Most of my friends who have cats do not let them outside. They know that this helps to keep their kitty friends safer and healthier, and it also likely increases their lifespan.
As cats are instinctive hunters, an indoor-only home for them also helps to protect birds and other small animals. The Wildlife Center of Virginia’s article, “The Case for Indoor Cats,” focuses on the threat that free-roaming felines pose to wildlife.
While I absolutely agree that domestic cats should be kept inside, for the last 8+ years I have cared for a small colony of feral cats. I am sure that these cats routinely hunt, kill, and eat a variety of other animals even though they are given fresh food and water each day.
With the help of a Trap-Neuter-Return program through the local SPCA, however, all of the kittens in this colony were young enough to be socialized and adopted in 2016, and the adults were spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped before being returned. As a result, no new cats or kittens have shown up for more than 5 years, and three of four original TNR cats in the colony are now at least 9 or 10 years old. While this situation is still far from ideal for a number of reasons, I feel it has made a positive difference for these cats, as well as for local wildlife. (All told, I trapped a total of 12 cats and kittens!) As I’ve said repeatedly since committing to this caregiving responsibility, you do the best you can…
Am I a cat lover? Well, yes. I’ve had cats most of my life, sometimes with “singles” and sometimes with a houseful. While there have been occasional conflicts or differences of opinion, for the most part they have got along pretty well.
In 2019 after losing the last one from the group pictured above, I wasn’t in a position to adopt until Spring 2024 when I discovered two beautiful sisters at a local SPCA. Bonded adult littermates, they were exactly what my heart and soul needed.
These girls settled in quickly, and more often than not I’d find them snuggled up together. When we moved to a smaller house in late March 2025, they adapted to this change as well. By having me–and having each other–they were “home” wherever we were. True pet parents will understand when I say that they became my family.
Everything changed, however, on the evening of Sunday, June 22, 2025. It had been a very hot and humid day so I waited until just after dark to let the cats out on the screened back porch, which was one of their favorite places. Several minutes later I heard the most horrific screaming, and when I ran to the door I could see that they were fighting! Fighting??!!!
With fur flying in all directions, Lilith, my Seal Point, was attacking her sister! I opened the door and they came inside the house where the vicious brawl continued. I had NEVER seen cats fight so intensely before, and it was terrifying. I clapped my hands and shouted at them, but they were so focused on each other that it was if they couldn’t even hear me.
They finally ran under different pieces of furniture in my bedroom, and as soon as I could safely pick up one of them (Xena, the victim), I put her in a separate room and shut the door.
Once I stopped shaking, I remembered that just before the door to the porch closed, I’d heard something jump over the chain link fence in my back yard. I knew what had happened! In a classic case of redirected or displaced aggression, a neighborhood cat had come up on the deck next to my porch. This unexpected intrusion into their space likely scared both of my girls, and as she couldn’t lash out at the stranger, Lilith focused her fear and anger on her sister.
The next day when both cats seemed to be calm and back to normal, I put them in their carriers and placed them facing each other. After several minutes when there was no hissing or growling, I cautiously let them out of the carriers. They were fine for a minute or two, but as soon as they sniffed each other, they started fighting again, just as intensely.
I waited a couple of days before trying to put them together again. This time I cautiously opened their carriers in the kitchen after I’d put their food bowls in the normal places. I gently rubbed and praised both while they were eating, and as soon as one finished, I’d slowly pick her up and separate them again. This worked well for three or four feedings, and I was hopeful that the positive experience of successfully eating near each other would allow them to start the process of reconciling. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case.
One evening, after both had eaten just a couple of feet away from each other, Xena turned towards her sister and growled. Hoping to intervene before things escalated, I scooped up Lilith to take her to my bedroom. Xena, however, was already on the offensive, and she jumped onto my leg in an attempt to get to her sister! This caused Lilith to panic and jump down. Once they were both on the floor, another furious fight erupted. While I have found no major injuries on either cat after these fights (I’m monitoring a spot on Xena’s tail), this time I received multiple deep scratches on my hand, arm, and leg from both of them. For everyone’s safety, I’ve kept them completely apart since this incident.
In an attempt to lower the stress level in the house, the day after the first attack I purchased a Feliway diffuser, Feliway spray, and “calming treats.” I tried the “vanilla trick” of dabbing a small amount of vanilla extract on each one so they would smell the same, and I rubbed both with the same cloth to transfer their scents. Every couple of hours I swap which room they’re in (my bedroom or my computer room), and I spend time with each one individually. They also have time each day to run and play in the open rooms of the house, and I alternate which one sleeps in my room at night.
Additionally, I’ve taken steps to reduce the likelihood of them seeing the neighborhood cat again (which I saw on my deck a day or two after the first fight). Aside from not letting either on the screened porch, I put frosted privacy film on most of my windows. Sadly, this also means that my cats no longer have the opportunity to see birds, bunnies, or anything else in the outside world….
So in case it’s not abundantly clear yet, another reason to keep cats inside is to avoid causing a serious problem like the one I am dealing with! By coming over my fence, into my yard, and onto my deck, this neighborhood cat damaged the life-long relationship that my cats have had with each other. Its trespassing also created unexpected expenses for me due to my purchasing the pheromone diffuser, spray, treats, privacy film, and Rescue Remedy. And if the vet feels that medication may be necessary for one or both of my cats, or if they refer me to a behavioral consultant, this will become even more costly.
Of course the worst and most heartbreaking part of all this is that my beautiful and affectionate cats still feel such animosity towards each other. I sincerely hope that, in time, they will be able to live together peacefully again, but don’t think there are any guarantees.