Dr. Walt's happy tails: January 2003

Dear Dr. Walt: Do you have any tips for keeping neighbours' cats from using our cat's cat flap, stealing his food, and spraying on our furniture? I live in a highly populated area in Holland and there are two bully cats locally who choose to intimidate our cat in every way that they can, often not letting him up the ladder to enter our home through the cat flap. We have a first and second floor maissonnette, and the chap who used to live in the floor below us allowed every cat in the neighbourhood to come onto his property -- the new neighbour doesn't seem to mind either and they still roam the garden. Do you have any suggestions?

I can certainly commiserate. When I was younger, my family had two cats that would come and go though their own basement cat window -- something that was shared by all neighbourhood cats! The final straw was when, during a particularly rainy day outside, they all decided to visit our house and promptly got into a collective brawl -- at 3 AM! Unfortunately, the only solution we found that worked was to close the cat door. Occasionally, changing routine over the short term (i.e., access to the ladder/cat flap) will result in the unwanted visitors going elsewhere, hopefully never to return.

Have you taken the opportunity to speak with your neighbour and ask for his/her help? Perhaps they allow the intruders access to the yard because it has no direct impact on them; however, if they understood how it affects you, they may be willing to help in solving your problem. Many devices now exist to try and prevent cats gaining access to your yard. Some people use motion sensors to scare unwelcome visitors. If the yard is already fenced, fence netting that is attached from the upper inside of your fence to the ground a short distance from the base of the fence, makes a triangle that prevents cats from accessing your yard; commercially available products exist on the market. Otherwise, can you determine who the owner of these cats are and have a frank discussion with them to find solutions of mutual benefit?

I also open this discussion up to other readers who may have experienced similar problems and have been able to find solutions that they could forward on to you through this column. What of it readers -- any thoughts? If so, please e-mail to me (drwalt@petcareinsurance.com) for inclusion in a future column.

Wishing everyone all the very best throughout the New Year!

About Dr. Walt Ingwersen
Dr. Walt Ingwersen is Chief Veterinary Officer at PetCare Insurance Brokers Ltd. He is a 1982 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College. Board certified in Internal Medicine, he has the distinction of being the first Canadian editor of the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, a position he currently holds.

Involved in many aspects of the national and international veterinary community, "Dr. Walt" is the recipient of the President's Award for outstanding contribution to the veterinary profession awarded by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). He is also Chief Veterinary Officer and Chairman of the Veterinary Advisory Board at PetCare Insurance Brokers Ltd. -- Canada's leading provider of insurance for dogs and cats.