Hi,

We've had our cat for about 4 weeks now. In that time we've had no toilet training related problems. Indeed, on his first day he took to the litter tray we placed in 'his' room (for the first day) and which has remained in the same place, like a veteran user. He knew what it was foor immediately.

Since the weekend however, we've had problems. We've found cat poo twice now. Last Saturday night on the front room carpet (after a day out) and this evening after a day at work at the top of the stairs in the hall (near where our cat sleeps). Now, I don't want to jump to conclusions (although I already have), but we've noticed a larger black cat loitering around our garden several times in the last two weeks. Maccy (our cat) has approached him, but is clearly not the dominant cat -the black one stands his ground and Maccy retreats. Also, Maccy has started sniffing a lot at door frames and other furniture -in the same manner a dog does when he smells another's scent. We've also noticed our cat seems slightly wary of the catflap recently, is constantly checking the catflap whilst eating and I even saw the enemy cat (for that's how I see him now ;-)) sniffing at our cat flap from my vantage point upstairs.

What do you think is the most likely situation? That our cat has developed toilet 'issues' suddenly (I saw him use his tray last night and the night before so don't believe this to be true)? Or is the enemy encrouching on our territory and marking our house as his own?

Apart from buying a magnetic fort knox cat flap, is there anything I can do? I've heard that it's best to ambush the 'evil one' and wet it with a bucket; but he's always last seen dissapearing over the fence as soon as I come home and open the back door!

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

Matt

Hi Matt, sounds like your cat feels anxious and intimidated by this other cat and given what you've said i'd say this other cat is spraying possibly inside your home but certainly around your home as a mark/sign of dominance, yes most definitely use water as a deterrent but for now lock or block the flapUsually when your cat shows this kinda reaction it's a form of communication that he/she isn't happy with something

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Dogs have owners, Cats have slaves

Burnthwaites Siamese

The only thing you can do - is to keep your cat indoors; without neighbours' cat been able to enter your house; it will make you cat feel more safe and secure.

Or get a very BIG dog

Good idea!

Our cats seem to attract every local cat to our garden, they soon do a runner when Milo spots them though!

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Our cats seem to attract every local cat to our garden, they soon do a runner when Milo spots them though!
__________________I'll bet they do,or bit sly though they may have developed "feelings" for Milo that they just don't know how to share

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Dogs have owners, Cats have slaves

Burnthwaites Siamese

Haha I don't think the feeling is mutual!

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Alan-ya never know, i mean they say when kids punch the opposite sex it's coz really they like them-maybe it's like this for Milo

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Dogs have owners, Cats have slaves

Burnthwaites Siamese

We had a similar problem with our first cat, some neighbours got a kitten, and he started coming in our house, through the small window we left open for our cat, who was a five year old spayed female. Everything was fine at first, and in our ignorance we thought it was quite nice, a friend for Peggy. After a few months she started peeing everywhere, a vet visit ruled out a medical problem, but said it was probably the other cat.

We closed the window to stop his access, but out cat got worse, because suddenly after 5 years she couldn't get out.

So we opened the window again, and had washing up liquid bottles full of water all over, if he so much as put a paw on our garden wall, he got squirted, I felt mean, I liked the other cat, but I liked mine more, after a couple of weeks he stopped coming back, and then Peggy stopped peeing. She lived to be 15, and we never had the problem again. Good luck I hope you sort it.