Thanks for the advice Emma. Our hand has been forced on the matter due to a ginger bully that has been terrifying our male cat and who has left him so badly injured it resulted in an expensive trip to the vet. It actually came in through the cat flap one night and attacked him on the landing outside our bedroom door. It was very frightening to be woken up by cats screaming and fighting. We thought his back leg was broken but when the vet examined it you could clearly see the hole made by the bully's tooth. We have since discovered that several neighbours have had their cats attacked by this ginger monster and we can't find out where it lives. It behaves like a stray and sprays everywhere it walks. It doesn't bother our girl cat and I can't understand why it attacks our boy at every opportunity as both our cats have been 'done' and I assumed they wouldn't give off scents or whatever they are. The ginger cat is really sneaky and its impossible to even squirt it with water its so quick so we're all frustrated as to how to deal with it. We have a lovely private garden which our cats enjoy lazing about it in but they're always cautious now before they even put their noses out of the catflap.
Anyway, we decided there was nothing for it but to keep them in at night whatever fuss they made to get out. Because the ginger cat has broken our cat flap twice, we pushed the tumble dryer in front of the cat flap at night. Funny enough, I think theres something to be said for the cats not actually being able to see the cat flat because they really didn't make much fuss. We got into a lovely routine where i would call them in about 10 to feed them and lock up, but for the last few weeks they're gone off to their beds by about 9 and stay there until next morning.
Although there's no way of protecting them during the day from their attacker, we have peace of mind that at least they're safe at night. I put up flyers in the neighbourhood saying we would try to catch the ginger cat humanely and that we would take it to a cat organisation who may treat it as a stray if it hasn't been neutered or microchipped. I was living in hope that the owner would take some responsibility but to date, no change and its still on the prowl.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to how we can resolve this problem as we're at our wits end!!! No violent suggestions please - I've already thought of them and they're all illegal :) - apart from the fact I couldn't hurt it even though I can honestly say I really hate it.
Keeping cats in at night
Thanks for the advice Emma. Our hand has been forced on the matter due to a ginger bully that has been terrifying our male cat and who has left him so badly injured it resulted in an expensive trip to the vet. It actually came in through the cat flap one night and attacked him on the landing outside our bedroom door. It was very frightening to be woken up by cats screaming and fighting. We thought his back leg was broken but when the vet examined it you could clearly see the hole made by the bully's tooth. We have since discovered that several neighbours have had their cats attacked by this ginger monster and we can't find out where it lives. It behaves like a stray and sprays everywhere it walks. It doesn't bother our girl cat and I can't understand why it attacks our boy at every opportunity as both our cats have been 'done' and I assumed they wouldn't give off scents or whatever they are. The ginger cat is really sneaky and its impossible to even squirt it with water its so quick so we're all frustrated as to how to deal with it. We have a lovely private garden which our cats enjoy lazing about it in but they're always cautious now before they even put their noses out of the catflap.
Anyway, we decided there was nothing for it but to keep them in at night whatever fuss they made to get out. Because the ginger cat has broken our cat flap twice, we pushed the tumble dryer in front of the cat flap at night. Funny enough, I think theres something to be said for the cats not actually being able to see the cat flat because they really didn't make much fuss. We got into a lovely routine where i would call them in about 10 to feed them and lock up, but for the last few weeks they're gone off to their beds by about 9 and stay there until next morning.
Although there's no way of protecting them during the day from their attacker, we have peace of mind that at least they're safe at night. I put up flyers in the neighbourhood saying we would try to catch the ginger cat humanely and that we would take it to a cat organisation who may treat it as a stray if it hasn't been neutered or microchipped. I was living in hope that the owner would take some responsibility but to date, no change and its still on the prowl.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to how we can resolve this problem as we're at our wits end!!! No violent suggestions please - I've already thought of them and they're all illegal :) - apart from the fact I couldn't hurt it even though I can honestly say I really hate it.