Problems with Pickles and neighbour's cat

[Millys Mum]

Poor cat, i guess he is just defending what little he has, probably jealous of pickles shed and wants it for himself. He sounds like goth cat next door, hes shut out all the time and he attacks whoever he wishes, not just wailing and paw wagging but full on grab by the throat and wrestle, another neighbours cat bob (also shut out all the time) doesnt hurt anyone but has been roughed up no end.

What i have just done for Dexter is get him a petporte flap so that the shed is his only, he can use it for safety too as no one will be able to follow (small technical hitch at the moment so flap is left in open mode)

[Rosiecat]

They have said the other cat is neutered but I am not convinced - he is outside 24/7    I would love to be able to cat proof my garden but I have a large summerhouse/shed/wendy house etc (we have rescue bunnies) plus two large hutches.  These are too near the boundary fences for cat proofing to be effective - there is also a large tree in the garden behind and Pickles gets to the lower branches with ease, he is surprisingly agile!!!

Pickles is not good with other cats but prior to this he co-existed with two ginger toms who lived down the road.  There were a couple of "stiff legs and wailing" incidents but they never ever fought.    This black cat seems to skip all this and it goes straight to fighting  

[Bazsmum]

I would be furious with them, I wonder how many other cats it has fought with and left injured! 

Hope you can get this sorted out soon! 

[Millys Mum]

I remember him, sorry to hear the routine you found worked for him has now been ruined 
Is other cat entire or just a thug?
Can you take a month off work and setup a trench at the front of your house and arm yourself with water guns lol
If the neighbours wont help the only thing you can do is catproof your garden, but im aware this wont help his friendship with yours.
So frustrating isnt it when other peoples animals affect your own and they dont give a toss 

[Rosiecat]

I don’t know if anyone will remember him (he was up for rehoming on here for a while) but just before Christmas 2006 I took in a puss called Pickles after his owner died.   All local rescues were full and he was at real risk of pts.   It became apparent during the first months he was with me that although he was very affectionate he was a cat who “walked by himself”, did not like other cats/dogs, would occasionally go to nip etc.  At this point I decided to keep him.  I have five other cats, three Persians, one fluffified moggy and Rosie (who is blind).  Pickles has had to be kept separate from them so he has been out during the day time, with access to my shed with his bed/bales of hay, food etc.  He has always been in at night.   He is not keen on being kept inside at all as he had been an outdoor cat all his life in his previous home.  He doesn’t wander at all and I live in a quiet cul de sac.

The problems started last year when a family moved in across the road with a black male cat who constantly comes into my garden.  The resulting fights have led to Pickles having course after course of antibiotics – at the moment he has an abscess on the side of his face, presumably from residual infection from their last fight.  I am now bringing him to work with me to keep an eye on him, give him his meds etc.

This black cat attacked one of my bunnies in September (she was in a fox proof 8x4 run and we were literally feet away – she was too near the wire) leading to her being put to sleep due to her injuries.

I have approached this cat’s owners twice, was very pleasant both times.   The second time I had Misty (bunny) with me and they just shrugged their shoulders at me.  I have asked them if they could keep their cat in at certain times so he and Pickles did not meet – not interested at all.

I don’t know what to do now.    If Pickles is kept inside with my other cats during the day he would have to be in my kitchen in a crate (I could not risk the kitchen door opening and him getting to my other cats).   He is an older puss, not sure of exact age but my vet thinks 11/12 and whilst to a large extent he doesn’t help himself, he is just getting regularly beaten up now. 

Does anyone have any ideas? Sorry for the length of this but I love him dearly – despite him making my desk REALLY hairy this week!