Stopping cats from fighting

We share our home with a very independent cat - a neutered male 3-year old we inherited from some neighbours. He's affectionate but enjoys his freedom, and stays outside every night and whenever we're out. He found it easy to establish his 'territory' in...

our large garden when we moved house 2 years ago, but has recently enoucountered a new rival.

For about a week he's been in a series of major or minor fights with some new cat in the area. He's been bitten (we've had the bites treated) and is also clearly bruised or has sprained some muscles, as he's stiff and limping (although this is improving now). He still wants to spend most of his time out of doors.

I'm half tempted to 'mother' him and keep him in while he's in danger like this. But he doesn't want to stay in and the logical consequence of keeping him in will be to allow the new cat to claim our garden as his territory, so that won't help him in the long run.

So, does anyone have any advice or reassurance they could give me - is there anything else I could/should be doing to help our cat stay safe but keep our garden as his territory? Or am I just going to have to let the fighting run its course?

try sprinkling your cats cat litter around your garden ,only small amounts though lol
this will show whos teritory it is and other cats will be deterred.
hannah
xx

That's a great idea, the one about the litter. I am not sure it will work. The only reason I say this is that I don't see it detering stray cats at my neighbors who has maybe 20 cats. But worth a try.

I would bring him and Mother him. I do say this because I am afriad they will keep fighting until one is dead or injured to the point of being blinded or something. I say this because I have had both happen.

I use to let my cats stay out if they wanted (I don't anymore) and I once had one blinded over the same situation and one at another time killed.

I don' let my cats go out anymore after a cat I dearly loved was killed. The cats I have now are 8 and 11. I am happier not to lose my cats at early ages of 2 or 3 which seemed to happen when they were outside cats.

My cats go to the windows and interact with the stray cats and I control what happens this way.

One of my cats is nutered and he always fought me to go out and would escape about once a year until he was hurt very bad by one of the wild cats and once he was almost killed by a dog. He and I were both in that one. I barely saved him. He is now content to stay in. They do learn what is best for them.

Good luck and I hope you cat comes out of this alright.

You know there are cat traps you could catch the other cat and take it to the animal shelter, that is if it doesn't belong to anyone? Actually are Animal Shelter will put out traps to catch cats.

I suggest you keep the cat inside.
I know a couple of people who have had their cats killed, ran over, etc. and they have always regretted letting their cats go outside. I have 4 cats, I am crazy about them and have never let any of them outside. What I suggest is that you buy your cat a little scratching post, one of the ones that have holes so he can climb in it and lay in there without being bothered. Cats want to feel special, buy him a new toy, some new treats or something. Just don't let him outside on his own. If you want, buy him a leash and take him out to his territory every so often.

Flossheal, I have a kitty that I love very dearly too so I know you want to do everything you can to make this little guy have the best life possible. I really have to advise that you bring kitty indoors. I know he likes being outside but it really is dangerous and decreases his life expectancy greatly. My kitty really enjoys sitting in the window sill when I open the window and watching the world go by. He gets sunshine and fresh air but never has to fight the other cats (I have 4 outside) and never has to worry about getting run over. Good luck!

There is no real way to prevent cats from fighting.

Here is an update with a surprise solution!

My son adopted a dog from someone who could no longer look after her. The cat is not too keen on the dog, but the surprising result is that he's been in no more fights - other cats are now avoiding our garden like the plague! The cat is beginning to adapt to sharing the house with the dog, and he is much safer, so I'm very happy.

train him on a dog harness first then to a leash it worked for my cat, he used to go outside until someone stabbed him in the middle of his back, so I came up with the harness idea...it worked he would walk in my back yard and at night I would take hin for a walk to wait for my husband to come back with the dog from his walk. He lived to be 16 years old.

He is now your pet and it is up to you to keep him healthy and safe. Indoors is the safest place for him as you have already stated that he has been REPEATEDLY injured. Step up to the plate. He can have a good life indoors with toys and a loving, warm lap without all the injuries and danger. Find out who owns this other cat and tell them to do the same. If he has no owner then take the initiative and get him to a shelter where he may have a chance at a good and loving home. Otherwise you are just another part of a much bigger problem.