Feral cat beating up my indoor/outdoor cats

I have three cats - two are spayed adults that are indoor/outdoor and the other is an intact male kitten (he'll be fixed when he turns 6 months) but he's kept indoors.

I live out in the country and we always have strays/ferals living under our garage from time to time.

Well my 13 year old tabby girl was outside and this big, gray tomcat started fighting with her under our front porch. Luckily I heard them fighting and scared him off.

She only has a scratch on her face that looks to be as bad as paper cut, otherwise I haven't found any other wounds. She had a little bit of food and water when she came in and now she's asleep.

My other cat stays outside for days at a time but I've never seen any wounds on her but she's about 8 years old and a bit more savvy with being an outdoor cat. She's practically our "barn" cat, just comes inside now and again for loves and warmth. When she was younger, she'd be outside for weeks at a time.

Do I call animal control to get rid of this tomcat? He always runs under our garage so I'm not sure how'd they get him out. How do I keep my girls safe when they go outside, especially my older one? Also, what should I look out for over the next few days to make sure she's actually okay? Should I do anything with the scratch on her face? It wasn't bleeding and isn't very big. It's in between her eye and nose, so I didn't want to mess with something in such a tender area.

This is her scratch, definitely not that bad. I bet it'll be healed up in no time but I'm just worried about bacteria getting in there.

Raejae42 said:

I have three cats - two are spayed adults that are indoor/outdoor and the other is an intact male kitten (he'll be fixed when he turns 6 months) but he's kept indoors.

I live out in the country and we always have strays/ferals living under our garage from time to time.

Well my 13 year old tabby girl was outside and this big, gray tomcat started fighting with her under our front porch. Luckily I heard them fighting and scared him off.

She only has a scratch on her face that looks to be as bad as paper cut, otherwise I haven't found any other wounds. She had a little bit of food and water when she came in and now she's asleep.

My other cat stays outside for days at a time but I've never seen any wounds on her but she's about 8 years old and a bit more savvy with being an outdoor cat. She's practically our "barn" cat, just comes inside now and again for loves and warmth. When she was younger, she'd be outside for weeks at a time.

Do I call animal control to get rid of this tomcat? He always runs under our garage so I'm not sure how'd they get him out. How do I keep my girls safe when they go outside, especially my older one? Also, what should I look out for over the next few days to make sure she's actually okay? Should I do anything with the scratch on her face? It wasn't bleeding and isn't very big. It's in between her eye and nose, so I didn't want to mess with something in such a tender area.

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The best thing you could possibly do for this tom is to trap him and get him neutered. He is beating up your girl because that is what intact toms do. You can try to borrow a humane trap from a local no kill shelter or rescue so he can be fixed. Intact toms have very difficult lives outside. You have seen that they fight a lot. If another intact tom comes along it could get very ugly and your senior girl could get caught up in that. No good would come from that. 

If you need help finding a low/no cost spay/neuter place, please give us an idea of whee you are located and we will help you look for one

Doing a TNR  (trap, neuter, release) is the best way to go for you and for him. Do you plan on caring for him? Are you feeding him now?

Please keep your cats indoors at least until the TNR is done. He will calm down once he is fixed. If your girl is allowed to go back out before that, he could hurt her badly or worse. No one wants that. 

The scratch looks minor so you can wash it with some warm water and antibacterial soap and keep an eye on it. If it starts to look inflamed or infected a vet visit would be needed. 

if you call animal control on the tom, he will likely be euthanized. shelters and rescues consider ferals unadoptable and the vast majority do not have the money, space or manpower to care for them. it is very unfortunate but true. 

I agree, the best is to neuter him.  He will be much calmer afterwards.  He may perhaps still continue to defend his core territory, but it wont be the same viciousness, sooner mostly working by threats and stirring them out...

If he is a territorial dominant tom, the hormones wont leave him at once, it will take several weeks.  Still, its the way to go.

