Need Advice over Feral Tom cat

[Paul & Manny]

Hi To everyone on the CatSite. It is great to have a forum to ask questions about cats. This is my first post for advice and if I should be on another forum category for this advice please let me know.

We have a 13 year old female cat called Manny. She got the "manly" name as she was given to us as a male kitten. But we kept the name.

We live in the bush. Woodland. Lately she is being attacked by a Tom cat at night. She is not an indoor cat and would not suit a change to being kept indoors. This is especially so, as when she was young we kept her in a large 6' by 4' cage at night with her mother. This was thought of as protection from snakes. But this was abandoned as an idea as it was too stressful for her and now she has an aversion for being kept in places she feels cornered.

These attacks leave wounding seems typical of a male in heat. Bite marks around the neck and throat. We believe it is a feral cat living in the bush and our property must be in its territory.

Does anyone have any ideas to protect her without keeping her inside? Or has anyone any experience with our problem?

Thank you, in advance, for showing an interest.
Paul

 

[Kris107]

Can you trap the male and have him neutered? Is she spayed?

 

[Paul & Manny]

Hi Kris
Thanks for the help. Manny's been spayed.

I don't think it would be easy to trap. The feral tom has been seen at night in our yard once on the backyard security camera. I think the attacks happen elsewhere. Manny travels away from us some nights and this is when we notice the injuries. Although she seems to take care of herself. At 13 she is healthy but can't really best a larger tom cat. When we saw her on the security camera. Her first instinct was to run and get away. We came out and chased it away when we heard the commotion on the roof. But that was more than 12 months ago. It has only been in recent times that she has had injuries. But it doesn't stop her from roaming.

 

[Paul & Manny]

Hi! Manny's situation is indeed a bit complicated.....

A secure fence would be very difficult where we live. She does have places to run to for safety but she may bring on the trouble herself by roaming.

Recently we were told to try Aloe Vera for her wounds with the added advantage of maybe deterring the tom cat as well as helping in the healing process. We have aloe vera growing and years ago used it on horse wounds to protect an open wound. I will post if this works. That is, if she will hold still long enough to let me put it on. This is easier said than done.

I should have mentioned that she has been sterilised when she was young. But it doesn't seem to make any difference to the feral cat.

 

[fionasmom]

Are you relatively sure it is a cat? Other wildlife in your area? I do see your point about confining her to a catio, although if you have enough property it is not hard to enclose quite a large area. Please watch her for infection. I have had years worth of ferals on my property and have never had a fixed female attacked by a male, even when I have had unneutered males in the area. I am certainly not disagreeing with you though that it could happen.

Using any cat deterrent is tricky because the deterrent might affect your cat's comfort of being in her own area.

 

[Paul & Manny]

Hi Foinasmom
I think it is a male cat due to the area of bite marks on her neck and throat. I have been told this is where a male cat attaches to a female to immobilise her for mating. But you are right. I am only assuming it is a tom cat

When she was young we kept her mother and her in a large cage at night. But stopped doing this after a few months as they hated it (being caught and put in against their will). It still affects her as she doesn't like being in anywhere she feels cornered, including going in the house. I regret doing this now as she is not an affectionate cat. She would not take well to a cat run. The good thing about this independence is she will not go near a cat trap. We found out a neighbour employed a cat cage for baiting and killing cats. I think what kept her alive was this aversion to cages.

There are large possums that are bigger than her that are very brazen and she lets them eat from her cat bowl. Seeming to ignore the possum is even there only a few feet away. I don't think she would take them on. Possums are bigger and have large claws. If they wanted to use them. I take the cat food in at night now to stop this possum from coming around.

We keep a check on her wounds for infection. So far she is good. I will try aloe vera on the wounds with the hope that it also may deter future attacks.

 

[Norachan]

P Paul & Manny

Intact male cats will attack spayed female cats, the same way they will attach other intact males or neutered males. It`s not about trying to mate. If it is a tom cat he can tell by her smell that she is not in heat. It`s about defending his territory and driving off any competition he finds there.

Intact tom cats don`t have heat cycles. Basically they are always ready to mate and they spend their lives hunting, mating and fighting with anything that can`t be eaten or bred.

