Advice needed for friend....

[Liz]

I have in my care harper and Riley - 3 weeks and 1 week under the Clans ruiles both are about 18 months old and had wandering tendancies until they wandered a trap to far

Both have adpated to being house cats and harper had a treat off me earlier and is sitting behind me on a book case - they will adapt to being "confined" and are all the better for not being roving boys anymore

Its them that allow the roving not him - as I remind the Clan on a daily basis - Sweetie is in charge and I feed them!!!

[JackSpratt]

He's been neutered around a month.

[LesleyW]

How long ago was he neutered.  It takes up to six weeks for his hormones to calm down so he could still be feeling quite "entire" and in charge.

[JackSpratt]

Hopefully so - will tell her and maybe it'll set her mind at ease.

Liz, I think they'd rather not fence him in because other than him being a master at finding and beating up other cats he likes to roam.

[Janeyk]

If they've only had him a couple of months then my guess is this will settle down.   An example, next doors cat Tiggy (an ex-feral) and Frosty (feral) don't get on although Tiggy gets on with all the others, as does Frosty.  Initially they fought but I don't think they do now I would say there's an understanding that Tiggy is the boss and Frosty will wait/hide until Tiggy has gone.  I've noticed this happen with other cats too.

[Liz]

In stead of fencing howabout a cat run off the house - gives him outside time but keeps the interloper visitors at bay

[JackSpratt]

The garden is GIANT and it's rented. I'm not sure their budget would stretch to cat proofing at the moment, unfortunately.

I thought it was nice of her to be worried about other peoples cats too!

[cheekycj]

Oh i must have picked it up wrong 

Cant your friend cat proof the garden, keep the visitors out?

[Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ]

I was going to ask how long he'd been going out for...it probably is just them sorting out a pecking order.

It sounds like he wants to be the bully!!  As horrible as it is I'm sure they will sort it out amongst themselves and no doubt will have a few more scraps along the way. I hate hearing cats fighting outside...always sounds so awful :-S

Its nice of your friend to be concerned enough to ask

[Janeyk]

Oh right, so I was right originally then 

(when CJ typed that I thought - oh! I bet JS has mispelt flat cats for flat coats, so you were on about cats indoors - cos I've never heard of them tbh)

 

[JackSpratt]

Flat coated retrievers. She's always been more of a "dog person" (She shows them at Crufts) and surprised herself by saying Sidney could come and live with them. But he likes the dogs, oddly.

She and her partner haven't had him long, a couple of months maybe? I guess the local cats are just trying to sort out the pecking order then wishing they hadn't......and her garden is massive! Shows how awkward cats can be....

CJ, they aren't her cats he's fighting.

[Janeyk]

I think I misunderstood this and thought you meant outside cats, I wondered what flat coats was   

How long has she had this particular cat?

[cheekycj]

Your friend could try seperating them and introducing them over again....try
Feliway plug in...ive got one its helps 

[Janeyk]

Has he been like this from day 1?

Has he had a vet check to rule out any health problems?

If there are lots of cats visiting/spraying sometimes this can increase aggressive/territorial behaviour but from my experience - with neighbours cats and the ferals there are just a couple who don't get on and there's always the boss whilst the other backs off.

[JackSpratt]

First thing they got done. He came to her through dubious circumstances; a farmer was chasing him through the field with a shotgun! Her friend physically threw herself over the cat and got him a reprieve, after which she contacted my friend who took him on.

[Janeyk]

I take it he's been neutered?

I'm not really sure tbh,  can she keep him contained in her own garden? in my experience 'most' cats get to know the pecking order and steer clear.

[JackSpratt]

Nobody?

[JackSpratt]

My friend has taken on a rather lovely black cat called Sidney who is loving living with her, her partner, their five flat coats and a tortoise! However, he is extremely aggressive with territory disputes and a few days ago she found herself picking another cats fur from between his claws. She is understandably worried (about the other cats, Sidney can clearly take care of himself!) and wants any advice from other people who have bullyish tom cats......