New kitty needs your advice!

I got my new cat (she is only about 1 year old) from a rescue center about 6 weeks ago. I live in a small terrace house with a magnetic cat flap in the back door. I have just managed to get her to start using the cat flap and using the garden rather than a litter tray. She was really happy and content until about 10 days go when a very large white Tom cat (I think he is a stray) came right into the house and started fighting with her. I've tried all the usual ways of getting rid of him but he still comes in at about 6.30 every morning and fights her. She is half his size and is now quite scared of him and he comes and lies now on the kitchen tops! I'm at a loss of what to do other than get a very expensive catflap, which I'd like to avoid if I can. He isn't overly scared of me, I've tried spraying water, shouting, clapping and running after him...can anyone suggest anything else that might get rid of him for good? My little kitty was doing so well and now she really needs my help to get this bully out of the house! Thanks x

Can you just keep her inside? Even if you succeed in getting rid of this Tom, others may come along...or dogs, or vicious people, or a whole variety of problems.

Litterboxes come with the package when you have a cat. You may have succeeded in getting her to do her business outside, but you still need to provide a box inside for when she doesn't feel well, or needs to be kept inside, or when the weather is bad, or when she just doesn't feel like going out.

I have three cats, and I wouldn't dream of letting them outside on their own. From time to time we take them out on leashes, which they enjoy, but there are simply too many dangers out there for me to let them--or want them--to go outside on their own.

If the Tom is a stray, you may want to try purposely catching him and then take him to the local Humane Society, rescue, or shelter.

DanceMuse, it is normal and accepted in the UK for cats to be indoor/outdoor, we dont have many of the probs people in the US have. i dont know of many cats (except my fosters of course) that are indoor only.

Since the male comes at 6:30 every evening, try blocking the door from 6:00 until 8:00 every evening. Eventually he will give up trying to come in the door and will go elsewhere.

Additionally, you will find it helpful to borrow a humane trap and use it to trap him, take him to the vet to be neutered and then release him back into the neighborhood. After the testosterone is out of his body (about 3 weeks) you will see a dramatic reduction in his aggression.

It may be normal and accepted to have your kitty indoor/outdoor but if I had a bully COMING INTO MY HOUSE THROUGH THE CATFLAP and hurting my cat, I would have a litter pan and the catflap would be closed off to any access from the outside. If that meant closing the catflap off completely, so be it. Then my kitten would have to learn to stand at the door and "ask" to be let out.

We had to seal our dog door for this very reason. There is a very smart and old tomcat that roams here. Beautiful muted tortie but mean as a hornet, and he has over the years become bold enough to come into our dog door, spray our heater, and fight with the cats at night! So I took a large plastic cake can cover, and screwed it over the dog door so no one can use it anymore. He is also one of the reasons we built the cat enclosure, to many of my cats ended up at the vet hospital because of him. I have been trying unsuccessfully to trap him for years- I estimate he has to be about 8 years old.

Keep your cat indoors and provide litter pans for her. Seal up your cat door and keep your cat safe from these bold ambushes.

Originally Posted by booktigger

DanceMuse, it is normal and accepted in the UK for cats to be indoor/outdoor, we dont have many of the probs people in the US have. i dont know of many cats (except my fosters of course) that are indoor only.

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Yes, I've gathered this from reading other British posters' messages on this board. But, Yosemite pointed out the most important issue here--this Tom came inside Kate26's house to attack (and presumably has access to kitty when she's outside, as well). It only makes sense to me to keep her inside until the Tom is gone, which is very hard to make happen, short of trapping him and physically removing him.

Regardless, Kate26, you are obviously trying to take good care of your cat, so good luck, and let us know what happens!

I think the only answer is a magnetic flap - you can get them from Petplanet online in the UK for around £13.00, which is not too expensive. I use one here and it stops the feral I feed outside from coming in and stealing food.

It would make sense to keep the cat indoors only, however if cats are used to being able to come and go, it can be very stressful to keep them in for a period of time, i had to do it last year after one of mine had an op, and he howled, attacked the door and got depressed, so its not always as simple as keeping them in the house. I do appreciate that the stray could cause probs.

Kate26 - how is he getting in if you have a magnetic catflap? i thought these were suppsoed to prevent stray cats from coming in?

My Elmo is indoor/outdoor but if I had a bully coming in he would be confined to indoors as much as he would hate it.

Wow! The responses have been helpful (and caused some debate!). Last night I locked the catflap and got out her old litter tray and kept her in over night. In the morning I opened the catflap, got her to use it, and put the litter tray away again. I think over the next few weeks i'm going to keep her indoors over night and let her go out all day - she loves being in the garden and I know she gets bored when I'm at work all day so I want her to be able to enjoy the sunshine outdoors! In England we have just had a freak heatwave and had temperatures of 33 degrees!! It has been amazing. Thanks for all your help. Will keep you posted as to the Bully's whereabouts soon (I saw him swanning around the street yesterday).