Another cat question

[Texas Proud]

I see some good recommendations at times, so I am going to fish for some ideas and decided what I need to do... I am giving a long background so you know where she came from....

We inherited a cat. The cat was owned by someone for many years, but for some reason it liked to lay around on my driveway and in my tree at my old house. She was not friendly and would not let you pet her. I did not keep track, but would say she was there for between 5 and 7 years..

I then got married and acquired two kids. Our little girl kept after the cat and it started to wait outside for her. My wife started to feed her etc. etc. It took awhile, but the cat decided it like our family and started to come into the house. My wife talked to a neighbor and said the owners had abandoned the cat over a year earlier... So now we 'own' a cat...

We moved to another house and the cat has adjusted to our family quite well... she loves sitting around us and on my lap.. she sleeps with our daughter etc. etc... but she still insists on going outside. The problem is she was declawed and there are about three other cats the come by our house and will start a fight with ours. Not every time, but enough that I get pissed.

Last night my daughter and I were outside and our cat was sitting close to us. A cat came up to check us out and I was thinking it was friendly... when it got within a few feet of us, the cats were off to the races... ours was running away and the other after her... a fight broke out... lots of screaming etc... I ran across the road to get them apart and my cat ran by me, but the other was scared enough to run away... I ran after it for about 5 houses before I lost sight of it (it was at night)... my cat ended up with a lot of scratches and does not want to be held right now...


SOOO, long story to get to my question.... what can I do about these cats that come into our yard to attack my cat... I do not think that my cat, who loves the outdoors should suffer because of these others that are roaming around... talking to my wife and kids, we think there are between 3 and 5 cats that come by....

I am thinking of a pellet gun... a few good hits should teach them not to come this way... I know that others will think this is cruel, so I am looking for another way....

[bruce1]

Supersoaker? Most cats hate being wet.

[Sarah in SC]

I like the water idea. Unfortunately, although I know you don't want to hear this, a declawed cat really should never be outside at all.
However, if she's out there with you, you can probably shoot the other cats with water (legal problems might result from injuring someone's pet) to shoo them away. Obviously your cat is spayed/neutered I'm assuming, right?

Any other methods would probably scare your cat as much as the others. Watch for bite wounds on the cat, these can become infected and are hard to spot until they burst (gross).
Sorry to hear of the problems.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC I like the water idea. Unfortunately, although I know you don't want to hear this, a declawed cat really should never be outside at all. However, if she's out there with you, you can probably shoot the other cats with water (legal problems might result from injuring someone's pet) to shoo them away. Obviously your cat is spayed/neutered I'm assuming, right? Any other methods would probably scare your cat as much as the others. Watch for bite wounds on the cat, these can become infected and are hard to spot until they burst (gross). Sorry to hear of the problems.

I know she should not be outside... but since she had to have been declawed for the many years she lived on my other driveway she is pretty insistent on going outside... even though she is being attacked every once in awhile... it is not like the attacks are a regular thing... but we have heard it happen before and our cat is defenseless... usually she runs under a car where the other will not go to fight...


The water is not an option... the cat is usually too far away to get them by the time I get there... I really don't care about any legal problems... I would love to find out who owns this cat... I have seen it at the other end of the block, so it can be anyone of about 40 houses.. and that assumes that it is not from another block...

I have been looking... and it seems there is a 'soft air' gun that is used instead of paintballs... trying to find out more about this... will it give enough of a sting to train the cat... don't come here...

[Khan]

Just a suggestion:

Cat Enclosures - Outdoor Cat Runs - Many Cat Enclosure Pictures

[powerplay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan Just a suggestion: Cat Enclosures - Outdoor Cat Runs - Many Cat Enclosure Pictures

That is what I was thinking also. Some of those enclosures are pretty cool and you can get creative to suit your yard with one. Perhaps a weekend project?

[Purron]

I second the suggestion that a declawed cat shouldn't go outside. I understand she's used to and enjoys the outdoors, but being declawed it's best she transition into an indoor only cat. One additional benefit is she won't pick up fleas, ticks,and worms, something I'm sure you don't want in your house or your daughter's bed.

She's getting older now so it's a good time to train her to say inside. Older pets mellow out and sleep much more so the urge to roam will diminish with each passing year.

[Rustward]

Our cat has her claws. She likes the outdoors, but she only goes outside "supervised". We try to have an outing every day that weather permits. When she was younger we used a halter and a 15' nylon rope (leash would sound better) that weighs next to nothing. Now she wears a regular collar for her outings. The rope allows her to wander out of sight -- and as long as we can see the end of the rope we have a pretty good idea the cat is less than 15' away from it. We also did this with two other cats. The collar and rope are probably not necessary any more.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

she is pretty insistent on going outside.

