Just had a displacement aggression thing...

[PayItForward]

As I sat with a beer watching TV, I notice Milo running under the sofa.. but Milo is sitting on my knee ?

OMG. Strange cat alert !!

So I moved slowly (not to upset the cat) into the kitchen after strange cat, shutting door behind me.

Leaving Milo & Milly in the living room (George was in our room asleep with Partner)

Poor strange cat was head butting cat flap. I gently moved him/her to one side to open cat flap and he/she escaped into the night.

When I re-enter living room . Milo & Milly were sniffing where the new cat had walked. Then Milos' fur blew up, he snarled, started to go for our Milly.

I threw a lap blanket over Milo. Picked the terrified Milly up (who ripped my arms to pieces, poor love) and left the room. I took Milly upstairs and left her next to George who was asleep upstairs, gave them both a quick cuddle. When I got down stairs Milo was under the sofa making very sad sounds. I have just manged to encourage him onto my knee.

I take it this behaviour is that transferral behaviour. So Milo was mad at strange cat, not Milly ?

[jenluckenbach]

YES. I am really not sure of the proper way to handle this, though. Hopefully things will just automatically calm themselves down. (and hopefully, others have better ideas than me).

But all in all, the thought of a strange cat coming in your cat door IS kinda funny.

[PayItForward]

Over night, Milo has calmed down again.

I remember a posting by (?) Tubby&Peanut's Mum. Saying one of her cats, saw a strange cat though the window and attacked, the other house cat. That where I nicked the blanket idea.

The strange cat was a pretty tuxedo cat, same socks as Milo. I felt for her she sounded so unhappy that she couldn't get back out. (Hopefully she won't try coming back in !!)

PS. We'll have to be more careful locking the cat flap both ways (in/out), usually we leave it on in only and when we let George out, he was no problem getting back in.

[BastetsMum]

I tmight be an idea to get George to adjust to an indoor only environment and remove the catflap all together. If strange cats are going to invade your home (and your cat's territory) then peace may not be restored.

The cats feel threatened by this intruders prescence so they would lash out at each other rather than the strange kitty.

[PayItForward]

Thanks for your kind advice. But that cat won't try entering our house again, he was so scared. All our cats will be inside/outside cats soon, so we need to keep this cat flap.

Although if I think another cat might enter the house, I'll buy a electronic cat flap. (This only lets cats with a 'key' on their collar enter/leave)

In England, all cats are allowed outside (barring medical reasons/ show cats). It is considered cruel to have an inside only cat.
People in England on the whole feel, very strongly that cats are cats. They should have their own claws and be allowed out to hunt and play.
(I do realise there is a totally different attitude in USA)

The only reason Milo & Milly are inside at the moment is because they need to bond with us and finish all injections. Milly will be allowed out on Thursday and two weeks later Milo will be allowed outside too.

Our cats are strays which are used to being outside.

George used to try and unlock the windows to escape, when we first got him, he was very unhappy until he was allowed outside.

Milly & Milo currently headbut the cat flap trying to get outside and try to dive out of any external door we open. Milo in particular hates being indoors. He sits at the front door crying to be let out.

I know the general opinion on Pet Talk is inside only but this is not the norm for English cats.

PS. We do love our cats very much inside & outside !!!

[moosmom]

PayItForward,

I guess every country is different. The only time I ever bring one of my cats outside is on a harness. None of them like the outside (except for Moo, my cat/dog ) so it's not a problem for me. Moo loves to go for rides in the car with me when I run errands.

I don't know of anyone who has pets that don't love them. I think the reason Milo went after Milly was because of the stray. But I'm glad he's calmed down now.

[PayItForward]

None of them like the outside (except for Moo, my cat/dog ) so it's not a problem for me.

I am glad your cats are happy and content inside, I bet your cats were raised inside. It makes sense that a cat raised indoors, would never get into the habit of being outside. Except your cat/dog (Didn't you post some pictures of that cutie recently?) And I agree that indoor cats are certainly safer cats.

Why would they want to go outside, they have hooman slaves running around the house for them all day. lol

I understand why people keep cats indoors in USA and other cat unfriendly places. (Busy roads etc). And I understand Soledad has the difficult challenge ahead of making an inside/outdoor cat indoors only (Best wishes to Boo, may it be an easy transition for you)

If I wanted to keep cats in doors, I would raise kittens indoors but I could not dream of taking adult strays and trying to keep them indoors forever. It was hard enough keeping George inside for a month.

Ps. Although I do like the idea of those fence topper things (I think Noah'sMommy posted a link to). I wouldn't mind restricting my cats to our back garden. So this is a possibility, when we remove the hedges and put fencing up.

PPS. I think this might be another English thing ! Hedges around gardens which allow free traffic of all local cats though all neighbouring gardens. Our garden is very popular (sigh) as it is usually empty of people/kids. Though when Milly & Milo start going out they will probually keep other cats out of our garden.

