The infographic explains more or less what I want to say on this topic. I’ll add a personal experience. Like many cat caregivers I have an indoor/outdoor cat with a cat flap. For about 18 months a neighbour’s cat came into the home via the cat flap looking for food. They came at night and they tip-toed through the flap and jumped silently onto the kitchen counter where the food bowls are situated to avoid my attentions.
Unusually, I sleep near the open plan kitchen. I won’t explain 😃 but it is logical. And I sleep lightly. Both these factors allowed me to notice when she came and frighten her away. I raised my voice and ensured that I sounded hostile and dominant. The cat got the message over a period of about 3 months. They’ve never returned. I see her in the neighbourhood from time to time.
I think humans can dominate domestic cats. This is because we are so much bigger. Domestic cats are predisposed to be fearful of humans. This makes it fairly easy to intimidate most domestic and stray cats that you want to stay away from your home and cat. Clearly it should be done with respect. And no harm. Just a mental game. A game of sumo and the human wins.
Some unneutered tomcats may resist and be dangerous. Caution is required. Stray cats should not be cornered as they may be provoked into taking defensively hostile measures using extreme aggression. Under these circumstances the humble stray or feral cat is very dangerous. Respect is the byword.
You might find some useful tips in one or two of the articles listed below.
