black cat lunged and grabbed hold of my boy. He flipped him into the air and had him on his back and was plainly the stronger cat. My poor guy was getting torn up and hair was everywhere. I ran over and got them to split, but he only got a few feet before the black cat caught him again and flipped him back over. I had to climb over a fence to get them to split again. The little cat just backed up to the fence, but my boy took off away from my lot into the scrub towards the highway. The little black hissed and yowled at me and sat while I watched my boy go. The little guy had some missing patches of fur on is face and chest that looked clean enough to be ring worm. I didn't see any blood on him.

I know that's how cats settle territory and it's normal, but I feel so bad that I'm not able to keep him safe.

Even if he comes back I won't be able to do very much more with the two other abandoned guys we're trying to find homes for taking up my inside room. I really hope he comes back though. This is his home

I know, it's so sad when they fight. My feral keeps getting into fights too, I'm sure it's over territory, and it seems we have a lot of 'newcomers' who challenge him. He's had lots of abscesses and wounds, but some how comes through, I do give him antibiotics when he's hurt. There's not a lot you can do short of taming him and keeping him inside, I found out that neutering doesn't stop the fights! Try to run off the black one, he could chase your boy away permanently. I think he'll be back, he thinks of you as his family. I've got one boy that disappears and has been run off by the other cats countless times and he was there this morning wanting to be fed!

I would try to trap the other cat and have him neutered, too.  It will reduce the territoriality that seems to be going on.

Vibes your kitty comes home.

He came home last night for dinner with a limp and a squinted eye, but he left soon after. Poor guy. I spotted the little guy late yesterday afternoon and pointed him out to my boyfriend and he says it's one of the first guys we neutered in last years TNR. I do remember a black long haired cat from then, but he disappeared right after release and I didn't consider that it was the same guy. I'll try to get a better look at him and in the meantime try to find another trap to borrow. One of our ferals came up positive for FIV a few weeks ago and I hope hope hope this guy isn't spreading it more.