# My cat won't stop fighting - help!



## squeak's-mum (Dec 19, 2008)

My cat Squeak is a menace. He's the friendliest and sweetest cat in the house, snuggles up to me for cuddles regularly, gets on well with my other two cats, but every time he goes out he causes fights and mayhem. I've just managed to get him inside (after hearing all the cat screams outside my window) and now he's got an ear streaming with blood, and he's desperate to get outside again and start fighting! 

He's five-years-old, always been a fighter since his kittenhood, but seems to have got even worse since we moved into our new house approx three months ago. There are lots of cats around so I'm assuming he's trying to stake a claim to our garden and drive them away.

He was neutered years ago.

If it was just a question of noise and the odd little scratch I wouldn't mind, but he has managed to come in with some horrible injuries over the years - including a huge wound in his side that needed stitches, a cat claw stuck in his eye, and several nasty bites that caused abscesses. And he's probably cost me over a grand in vet fees relating to his exploits!

Anyone have any suggestions to help me change his behaviour?


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## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

Its a hard one and i know how you feel mine was a small cat but my god did he get in some fights. He nearly lost a eye in one. I found alot of fights happened early morning or late eve. So i use to try and let him out in between these times. Is hard as soon cats are a lot more territorial than others and seem to be in endless fights, I havent really got a answer for how to stop it other than keep in him our let him out and if poss cat proof your garden. Its a hard one.


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## Siamese Kelly (Jan 6, 2008)

I'd say the same as Sullivan with the cat proofing your garden if you can,as for your lad he's an easy target as it were because he is neutered probably,and he has no choice but to defend himself and his family,territory but it isn't good for him as you know though this is how things are it could so quickly and easily result in his demise not just mentally but physically,i really can't see how you can stop this any other way than cat proofing your garden or keeping him in or introduce him to a harness,sorry i wish i could help more hun


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## Katie&Cody (Dec 4, 2008)

Siamese Kelly said:


> I'd say the same as Sullivan with the cat proofing your garden if you can,as for your lad he's an easy target as it were because he is neutered probably,and he has no choice but to defend himself and his family,territory but it isn't good for him as you know though this is how things are it could so quickly and easily result in his demise not just mentally but physically,i really can't see how you can stop this any other way than cat proofing your garden or keeping him in or introduce him to a harness,sorry i wish i could help more hun


I third the above two comments.
Not got a huge amount experience in this but wish you all the luck in the world.
Keep us informed.
xXx


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## squeak's-mum (Dec 19, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'm not sure I can keep Squeak in the house, he loves being free to roam outside and play, so I'd feel very mean and he'd probably drive me mad by meowing at me all day!

I don't have a catflap at the moment - I did in my old house so my three cats just came and went as they wanted, and I think Squeak's fights were mostly confined to early mornings. Many times I had to get up at 4 or 5am to get him, embarrased that his catawalling would probably wake the entire street!

Where we live now they only get to go out in the day / evening when I'm here to let them out (I work from home so they have plenty of opportunities). So Squeak isn't out at night or early morning anymore, but he seems happy to fight at any hour.

Can I just ask what might be a silly question, how do I cat proof the garden?


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## Katie&Cody (Dec 4, 2008)

squeak's-mum said:


> Thanks everyone for your replies.
> 
> I'm not sure I can keep Squeak in the house, he loves being free to roam outside and play, so I'd feel very mean and he'd probably drive me mad by meowing at me all day!
> 
> ...


Just replying to the first bit of your reply... it may seem mean...but surely it is better to the alternative...what if he gets really hurt whilst fighting...how would you feel?

As to cat proofing...not much experience with this as Pickles, our adopted cat just wonders in and our of everyones house...hes a law to himself...sure someone else will be along shortly to help out with some advise.
Good Luck, keep us updated.


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## Janee (May 4, 2008)

Keep him inside during the dark hours and only let him out during daylight. Otherwise would agree with others - cat proof the garden. This will keep your cat in and other cats out.

It is not a cheap option but cat proofing is often transportable if you move.

Get a catflap but one which will only let your cats in. That way he has a 'safe territory' which he can escape to.

You will need either magnetic, infra red, or microchip. The chip flap does not eed a collar but does need your cat to be chipped. it works to individual chip numbers via scanning.


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## jilly40 (Oct 22, 2008)

our old cat used 2 get battered by a huge ginger cat it used 2 smack her against the garage door mimzy seems quite shy n hides up under oh work van.but she is in from dust till dawn.touch wood no probs the cat is still around but not gone near mimzy good job! x


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## suzy93074 (Sep 3, 2008)

I have had this problem with my cat too! he loves staking his territory! he is neutred too and a right softy at home but there are a lot of cats where i live so he has been in a few scraps, the worst one was a few months ago where he got a really bad abcess.,,,,,, I now make sure he is in at night at about 8pm and often go outside to check where he is, luckily I know all his little haunts so can keep a tab on him and tbo in the winter he only goes out for a bit cos he hates the cold weather, I just make sure I keep a vigilant eye on him thats all you can do when they love going outside good luck:thumbup:


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## squeak's-mum (Dec 19, 2008)

Thanks for replies.

Squeak's been in all day today so his ear can heal up, and he's not been very happy about it. But I ordered a new cat bed the other day, which arrived this afternoon, and he absolutely loves it - hasn't budged for about 3 hours in case one of the other 2 takes his place .. bless.

I'm still slightly confused about the cat proofing - does that mean sealing up the garden with a chicken wire structure - like giant chicken coop / bunny run?? Would imagine that would be very pricey. Anyone have any photos of what this might look like? Or sites selling them? Or is it a DIY thing? Sorry for stupid questions, but never really heard of this idea before... 

Cat flap is also a problem as I don't have a back door, only double glazed patio doors. Got a quote for cat flap fitting - £450! My lot are all microchipped though, so if I do install one will definitely go for that option - thanks for tip. My front door is no go, it's a pvc-type affair with panels and no smooth area for fitting the cat flat. Plus, don't want them going out that way towards the road.

Looking at him now sleeping peacefully on his new bed you'd never know he was the cat terrorist of the neighbourhood - he's generally the one doing the cat battering, not the innocent victim. I've seen him pick fights with Tom cats twice his size.

Cats eh ... but wouldn't be without him.:001_wub:


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## Janee (May 4, 2008)

You can get cat flaps that fit to an outside wall - slight tunnel effect for the cat and it includes the microchip reading catflap. Don't know if installation costs would be cheaper.... 

Also you can fit catflaps to windows....even double glazed.

£450 sounds too much for a door fitting - I would have thought £100 be more like it.


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## Three_of_Kind (Mar 22, 2009)

As for the whole cat proof garden, I'm not sure how that would work, maybe putting chicken wire all the way around or having like a chicken wire box with 2x4 framing...Not sure. But the cat door problem, my mother put one in her wall for the same reasons of glass doors


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## Janee (May 4, 2008)

No, not chicken wire. Secur-a-cat either do the whole job or (I think) provide kits for diy. 

You need the garden surrounded by fence or wall. They fit 45 degree angled aluminium poles to fence with mesh stretching between - like netting. Not very visible from a distance.

There are other methods too. Google it and you should find examples


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