Agressive cat problem

Sievert wrote: ↑ We have a male (neutered) cat. The cat is an outside cat. Recently, a new cat has appeared in the neighbourhood. This cat is aggressive. The new cat likes to come into our yard and fight with our cat. This is a daily/nightly occurrence. Our cat is holding its own but I don't think he should be forced to fight every day, especially since the stranger cat comes into our yard to pick fights.
The stranger cat is also aggressive towards my kids. It arched its back and hissed at me too but I wasn't having any of it so the cat retreated.
I've started chasing the stranger cat out of our yard and tried to surprise it by turning on the sprinkler, but it keeps coming back and looking for fights.
What are my options here?

Cats should be kept indoors for this reason.
Fights with other animals.
Danger from cars.
Danger from abusive humans.
Danger from catnappings. Someone might just want to steal a pet...

https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-she ... door-cats/

So your only option is to keep your cat indoors. I know its not what you want to hear... but what if it gets into a fight with a racoon? Racoon will rip your cat to shreds if it really wants to. And you can't kick out racoons. It is their own friggin environment!

Paintball Gun?

It is just trying to establish a territory for himself and in order to do so, he/she will need to fight the other cats in the neighborhood, because they won't give up theirs easily. Nothing to worried about.
There was a documentary on National Geographic a while ago where they followed the outdoor cats. Interesting to see the size of the cats territory and that it overlaps with many other cats. here is the link if you are interested:

UrbanPoet wrote: ↑ Cats should be kept indoors for this reason.
Fights with other animals.
Danger from cars.
Danger from abusive humans.
Danger from catnappings. Someone might just want to steal a pet...

https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-she ... door-cats/

So your only option is to keep your cat indoors. I know its not what you want to hear... but what if it gets into a fight with a racoon? Racoon will rip your cat to shreds if it really wants to. And you can't kick out racoons. It is their own friggin environment!

Totally agree. Since the OP is here in Vancouver, the other "big" threat to outdoor cats are coyotes. And they're not just confined to Stanley Park.

costaguana wrote: ↑ Totally agree. Since the OP is here in Vancouver, the other "big" threat to outdoor cats are coyotes. And they're not just confined to Stanley Park.

I live in North East of Vancouver and there are frequent sighting of coyotes. I saw one early in the morning when I headed out for a run.

So leaving a cat outside is dangerous. Some people will make sure to let their cats back in the house at night.
I choose to keep my cat indoor and I walk him outside with a harness and leash daily around our yard (some days he is brave enough to go a few house down the block)

shoppingBear wrote: ↑ I live in North East of Vancouver and there are frequent sighting of coyotes. I saw one early in the morning when I headed out for a run.

So leaving a cat outside is dangerous. Some people will make sure to let their cats back in the house at night.
I choose to keep my cat indoor and I walk him outside with a harness and leash daily around our yard (some days he is brave enough to go a few house down the block)

Our former neighbour used to let their cat out all day, and then would call it "home" every evening by shaking a bag of treats and shouting out across the neighbourhood. My wife is an animal lover, and found it excruciating to listen to, as it would sometimes take close to 10 minutes for the cat to emerge. We kept wondering if "tonight was the night" that he wouldn't come back...

Sievert wrote: ↑ We have a male (neutered) cat. The cat is an outside cat. Recently, a new cat has appeared in the neighbourhood. This cat is aggressive. The new cat likes to come into our yard and fight with our cat. This is a daily/nightly occurrence. Our cat is holding its own but I don't think he should be forced to fight every day, especially since the stranger cat comes into our yard to pick fights.
The stranger cat is also aggressive towards my kids. It arched its back and hissed at me too but I wasn't having any of it so the cat retreated.
I've started chasing the stranger cat out of our yard and tried to surprise it by turning on the sprinkler, but it keeps coming back and looking for fights.
What are my options here?

Use a water gun to squirt at the cat, or bang pots together to scare it off. Do this for a couple of weeks and maybe the cat will associate your yard as being a place that it doesn't like to go. Cats, what are we gonna do with them?? "They march to the beat of their own drum".

Nothing you can really do, however please rethink letting your cat out as there are many foxes and coyotes around these days, we came across both at different times in our front and rear lots.

We dont let our small dog in our own yard in the evening unless we are there, foxes and coyotes need to eat and not their fault for taking what they consider prey. Whether dog or cat...We need to be a bit worried these days.

Everyone grabs a water gun or two and have some fun. If that cat keep coming back, that mean he/she is having fun too. Purfect.

If nothing else …
KNOW that statistically a cat living outdoors lives a heck of a lot shorter life than a cat kept indoors
BY DECADES on average … not just years

A cat let outdoors … < 10 years
Many under 5 years

An indoor cat easily lives to 10, 15, or 20+ years

The outside world is a cruel & deadly place for a DOMESTICATED CAT

You cannot have it both ways …

It’s heart breaking when your cat gets killed by a wild animal
Hit by a car
Hurt by a sick human
Poisoned by rat poison etc

And it’s worse … when your beloved friend doesn’t come home or dies senselessly like this and it’s not just you an adult … but also kids who love that pet … that you have to explain it to

HOUSE cats are not WILD Animals
Love them right … keep them in your house

EDIT / ADD …
Death & Drastic Injury aside (ooooh the vet bills)
Here’s another good motivator for keeping your cat inside
skunk-sprayed-my-dog-again-best-treatme ... #p32874272

No one … wants to deal with that crap!
Lol, and a cat in a bathtub / shower … ya right
Anyone who’s ever tried to give a cat a bath has a story to tell

Have you considered releasing him at a shelter for adoption?