I have two female kittens (1year old) - indoor cats. I also have had a stray pretty much living with me for pretty much 16 months. He is an outdoor cat but has been spending a lot more time indoors so we have been trying to introduce them every day but he just keeps going for them. We've been trying this for over a month now and they have only managed to settle and sleep once.

The outdoor male cat lives in the kitchen mainly and has been really happy there and likes his own space but also tries to get into the livingroom sometimes. For the past 4-5 days though he has peed on the kitchen worktop in different places, the last time today was on our new dishes! We are trying for a baby though and I can't have him weeing everywhere - especially where we prepare food. Is there anything we can do because we wouldn't want to give up on him.

All three cats have been neutered.

Thanks for any help.

Saz

Hi

The trouble is he is scent marking by urinating to try to keep and establish the kitchen as his territory against your other cats. He clearly feels threatened and stressed by their presence and from his point of view he was there first from what you have said. You wont be able to make all the cats get along. Fundamentally cats prefere to be solitary creatures unless introduced to others at an early age or as litter mates. They can easily view other cats that are introduced as rivals and something to repel so that progresses to fighting if there's not enough space for them to avoid each other. Now your female cats are adult he sees them as threats. I would not force these encounters as potentially it is making matters worse. Maybe if you can give them all space away from each other the spraying and fighting will stop or at least reduce.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]