I love cats but I’d also like to see a video of The Beast’s first encounter with your new SuperSoaker
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That might be it, right down to the dark tip on the tail.
We’re back from the vets and she’s still cowering behind the sofa. She’s usually so happy and active, sad to see her like this.
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I’m so sorry to hear what your puss has had to go through. It sounds horrid.
If the cat is feral it may look a bit rough (mat rather than shiny fur) and it would probably not approach your house, or the doors readily. If it has already been caught, and released it would likely have one of the tips of its ear nicked.
The Cat Protections League has a Trap, Neuter and (and you won’t like it) Return scheme. The cat would be neutered which should help stem its aggression. And more importantly vaccinated against disease.
If the cat looks for all regard healthy and well fed, with a good coat there is a good chance he/she is owned. The best solution is to canvass the neighbours, and given the cats may have a wide round for wandering you might have to be a bit more extensive in it. You might consider posting a few notices with a picture.
If the Beast of Devonshire is owned, you are pretty limited in what you can do. Cats have a right to roam, even yours, so any discussion on trespass has no merit. I don’t think this has been brought up here but I’ve heard that argument elsewhere. And while the idea of trapping the cat, and releasing it in the country may sound attractive, if it is owned it is illegal despite the trouble it may cause you and your FurBaby.
While it doesn’t seem like kitty is going out anytime soon, keeping him/her inside for a while until some action can be taken is probably the best way forward. And get a big water pistol. Just be careful how you use it. If it harms el Ginger, then that too is an offence.
I’m not sure if the Celia Hammond Trust can offer anything similar, but I do know they are really suffering financially at the moment. As a plug, anyone can support them by purchasing from their Amazon Wishlist.
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Be assured I have no intention of kidnapping or harming said beast, I’d just like to discourage it very strongly from entering my garden. The main reason I posted on here was to figure out if anyone knew the owner, as I’ve said earlier they may just not be aware of the carnage it causes.
The beast has on one occasion actually entered my patio doors and defecated on my living room carpet before I had a chance to chase it out. I would be horrified to learn of my cat doing the same.
I’m aware the cat has a right to roam, as does mine. I know it’s inevitable there will be scraps but this thing is just so vicious and has such a weight and size advantage over every other cat in the neighborhood it just seems to have no fear and no second thoughts in attacking everything.
I’ll just have to resort to the supersoaker and hope it gets the message.
I tried most of those things to stop a cat pooing in the garden, with the exceptions of wintergreen and menthol. But none of them worked. Chilli powder worked briefly - till it rained - as did Jeyes Fluid.
@James_Todd If you can catch him with the supersoaker can you maybe put something disgusting in it? Like diluted dog pee.
If he hasn’t got a collar I think you could ask a vet or Celia Hammond to trap him and see if he has a chip. Then present his owners with your vet’s bill.
I hope your cat is on the mend soon, poor little thing.
There is information about cats and UK law here:
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Here it is, the beast who has caused my cat two vet trips in a week. Maybe orange isn’t the right description, more cinnamon.
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Without my “normal” sized cat next to it I suppose it’s not as big as I describe it. But it’s pretty big and lean.
The excellent condition of the coat and appearance of general good health would suggest that someone owns this cat. But if it wasn’t for the head, I’d of thought that was a squirrel.
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Oh wow. That is terrible. I’m so sorry for you and your puss.
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First course of antibiotics failed. So she’s had to have a second course injected. Next door say that when their cat goes out for a pee now they chaperone her, again because of this horrible thing.
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Do you think you could catch it? If so you could out a collar on it with a message and/or a GPS tracker.
I have the motion activated sprayer previously mentioned. It works very well but is indiscriminate.
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Alternatively, napalm?
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Did you try Celia Hammond’s?
If you caught this cat, could you take it to the vet to have its chip checked? Feigning ignorance of whether it was owned/feral? Perhaps then you could find out who the owner is officially and approach them, and if it’s a full Tom then the vet might even have on record whether it’d been fixed or not.
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I think you need to be careful of catching someone else’s cat. For one, I suspect you might well get a few scratches yourself, secondly it’s not impossible you (well @James_Todd) could injure it trying to catch it, and lastly what if you take it to the vet as a stray and it’s not chipped or the chip is not working for some reason. Someone’s pet I guess then goes to a refuge and \ or maybe gets put down.
I don’t think there is a good answer here - perhaps if the cat has not had the ‘chop’ and did that might help (and that really should be done generally). Ultimately if cats go outside there is always a danger of fights, though this cat does seem particularly large and vicious, hopefully the water spray works, or the owner who is likely oblivious to that cat’s behaviour sees this mentioned here, or elsewhere - though bar keeping their cat in I’m not sure what they could do (bar neutering if not done).
I’m sorry for your cat James - horrible situation.
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I cannot stress enough that I have no intention of catching, hurting or doing anything to this cat other than squirting it with water every time I see it. I just want to strongly discourage it from entering my garden.
My main hope would be someone, hopefully the owner, on here would recognize the cat and be made aware of the problems it causes, and not just to my cat. I would imagine they have no idea.
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Fair enough. I hope the super soaker works, it’s a crap situation. Perhaps a few signs locally with the picture, asking “Is this your cat?” Then the owners might spot it, come forward, and you can let them know. I know they probably can’t do much about it, but again, it’s important they know!
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If the owners know their cat is aggressive, I believe they are required to take preventative action. Once they know, then they can be held liable for future damage or injury their cat causes. The link I posted earlier in the thread on cats and the UK law should take you to more info and a downloadable pdf.
I believe Celia Hammond will humanely trap and neuter strays and they will also check for chips. So if no one responds to @Fran_487’s suggested posters, then I strongly suggest you ask for their help. It’s unlikely just to be your and your neighbour’s cats being injured. If he’s out of control he could easily kill a kitten.
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