Yowly Cat-- please help

[Aletheia]

MacKenzie has been an indoor cat for the last 5 years. He used to be a territorial stray tom before that.

We moved to a new house this summer, and while in the old place he *very* occasionally got to go outside, we have a big yard here and he spent most of June, July and August coming outside to garden with me on an almost daily basis.

Fast forward to last week when a stray cat started showing up in our yard... AND we had our first baby.

I no longer feel comfortable having him outside (he wants to kill the stray) and he feels even more unsure about being inside on account of the new baby. The result: terrible, heart-rending, chortling yowls that go on for hours.

So far in my son's 12 days of life there have only been two times when both baby and cat were wailing, but I fear the chances will only get better for that sort of instance as he gets older.

Help me before I run out into the street and tear all my hair out!

[jnettie]

I know you've got your hands full right now, but if you know it's a stray and not a neighbor's cat, you may want to set a live trap and take the stray to a shelter. That way you can feel comfortable about letting your kitty outside.

On cats and kids, I'm not an expert. But kitty and baby will have to come to terms with each other eventually. Others have delt with that here, and I'll leave that to them.

[vwinkel]

I have a cat who does the same. He meows relentlessly when I get home and wants me to take him outside. I've tried the spray bottle and he just thinks it's a cue to do the meowing a few feet away instead.

Is he fixed? Could the other stray cat be in heat? Maybe this is why he is yowling.

Could you maybe distract him when he starts yowling? Such as a new catnip toy or food? Maybe this will lessen the meows. Good luck!