There is a very real risk that your cat will be seriously hurt by this tom cat. He could quite easily blind her, or bite her badly enough that she won`t be able to run away from him. Even a small bite carries the risk of infection, as well as fatal, incurable diseases such as FIV or FeLV. He could scare her so badly that she runs into the road and gets hit by a car, or chase her out of the territory that she knows so she won`t be able to find her way home.

I understand that some cats don`t adjust well to indoor only life, but letting her roam is likely to shorten her life considerably.

You could try making a cat proof fence around your yard so that she doesn`t go any further.

How To Keep Your Cat Safe Outdoors - TheCatSite

You could try building her a catio.

Cat Enclosures - Freedom Without The Risks For Curious Cats - TheCatSite

Building A Cat Enclosure - A Creative Project for Cat Lovers - TheCatSite

You could try harness training her.

Harness And Leash Training For Cats - TheCatSite

Please don`t keep letting her out unsupervised though. If a tom cat has decided that she is invading his space he won`t give up until he has got rid of her

 

[Paul & Manny]

Hi Norachan
Thank you for your practical advice and links to the cat enclosures. You have made me think differently about Manny's roaming. These details are really what I needed to know.

I think for our cat, which is so used to going anywhere, she will need a large cat enclosure. I will spend some time to work out the possibilities and implement a suitable enclosure.

Thanks again
Paul

 

[Draco]

I think a Catio is a great idea and possibly the only one in your situation. She can enjoy the outdoors and be safe at the same time with her cat tree and food and such. Does she go inside at all? little cat flap or an open window that would allow her to come and go in and out of the catio as she pleases- especially when it's raining- is a consideration.

It would also keep the opossums and raccoons away from her food as well and not worry about diseases transferred that way.

Also, if the tom comes and she's in the catio, it's an opportunity to deter him away with deterrents since it won't affect your girl since she's safe in her catio.

 

[Paul & Manny]

Hi Draco
I am going to use the easiest method for me, a large 6 metre by 6 metre shed used for storing ride on mowers to keep her safe at night as other options are expensive or just difficult and time consuming. This shed will be cat proof and gives her space and I will make it a bit more cat friendly. She sometimes uses the shed to sleep in anyway. She likes to sleep on the mower seats. The difference now is it won't be her choice when I put her inside. But she will be safe at night.

Thanks Draco and all who replied to Manny's problem.

 

[Norachan]

It`s very easy to build your own catio attached to the side of a shed. I care for a lot of former feral cats who all have access to a fenced in enclosure. I used wooden fence posts and nylon deer netting for the sides of my fence, with a wider wire mesh for the top. We get a lot of snow where I live and the deer netting wasn`t suitable for the top.

You could use the outside shed wall as one side of your catio and make the other three sides from chicken mesh or deer netting. As she is an escape artist I suggest making a roof too. That will also keep any other animals out.

First version of deer netting and wooden fence post enclosure. (Top collapsed after heavy snow)

Wire mesh version stands up better to our weather.

A few pics from Google. This kind of thing is quite easy to build. Chicken wire is sturdier, but nylon netting is much cheaper and easier to work with. Wire mesh can be a pain and gives you some nasty scratches if you`re not careful.

 

[Paul & Manny]

Thanks Norachan
With such excellent advice. I will have to make one for her. But at the moment. It has to wait. I am trying the shed. It isn't a bad alternative. It has plenty of room and good light. But not perfect for Manny as she has had the place to roam for many years. As cats like to feel it is up to them what they do. The most difficult part is putting her in against her will. The shed will only be used at night when the feral tom cat is on the prowl.

But a catio would make this easier if it is an extension of the house close to where she normally is fed. A more seamless way of fooling her into thinking it is her idea. It will be less stress.

I will let post an update if the shed works out to be working well. If not, it will be into the future before a catio is built.

This is a great forum and is helping me. It is the members knowledge that make it so.

 

[Norachan]

I will let post an update if the shed works out to be working well. If not, it will be into the future before a catio is built.

I‘d love to see some pictures of whatever you build.