Potentially re-homing our cat - any advice.
Discussion
A bit of backstory, we moved house in March of this year and our two cats have settled in nicely to the house and garden, loving the extra space both offer, however our bigger cat Alfie seems to be getting attacked by a neighbourhood cat on a regular basis, in the last three months alone we must have spent close to £1000 on vets bills to have abscesses treated, torn skin sewn up and that sort of thing for him. He resembles a patchwork quilt at the moment with a tail that is just beginning to grow back the fur that was shaved, and now a huge bald patch around his side where he's had to be treated.
It's got to the stage where we really don't know what to do with him, it seems like not a week would go by without finding cuts and scratches on him somewhere. We're keeping him in with a buster collar on at the moment, but he loves the outdoors too much and will bolt for the door at any chance he gets, living inside full-time isn't an option for him, as he'll take to spraying inside out of stress, even with a Feliway plug-in on.
In an ideal world I'd find this other cat and take him off to get him neutered myself, as I think at this level of viciousness it has to be an intact male, though I've no idea where he lives as I never see any other cats in our garden.
I'd love for a family member or friend to be able to take him on, as we'd still be able to see him on a regular basis, but this doesn't appear to be an option. So I'm wondering if anyone here has any advice, or alternative options that we could look into. The money we're spending out is a bit of a concern to us and insurance would go a long way to mitigating that, but the cost isn't the primary concern, it's his quality of life at the moment with constant vet visits and attacks.
It's got to the stage where we really don't know what to do with him, it seems like not a week would go by without finding cuts and scratches on him somewhere. We're keeping him in with a buster collar on at the moment, but he loves the outdoors too much and will bolt for the door at any chance he gets, living inside full-time isn't an option for him, as he'll take to spraying inside out of stress, even with a Feliway plug-in on.
In an ideal world I'd find this other cat and take him off to get him neutered myself, as I think at this level of viciousness it has to be an intact male, though I've no idea where he lives as I never see any other cats in our garden.
I'd love for a family member or friend to be able to take him on, as we'd still be able to see him on a regular basis, but this doesn't appear to be an option. So I'm wondering if anyone here has any advice, or alternative options that we could look into. The money we're spending out is a bit of a concern to us and insurance would go a long way to mitigating that, but the cost isn't the primary concern, it's his quality of life at the moment with constant vet visits and attacks.
This happens on occasion to our cat Nigel.
He is also in the stages of growing his fur back on the base of his tail.
He doesn't have to go outside, but chooses to.
If he lived elsewhere he is likely to come across other 'bad' cats.
The beating's partly went away when next door neighbour moved.
Generally he gets on really well with the other cats in the hood and he is happy.
It can be pricy if he continues being such a wuss, but he seems happy enough for now.
At least he doesn't live anywhere near a dangerous road.
He is also in the stages of growing his fur back on the base of his tail.
He doesn't have to go outside, but chooses to.
If he lived elsewhere he is likely to come across other 'bad' cats.
The beating's partly went away when next door neighbour moved.
Generally he gets on really well with the other cats in the hood and he is happy.
It can be pricy if he continues being such a wuss, but he seems happy enough for now.
At least he doesn't live anywhere near a dangerous road.
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