Cat wars

[Hippykitty]

Firstly I'd look into why this cat finds your house so attractive. If it is the noise next door, could you provide him with a bed somewhere sheltered in your garden? This way he won't bother coming into the house, especially as he gets attacked by your cat every time he does. He knows he's not welcome, you don't need to squirt him, that message is being made loud and clear by Horace, so he has some pressing reason for heading to your home.

Is he being fed enough at his own home? Maybe you could have a word with your neighbours about this situation, or just go to visit them socially and while you're there, try to suss out what it is which would drive a cat away. (Not all cats need a reason!)

Would Horace object to this cat having a bed in a sheltered place outside? He might not mind as much as he does when the cat actually enters your house.

I feel a bit sorry for the cat who's desparate to get through your flap.

[sheilarose]

You need to up the ante, I'm afraid. If squirted water doesn't do it, alone, add a little vinegar to the mix. Tell your neighbour what is happening and the lengths you are going to, then when he comes home smelling like salad she knows what he's been up to. You need to make a hostile environment, clap your hands, yell, throw shoes (not to hit obviously, just to warn), anything to make him fear and distrust the area around your property and hopefully he'll get the message and go elsewhere for his RnR.

I have a neighouring cat (Spike) who is less persistent but all the same is bothersome, he likes catnip and can always tell when we have a fresh delivery, and can't help himself. My neighbour, luckily, is very understanding and fully supports me squirting Spike, and she reciprocates by soaking Theo with her hosepipe whenever he sets foot in her garden.  Needless to say both cats stay well clear if they see us coming 

Also get in touch with Sureflap, there may be something they can do about the flap not closing properly after Horace.

[emmmy_lou]

It does sound like Oscar is after some peace and quiet bless him!

I honestly don't know what else to suggest to discourage him.

We had a similar problem until recently we added an evil cat to our little family. our intruder hardly comes around now he is scared of her! 

He would creep in if there was a window or door open and he too would sometimes go upstairs to sleep.

I guess the major problem is how it's affecting Horace tho... Our two were used to Hob nob coming in from when they kittens. In fact he used to wander in before we had cats!

Hope someone else has some ideas for you.

[tidus]

One of our neighbours cats (Oscar) is constantly trying to get into our house.

Generally he can't get in, we have a sureflap for our two, but he's managed it on a couple of occasions recently, once when the sureflap hadn't closed properly and once when we left the back door open. He tends to wander upstairs and go to sleep on a bed.

One of our cats (Horace) obviously takes great exception to this, and if he sees Oscar they fight. If he see Oscar investigating the catflap Horace will whack the catflap to try to stop Oscar getting in (although he can't, generally), and if we let him out the back door he'll actually attack Oscar outside in the garden. Horace is normally quite a happy, chilled cat but increasingly he's sitting on the lookout, monitoring the catflap or looking out the window, and he seems upset because he's not eating as well as he was, or looking for fuss/knees as much.

The problem is none of this puts Oscar off. He just keeps trying the catflap, obviously remembering the time he got in. I squirt him with a water pistol through the catflap, and then go outside and squirt him until he leaves the garden. But still he comes back. He doesn't seem to care about his fights with Horace, although he's the smaller cat. I've actually seen him out on the street and he'll approach dogs, so he's obviously not scared of much. We've done nothing to encourage him. He looks well fed and looked after so his only motive for getting in that I can see is that our house is quiet - the neighbours is full of young children, or perhaps to scrounge any leftover food.

Any suggestions? I don't want to cat proof the garden really because ours like to go in and out. I just don't know what to do to put him off. Its just this particular cat the Horace hates - there are one or two others that I've seen around the place and Horace doesn't seem nearly so bothered about them. They are both neutered males. We have the added problem now that its getting warmer that we can't leave the back door open!