[jenluckenbach]

I was aware of the people of England believing that cats NEED to be outside, And I am not trying to change anyone's beliefs, But I would just like to say (and not in a demeaning tone) that I have several cats that were strays right off the street and they do not appear to suffer one bit by now being kept indoors. As a matter of fact, they actually get startled by the traffic and other outside noises when they are near the closed screen door.

[Prairie Purrs]

It's just a strange and completely non-scientific theory I have, but maybe cats are more aware of the dangers of a particular environment than we give them credit for. I've had the same experience as Jen--my Katie, in particular, spent a long time outside and she wants no part of it now. My neighborhood is not at all cat-friendly (busy intersection, cars always speeding up the street), and I think they know they're better off inside on the sofa. But where the outdoors doesn't "feel" so threatening, I would imagine that cats would prefer to get out and enjoy it.

[PayItForward]

I think George needed the option to go outside, more than to be outside. He acted like a POW while he was kept inside and now he can go out side, he barely does.

He goes out for 5 minutes after every meal to do his business and now the weather is nice he sits, either in the front flower bed or back garden, depending on where the sun is.

As all my cats are altered they shouldn't wander too far. I am hoping that Milo & Milly will learn to love our garden too.

That would make me happy. All three cats playing with the bees/flowers in the back garden.

Jen..I'm glad your kitties love being indoors. Bet they like your cat hotel. Litter trays & love on tap.

But mine (Milly & Milo) spend time racing for external doors, head butting cat flaps and crying on the windowsill. They simply aren't happy indoors. Milo in particular, sits crying by the front door, it breaks my heart. He has another two weeks to go before he can go outside and it can't come soon enough for me.

[BastetsMum]

I keep Bastet indoors only because:

I don'twant to lose her to cars
I don't want any wildlife destroyed because of her
I don't want her stolen again (purebred fawn aby's are rare)
I don't want her to get bitten by anything nasty

etc ...

Anyway I know that people have differing opinions on the indoor/outdoor debate.

[PayItForward]

I don't want her stolen again (purebred fawn aby's are rare)

OMG. Stolen. That's horrible. How did you get her back ?
Who would steals a cat ? (Lowest lifeform ever)

[ChrisH]

I live in the UK and know there are many people who think the idea of keeping a cat indoors is odd and/or cruel. There are also many people who don`t like cats much and wish we would keep them indoors!
My experience of any sort cat ownership, before getting my Ebby, was minimal. We had a cat called Scobie for a short while when I was a child, but after he disappeared without trace one day my mum couldn`t bring herself to get another. My son and daughter-in-law have had four cats in total, all from kittens. Tieme was the first and they had him for about 9 years, he survived being run over on two different occasions but finally one day he never returned home. Similar story with littermates Bill and Ted, except they often did go missing for a day or two, but then Ted never came back at all. Bill tended to stay close to home after that but then quite a while later he disappeared also. I am glad to say though that they still have the fourth cat, Bella.
Of the cats in my street, the cat from next door was attacked by a dog but luckly was okay, one disappeared a while back, and just recently another one, Molly, who could be Ebbys twin, has gone missing too.
When I decided to get myself a cat, besides seeing the heartbreak suffered of having a missing and run over cat, it was the example of Pet Talk cat owners who set me on the road wanting to keep my cat as an indoor cat. I told the staff of The Cats Protection shelter that I wanted to do that and they were very helpful. Four months ago I chose Ebby with that help and so far so good. (I do have to admit that maybe it is Bob the hairy dogmonster who stops her running for the outside door, she would have to pass him first, and if and when she does decide to brave him it may be a different story! )
I have never had the problem of her running around like Milo and Millie do, I am glad to say! She appears content enough at being indoors, so far anyway and I just hope it stays that way!

Christine

[BastetsMum]

Forget collars they can be taken off. I got Bastet microchipped as a kitten. When she didn't come home I registered her with the RSPCA and rang all the vets in the local area. One of them said they had a fawn aby come in for a general health checkup. They only remembered her because she acted extremely strange with her *owners* and that fawns are an uncommon colour too.

Microchips weren't common 3 years ago in Australia so they didn't check her for one. They got the *owners* back in and checked the chip and phoned me that they had Bastet. The owners were arrested for fraud and theft (they were stealing purebred dogs and cats in the local area and selling them for a good price elsewhere) and many animals were returned to their rightful owners.

Yes, I agree there are some lowlifes out there but I am glad I learnt that extremely valuable lesson. Bastet is NEVER let out of my sight now.

[PayItForward]

ChrisH...
I am pleased your cat is happy inside. May you have many years of love and purrs from Ebby.

BastetsMum...
Cos scary story. Thank god you got her back. I can see why you keep her close to you.

Milly & George were microchipped before we adopted them. RSPCA microchip all cats/kittens before adoption. But I have to take Milo to the vets on Thursday to get him chipped as his shelter don't chip them, though they scan any new intake.