Jekyll and Hyde

Question
Dear Tabbi

I am currently studying my fisrt year of applied cat ethology, but I have a problem that is beyond my knowledge. I am currently asking advice from everyone that I can possibly think of to come to a conclusion.  

I have 17 cats because I do rescue work and they all seem to get along really great. My first rescue cats' name is Arthur who is a beautifull neutered ginger male who is the neighbourhood bully. I have terrible neighbours that reported us to the police because Arthur kept on sleeping on their couch and they HATE animals. We then put a low voltage electric fence up to try and keep the cats safe inside our big and interesting yard. You must understand that this was our last resort and that we did not have any other option. When the fencing went up Arthur ran away for a couple of days and on every attempt to catch him ended in absalute disater - I got attacked by him twice, my mom got attacked once whenever we would catch him. When our wounds was so severe that we had to let him go, he just ran from yard to yard calling us and as soon as we would come near him he would bolt. This carried on for three nights but he eventually came home (after we put the fence off) for a week and never left the house. We then decided that he seems settled again so we switched the fence back on, he ran through the electric fence and we heard him get shocked not to be seen again for 4 days. We sent a letter to the whole neighbourhood and about 6 people phoned us saying that he is around but is very vocal, especially at night. We then switched the fence off again and he came home, stayed for 10 minutes, just enough time for us to switch the fence on, and left again, just to endure the shock to get out. We saw him down the road, but calling him just freaks him out completely so we have decided to now trap him as soon as I can get one. He has been gone now for a total of 7 days and our fence is once again off.    

The only thing that I can think of is that he is extremely territorial and that he cannot bear not to be able to protect it, I cannot keep switching the fence on and off the whole time, because the other cats get confused and get shocked which is causing great distress to them.    

The best way to explain his behaviour when he is inside the house is the most placid, loving animal. But outside our yard he is equivalent to a complete feral. I know that its referred to as Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, but how would I go about fixing it.

After trapping him, I will keep him inside for two weeks to try and get him settled again, but how do I cope after that???   

Hopefully you would be able to help me, I hope that what I said has made some sense.  

Kind Regards    

Cherece du Plessis
Durban, South Africa"

Answer
Cherece,

Electric fences do not work for cats. You need to build a very large cat enclosure in your yard so that Arthur, and your other cats, have a place to be outside in. You can rotate them.

Arthur will never stop running through the electric fence. You can up the levels until it stops his heart, or knocks him out, but it won't help.  Electric fences do not ever work for animals that are motived more by their behavior than by a pain response....this is true of dogs as well. If they really like chasing cars, or the mailman, then an electric fence doesn't work. It only works with behavior modification training. Otherwise they continue to run though the fence as Arthur does.

Large cat enclosures work well and provide cats with outside time, and keeps them safe. The electric fence is inhumane to cats. Since studying the cats in a home environment is not a natural environment it will not matter if the cats have a large safe enclosure or a yard with a dangerous electric fence.

Basically, using an electric fence for a cat(s) is animal abuse. Please do not use the electric fence for Arthur or other cats! If Arthur is neutered and still being a menace to the neighborhood, you may want to think about rehoming him to keep everyone (and Arthur) happy and safe.

What he is going though now with the electric shocks it is no wonder he fights you and doesn't want to come home! I'm sorry to be blunt, but what you are doing to the poor kitty is not good or right. Even though you probably do not intentionally mean to seriously hurt him, you are...both mentally and physically.

Tabbi