Conference misery::feline_v1

	I'd be tempted to catch it and file down its claws until they're not
sharp (ONLY if you're good at this sort of operation)...can you do that without
getting mutilated by the cat?

	I've never touched a cat's claws (though I've had some touch me), so I
would't know how to file any down.  I guess the secret would be to get some
great big thick work gloves (U-Haul will give you a pair free if you join their
Rental Club).
	Has anyone solved this problem before?
		<_Jym_>

I used to have this problem - one of the neighborhood bullies was using the 
cat door to our screened in porch and stealing the food we left out for our 
own cats.  This stopped abruptly when I caught him there one time and locked 
the cat door.  After a lot of shouting, spraying with water, a few well 
placed swipes with a rolled up newspaper, and several laps around the porch, 
the neighborhood bully got the message and left our porch alone.  

But as was noted elsewhere - human intervention in feline relations really
doesn't solve anything.  All cats involved agree that you are bigger than they
are, but they still want to know which cat is bigger.  I think the real reason 
we never had any more problems was the fact that my cats were finally getting
their full growth, and the bully simply starting getting his ass whipped when
he showed up. 

You can use Corky Towles's method - get a .357...  Or you can wait till your 
cats and the bully get their dominance levels sorted out.  Not really much 
else to do...

- Chris

re: .0,.3 --

Cats have to sort out their various pecking orders, it's true; however, it's
also true that they respect territory.  Whether you're a cat or not, if you
can establish that the territory's Off Limits, the cat won't be likely to
bother cats who happen to reside on that territory (and once your cats *know*
that the area's Special territory, their attitudes will change, too).

In that sense, conditioning can help.  But you'll have to be relentless until
the bully gets the idea.

Steve Kallis, Jr.

	The bully recently tried to mark our front porch (by urinating).  It was
surprised mid-stream with a larger stream from our hose . . .
		Hee Hee Hee,
		<_Jym_>

I don't know if this would help, but I once trained my cat never to
enter a particular room. I never liked waking up with cat hair in my
nose and mouth.
A few years back, I used to have a very realistic werewolf outfit.
So, I laid there waiting for Junior to sneak in. Once in, the door
slams shut, the lights come on, and the fun begins.....you get the picture?
After that treatment, I couldn't even force him into the room.

Perhaps you could catch the cat in question and explain to him in a
similar fashion that it's not wise for him to hang around.

			Stan

	I've been following the advice in Reply #4, as it seems sensible.  My
goal is to get the bully to respect *my* territory (where my cats usually are).
I've been doing it with nonviolent (but decidedly unfriendly) methods.
	I was washing my car one evening, and the cats were watching.  Kat was
on the roof in front of the house and the others were down on the ground in
front of the house.  The bully sneaked up from the back of the house, over the
roof, and pounced on Kat.
	I had my trusty hose in hand and gave it a good squirt (low pressure, of
course).  It ran back over the roof and began to retreat down the fire escape.
It was almost near the bottom stair when I doused its backside with a bucket of
soapy water.
	I looked up and noticed four cats watching from the rooftop.
		<_Jym_>

Re .5:  You may want to "mark" your territory with a little ammonia or vinegar.
Make sure any trace of his odor is gone, by cleaning the area he sprayed if
possible and leaving your "mark" in the same spot.  This will help convince the
bully that this area belongs to someone else. 

-Mike

Re .6:

One  of the things I love about "cat people" is that we all see nothing
odd (well, not very odd) in an adult dressing up like a werewolf in
order to scare a cat... This is in keeping with my husband explaining
in a serious tone of voice to the cat that's purring in his lap why she
should get up and go away. ("But I have work to do, Abigail; oh, don't
look at me like that - wouldn't you rather sit in the window and watch
the birds? Come on, go play with your brother," etc.)

-b

	I don't have outdoor cats, but I have been subjected to other
folks' cats bickering in my yard.  In order to keep this down I planted
a catnip plant, which has worked very well since the cats stay MELLOW.
I've only been bothered once since - two cats were at the end of the driveway
right by the back door circling each other.  They hissed at me, which
was not nice since it was my house.  So I walked all the way around the
house, got the hose, turned it on, and soaked them.  No problems since.

	Great idea (the catnip)!  How much did you plant, etc.?
		<_Jym_>

Well, I got a plant at my local plant stand.  The cats took it down nearly
to the ground, but it's grown up again.  I suggest if you do this, don't
put it in your flower bed, since the cats roll on the plant.  Catnip will
come up year after year and is invasive, but less so than other members of
the mint family.  IE. it'll spread out a bit from where you plant it.

Reading through this topic, I was quite suprised by some of the responses.
If you allow your cats to go outside you shouldn't be upset when they
face these sorts of situations.  What right do you have to condemn another
persons cat for it's behavior?  How will you feel if one of your neighbors
decides your cat is a nuisance and must be "done away with".  Being
a cat lover means loving ALL CATS not just your own!  If you are unhappy
with the status quo then for God's sake bring your cat in the house.