Perhaps try a month of keeping her inside and see what happens.

Once our cat had a cast on a front leg and had to stay inside. I remember us sitting out on the deck with the sliding glass door closed, and him banging his cast against the door.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Perhaps try a month of keeping her inside and see what happens. Once our cat had a cast on a front leg and had to stay inside. I remember us sitting out on the deck with the sliding glass door closed, and him banging his cast against the door.

When we go on vacation the cat stays at my moms... she can only go out on a balcony.. she did not like the 'rock' feeling of my moms balcony, so she stayed indoors most of the time.. when we would pick her up, she would stay at the back door wanting out more than usual... our big problem is she was an outdoor cat most of her life (say 6 years outside all the time and a little over 2 years mixed) and wants it that way... there are times she will not come in at night, preferring to stay outside... if I try to get her, she runs away... I guess if she gets beat up a few more times she might not think that way...


OHHH... Sarah asked... Obviously your cat is spayed/neutered I'm assuming, right? yes...

[Tigger]

I suppose your cat was declawed by the previous owners. But in case anyone is considering have his cat declawed: DECLAWING: What You Need to Know

[Purron]

Hope you work it out Texas Proud. I'm just impressed you took her in and show concern for her. I see many cats at the shelter I volunteer at who would be thrilled to be with you and your family. In the whole scheme of things, she's a lucky little gal.

[Cattusbabe]

Don't see that there is much you can do. The cat was an outdoor cat for nearly seven prior to you taking her in. You are not going to change that. Treat her for fleas and let her go. Believe me she more than likely got into her share of scrapes, claws or no claws, before she came into your home. Trying to keep her in against her will, in my opinion, is not a good idea. Your house may turn into one big litter box as she registers her displeasure. Trust me you don't want to go there..

[kyounge1956]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cattusbabe Don't see that there is much you can do. The cat was an outdoor cat for nearly seven prior to you taking her in. You are not going to change that. Treat her for fleas and let her go. Believe me she more than likely got into her share of scrapes, claws or no claws, before she came into your home. Trying to keep her in against her will, in my opinion, is not a good idea. Your house may turn into one big litter box as she registers her displeasure. Trust me you don't want to go there..

Old cats can get used to being indoor-only. When I moved to Seattle, I lived in an apartment on a busy main street, with cars and buses right outside the door at all hours of the day and night. My old cat came north with me, but he had not grown up in such an urban setting and I was pretty sure he would not last long if allowed out on that heavily traveled street. He was 14 or so, which I think is a little older than Texas Proud's cat, but he adjusted without any problems.

I second the suggestion of an enclosure as a safe way to let the cat out, but if that's not an option, indoor-only is the way to go, especially for a declawed cat.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron Hope you work it out Texas Proud. I'm just impressed you took her in and show concern for her. I see many cats at the shelter I volunteer at who would be thrilled to be with you and your family. In the whole scheme of things, she's a lucky little gal.

She is a very friendly cat now.... inside... she still does not let anyone pet her outside (much).. she uses the litter box all the time...

I was talking to my wife last night and she was saying some of the same things... the cat wants to be with 'family'... my wife was in her room and the cat was just laying on the ironing board.. when my wife came downstairs, the cat came down (the kids were in bed)..

When I got up this morning and came to the computer to do my fantasy teams, she came to sit on my lap...



Now, she is sitting in front of the back door waiting to be let out... she will come up to us and then walk to the back door... she has trained us well

[mews]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud Now, she is sitting in front of the back door waiting to be let out... she will come up to us and then walk to the back door... she has trained us well

Yes, from the cat's POV -

:::Gooood human!! Oh, such a gooood human! So nice an' trainable, so well-behaved!:::

ta,
mews

[Gumby]

It's well known that cats have psychic powers that would put Uri Geller to shame. If they sit in front of a door and look at the handle long and hard enough, it is certain to open.

[Purron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud Now, she is sitting in front of the back door waiting to be let out... she will come up to us and then walk to the back door... she has trained us well

Dogs have owners; cats have staff.

[Sarah in SC]

I love that we have so many cat people here!
We lost a kitty to the busy summer traffic before we moved off the beach, where the cats had always been indoor/outdoor. I built a "cat house" out of chicken wire and 2x4s with some palmetto logs, a sandbox, and a full sized screen door for our backyard. It had shade cloth on the top and was actually pretty spacious for 4 cats.

We kept it and put it up at the rental while we were building our country house because the cats could not go outside AT ALL there. Way too much traffic. They adapted, somewhat grudgingly, to the change of lifestyle.

I make sure mine are in at night, when the beasties are out, but they all go out during the day since we live far away from traffic.

My cat house was not much to look at, but it did the job cheaply and with minimal build time.