And if you want him to live, dont call on the animal control.  A friendly handleable tom would have a chance - many of these city authorities ARE reasonable. but a ferale, rahter aggressive tom?  A snowflake in desert has a better chance.

ps. Observe, Im describing worst case scenario, what may happen say two months after his neutering.

but with a little luck, it may even be so he will be fully possible to socialize and or handle.  chances for it are rather good.   so you arent cheating him by taking from him his manhood, its vice versa - you will give him life if you help him with neutering. Making a win win situation out from a bad situation at this moment.

StefanZ said:

 
ps. Observe, Im describing worst case scenario, what may happen say two months after his neutering.

but with a little luck, it may even be so he will be fully possible to socialize and or handle.  chances for it are rather good.   so you arent cheating him by taking from him his manhood, its vice versa - you will give him life if you help him with neutering. Making a win win situation out from a bad situation at this moment.

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Yes and to continue onto these wise words, if you do decide to TNR him and care for him, we can assist you in trying to socialize him and help you make a shelter for him if you are so inclined to do so. This can be done for not much money at all.   (nudge, nudge....   )  

Kat0121 I'd love to set him up a shelter and care for him but I just took in a kitten and I'm 8 months pregnant so I really don't have too much energy in taking care of an additional animal, even if it is more passive than the rest. I have three cats and three dogs and a baby to prep for otherwise I'd be all over helping him.

I will call the shelter in my town and see what kind of info they can give me in doing a TNR. I believe I saw something about them having a program that does that kind of thing.

If he does turn out to be sociable then perhaps the shelter can get him adopted out.

Raejae42 said:

@Kat0121 I'd love to set him up a shelter and care for him but I just took in a kitten and I'm 8 months pregnant so I really don't have too much energy in taking care of an additional animal, even if it is more passive than the rest. I have three cats and three dogs and a baby to prep for otherwise I'd be all over helping him.

I will call the shelter in my town and see what kind of info they can give me in doing a TNR. I believe I saw something about them having a program that does that kind of thing.

If he does turn out to be sociable then perhaps the shelter can get him adopted out.

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Has he ever approached you or let you near him at all? Are you sure he's a true feral? If he's not a true feral he may have a chance at a no kill shelter.

Kat0121 said:

Has he ever approached you or let you near him at all? Are you sure he's a true feral? If he's not a true feral he may have a chance at a no kill shelter.

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No, he's never approached me though I see him more on a monthly occasion. I only go outside to get into my car or go out in the backyard. And unless he wants to get chased by my dogs, I don't think he'll go back there.

Not sure this is still relevant?  Haven't read the whole thread.  Just wanted to weigh in that, against all odds, I have a success story which started like yours.  I have a feral I've taken care of for 6 years; I love her dearly and she "lives" in her shelter in my backyard.  A few months back I heard a couple of cat fights at night (which was weird as she gets along well with the neighborhood non-feral cats) and then she disappeared.  Then I saw him.  A feral tom eating her food.  SO.  I trapped him.  Took about 6 weeks (I also had the thrill of trapping a skunk... bleh), but victory!  With a friend's help, I got him to the sf spca where he was neutered.  The theory being that if he was neutered AND had a steady source of food, he would no longer be aggressive.  But I didn't want to release him at my home again.  My feral had just started coming back and I was so happy to have her home; I didn't want to risk it.  But I felt responsible for him   So my dear friend said she'd take him; we would relocate him to her house where the plan was to let him have an enclosed porch for a couple of weeks then release him, hoping he'd resettle in the new surroundings.  Which is exactly what happened.

Today he is a lap cat.  He waits for her to come home everyday, jumps onto the hood of the car and waits for her to open the door.  Then he jumps in and sits on her lap which she gives him some treats and snuggles.  He recently has taken some steps into the house and isn't freaking out when the other cats come to check him out.  So, like I said, defying my expectations... this story had a ridiculously happy ending.  Just wanted to encourage you... it can be done!  And bless you for taking responsibility for this vulnerable kiki.