# Unique cat problem...



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

We have an older outdoor cat, Midnight. Our neighbors, when they moved in next to us, bought a little outdoor kitten, Shadow.

Shadow always bugged Midnight, sort of like an annoying little brother. But when he discovered Midnight's food bowl, and started enjoying us and the farm life, he decided to stay over on our side of the fence. That wasn't a problem until he began to think that this was /his/ house.

He now has first choice over the food, we have to provide two bowls. He also, once Midnight is done eating, will actually pounce him and run him off. When I see this I chase Shadow off, but I can't be around all the time!

I'm at a loss. I want my poor old cat to just be comfortable. I'm thinking the only option may be to have set feeding times - to bring Midnight in twice a day for breakfast and dinner, and maybe to carry a spraygun and spritz Shadow when he pounces. What do you think?


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Is he fixed? 

Feeding your cat inside and not feeding the other cat will probably get him to go away.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Not feeding the other cat should help.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

I would feed Midnight canned food twice a day in a closed crate/stall/porch/etc. He will learn the schedule/place easily. You may need a spray bottle of water the first few days to spook Shadow off. I would use canned food rather than dry, it will allow him to finish the meal more quickly and get back out to hunting and won't leave kibbles around for Shadow to be scarfing (and also satisfies cats moisture requirements and is much better for them).

Also if Shadow is not neutered, I would have that done at a low cost clinic or one of those mobile vans. As Midnight continues to age, Shadow will increase beating up on him for territory, etc. Neutering should reduce this behavior.


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## nicolemackenzie (Dec 27, 2014)

SalteyLove said:


> I would feed Midnight canned food twice a day in a closed crate/stall/porch/etc. He will learn the schedule/place easily. You may need a spray bottle of water the first few days to spook Shadow off. I would use canned food rather than dry, it will allow him to finish the meal more quickly and get back out to hunting and won't leave kibbles around for Shadow to be scarfing (and also satisfies cats moisture requirements and is much better for them).
> 
> As Midnight continues to age, Shadow will increase beating up on him for territory, etc. Neutering should reduce this behavior.


This is good advice.

I'd also make sure your boy is protected with a leukemia vaccine in case the newcomer is infected. It's spread from biting.

Don't feed the pest and chase him off your property if you see him. The bullying will likely get worse especially if it's an intact male as he becomes more dominant towards your older boy.


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## WitchHazel (May 5, 2015)

SalteyLove said:


> I would feed Midnight canned food twice a day in a closed crate/stall/porch/etc. He will learn the schedule/place easily. You may need a spray bottle of water the first few days to spook Shadow off. I would use canned food rather than dry, it will allow him to finish the meal more quickly and get back out to hunting and won't leave kibbles around for Shadow to be scarfing (and also satisfies cats moisture requirements and is much better for them).
> 
> Also if Shadow is not neutered, I would have that done at a low cost clinic or one of those mobile vans. As Midnight continues to age, Shadow will increase beating up on him for territory, etc. Neutering should reduce this behavior.


Dry kibble is better for their teeth, though. It helps keep them clean, and prevents rotting. Kind of like a toothbrush.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Actually not, only raw meat and bones cleans teeth adequately to prevent tooth decay. Many many American dogs and cats have their teeth rotting right out of their heads from feeding kibble. The sugars and binders stick to the teeth and never get cleaned away.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Interesting. My cats all eat dry food because wet upsets their stomachs. Or at least some of them. One does have bad teeth but she's13.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

WitchHazel said:


> Dry kibble is better for their teeth, though. It helps keep them clean, and prevents rotting. Kind of like a toothbrush.


This has unfortunately been disproven. Not only do the starches and carbohydrates actually contribute to tartar build up, but also many many cats do not chew kibbles but swallow them whole. So even if the marketing claims of teeth scraping by kibbles were true, it wouldn't help many cats.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

http://consciouscat.net/2012/05/29/more-reasons-to-stop-feeding-dry-food-to-your-cats/

http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/does-dry-food-clean-the-teeth/


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

In the house is probably going to be the only way. I seem to be the local car dumping grounds and really I don't mind they keep the rodents down. Then I got a bottle baby kitten conned off on me. I hate cats in the house so he got moved outside when he got bigger. Well he's to stupid to hunt so I feed him. It didn't take long before all the strays were sitting on my back step. I got one of the kids rabbit hutches and would put dumb dumb in there but the cats learned and would trip me and jump into the hutch before I could get him in and close it. So in the house he goes. They can't see or smell it and are finally starting to move away from the house again


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## WitchHazel (May 5, 2015)

Oh, interesting. Our cats eat everything they catch anyways, so I guess for us, it's a bit of a moot point!

I didn't mean to come off as a know-it-all-- sorry! Cats are my soft spot, so I tend to give advice in spite of myself!


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