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How to Change Cat Behaviour
The attraction is probably our two female cats, which are in and out all the time, but a neighbourhood tom cat keeps peeing on my front and back doorsteps, right up against the door and the wall. I can't seem to get rid of the permanent cat odour and the situation has now become a bit of a nightmare.
I've tried everything to dissuade the critter: pepper, mustard, various sprays suggested by friends with cats. The vet says this is a behavioural problem with the tom and that I'll just have to live with it, so now I'm desperate.
Does anybody here have a tried and true method of putting an end to this unpleasant offence?
Mmany grateful thanks in advance.
Try the vet for advice? When I had exactly the same thing happen in the UK that's what I did and the vet contacted an animal welfare group who did trap the cat and had it neutered! Problem solved!! However, the vet might be able to offer other another suggestion.
I've heard they don't like orange peel
I don't know about that, I'd put good money on that you could as the government has been known to cull the cat population in the past using local pest control agencies. Not sure if they still continue with it because they then wanted to introduce a sterilization program. Plus they love killing Moles and Rabbits.
There is a big feral cat problem here so maybe.
What ever you do don't touch the thing yourself, the second you want to take a stray to a shelter you are also supposed to report it at the police station.
You may be right though it may not be legal at all but it's worth asking.
Back in the day we used to have the Pound man driving around the streets picking up dogs and cats, not even sure if Europeans have that type of equivalent.
Don't attempt the procedure yourself, just pay someone to get it removed. If somebody owns it they will no doubt find the chip as all cats need one to be legal and return it to the owner, at the owners expense.
They would of learnt a good lesson about letting their cats roam and might become more responsible pet owners.
Responsible cat owners neuter their cats. All responsible cat owners know this. All responsible breeders keep their cats under close control.
It is perfectly acceptable to capture a rogue, un-neutered stray and hand it in to the authorities so it can be dealt with appropriately.
"Most cat lovers I know would not allow such an operation, though."
????????????????????? You know some very very strange "cat lovers". From this little nugget of wisdom, I gather that your two female cats that freely go out and come in are not neutered either. And you wonder who you have a problem with a tom cat peeing around your walls and door? No amount of pepper, mustard, various sprays or orange peel is going to stop the tom from peeing as long as there are unneutered female cats living in your house.
Just out of curiosity, how many unwanted litters of kittens you have already had from these two unneutered females?
There was talk a couple of years ago about a new law that would force all cat owners in Belgium to neuter their cats, unless they are a registered and professional cat breeder. I don't know how far it has progressed if at all, but it is an excellent idea.
Yes, I was surprised but they (the charity) also stated that no responsible owner would not neuter a cat and allow it to roam freely. The tom was a real nuisance as it broke the cat flap in its desire to get in and peed over every available surface in my kitchen, including the appliances - ugh! My cat was neutered but it still was after her. So it's definitely worth an ask.
You need to better mark your own territory, in a way the tom cat understands.
