Our street is quite full of indoor/outdoor cats, and recently a family with 4 of them moved in about two blocks away. I'm becoming quite concerned about our neighbor's cat, Miezi. She has always gotten along with other cats, except for Jamie, who doesn't get along with any cats, but as he only goes outside on a leash, that's usually not a problem.
Over the past two weeks, there have been a lot of cat fights, and Miezi seems rather intimidated. She's been taken to the vet, and isn't ill. Both yesterday and today, I witnessed her being attacked by two different cats she's always gotten along with. Today I was so angry about it that I intervened, and chased off Gizmo, her attacker.
I know the four new cats have upset the usual dynamics on our street, and all the cats are edgy, but don't know whether I should intervene when Miezi is being victimized by cats who've known her for years. She's not willing to stay inside all the time. We've got a serious overcrowding problem, but I rather doubt that anybody is going to agree to only let their cats out at certain times, because we have a rodent plague.
Do I let the cats work this out on their own, discourage the new cats from coming near our property, and/or chase off Miezi's attackers?
Any thoughts?
Over the past two weeks, there have been a lot of cat fights, and Miezi seems rather intimidated. She's been taken to the vet, and isn't ill. Both yesterday and today, I witnessed her being attacked by two different cats she's always gotten along with. Today I was so angry about it that I intervened, and chased off Gizmo, her attacker.
I know the four new cats have upset the usual dynamics on our street, and all the cats are edgy, but don't know whether I should intervene when Miezi is being victimized by cats who've known her for years. She's not willing to stay inside all the time. We've got a serious overcrowding problem, but I rather doubt that anybody is going to agree to only let their cats out at certain times, because we have a rodent plague.
Do I let the cats work this out on their own, discourage the new cats from coming near our property, and/or chase off Miezi's attackers?
Any thoughts?