# New cat in garden



## oidhche (May 10, 2011)

Hello,

I've just joined the forum and spent a good hour or so having a read of the various threads - I wish I had found it three years ago when I first got my cats!

I have two moggies, Poppy and Tommy, who were rescued as 3-month old kittens (cats? cattens?). They were litter-mates but not blood brother and sister, and although they aren't best friends they mostly tolerate each other. They have odd scraps where Poppy does this funny reversing-thing up to Tommy and then turns and pounces on his head - but that's a separate question about why she does this. It's quite amusing to watch until the fur starts flying!

They go outside during the day, Tommy more than Poppy who tends to sleep most of the day in whichever room I am in, and I shut them in at night. Occasionally other cats have used my garden as a thoroughfare, and the cats' normal reaction to them is lots of growling, tail-swishing and tentative chasing.

However, at the weekend, and again this morning, I noticed a new black cat having a go at the catnip bush (well, stump) in the back garden. Both times it just sauntered off when I appeared, which was fine. Tommy's reaction was more of a puzzle though: there was none of the normal territorial behaviour, and when I went back inside and looked out the window I saw the black cat re-emerge from the hedge and sit on the path about four feet from Tommy, who gave him (assuming it's a male, it seems a bit arrogant!) a bit of a look and then didn't pay much attention to him.

I'm a bit puzzled: does it mean they are friends, or that they have fought and Tommy was beaten? Or something else? I'm a bit worried that this black cat is moving into my cats' territory. Poppy's reaction was more severe - she wouldn't go outside and was very upset by the black cat's presence. I don't want her to be afraid to go into her own garden. Should I make more effort to shoo off the black cat? I have tried to let Tommy defend his territory himself but he's being a bit useless in that respect.

Thanks for any advice!


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## MoggyBaby (Mar 8, 2011)

Hi there and welcome to the forum. Lovely to have you join us. 

Futher to your visitor in the garden - there could be a number of different reasons for Tommy's behaviour.

1. The black cat might still be a 'full' tom so Tommy is deferring to his status so to speak. Common sense is telling him not to mess the the big black dude.

2. Tommy might be a cat who is not big on the fighting front. For example: Any cat that comes into my garden is quickly seen off by Oscar who will have none of it. Merson, on the other hand, will just sit & look at the cat until it goes away. Oscar will chase other cats, even in their OWN garden. Merson 'submits' to them and will slink past them if he wishes to pass by them. Both my boys have been 'done' a long time ago.

3. It might be that the black cat is actually a female hence Tommy is not bothered but Poppy is because SHE is the one feeling threatened. Girlie cats can be just as territorial as boys.

For now, I would probably look at dissuading it from entering your garden until you meet it's owners (if possible) & get more info about it. It may not be vaccinated which means it could potentially carry some things you don't want near your own kittens.

You can either shoo it off yourself or get a water pistol that you can spray 'near' to it (but not on it!! :nono: ) to make it go away. It has to see your garden as a not nice place to go.

I hope this helps. 

Now, there is a charge for all advise given on Pets Forum and I hope you can pay up. The charge for the above is.....

LOTS OF PICTYOORES OF POPPY & TOMMY!!!!!!   

We like our cat pics around here - the more the better!!!! 

Please feel free to show off your babies. You will get lots of lovely compliments from all the nice people here.


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Can't really add anything to the above 

Welcome


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## oidhche (May 10, 2011)

Thanks for the fast responses and nice welcomes. My cats are both spayed/neutered and vaccinated but it does sound like it's best to discourage the visitor from the garden. Tommy is a bit of a coward - he's very adventurous in climbing and exploring but when it comes to other cats he will posture from a distance but not normally engage. Having said that, he has occasionally come home with a scratched nose and did have a broken tail at new year (all mended with no amputation needed, thank goodness), so maybe he does feel brave enough when I'm not around.

I think I'll have to dig up the catnip - I was probably asking for trouble by planting it!

This is probably a silly question, but I'll try anyway.. As far as I know, Poppy hasn't been near the black cat outside. Could she recognise other females from a distance, even if she has only seen it from through a window? I guess if humans can (mostly!) then cats can too...

I am putting some pictures of my two on my profile now - so many to choose from


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## goldleaf (Oct 13, 2010)

Hi welcome to the forum, for me i cant help but feel that maybe you are being a little over protective, the way cats exist with each other in these local areas has worked the same since they were first domesticated. some are more dominant, some may scrap, most learn over a short period who to avoid and who is friendly. its just the nature of the cat. i'd be suprised if the black cat is doing little more than passing through, seeing who else is about near its territory, probably staying in your cats patch for a few mins and then moving on to the next patch to see who is over there. 

like all children etc, we learn to either avoid the confrontation or front up to it. your cats will probably do one or the other.


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## oidhche (May 10, 2011)

Hi Goldleaf,

You're probably right - of course cats can look after themselves to a greater or lesser extent. It's hard not to pre-empt what might happen, though. I'll see what happens over the next few days.


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## goldleaf (Oct 13, 2010)

thats a good way to move forward..

... now then, about those pictures....


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## oidhche (May 10, 2011)

lol ok I'm not sure if this will work but I've attached a couple of pictures, and here are the photos I have put in my profile album. Poppy is the tortoiseshell and Tommy is the other one.


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