Thread: When neighborhood strays become a problem

A few mornings ago Merlin was attacked by a stray cat in our yard. I had just let him outside along with Bengal Brat and Sampson, and was in the kitchen washing dishes. It was a comfortable morning and thankfully the windows were open, and I heard a terrifying scream. I ran outside and saw Merlin pinned to the ground by a gray and white stray that had been coming around. Before I could reach them, the very protective and territorial Sampson approached the intruder and began howling and screaming. Merlin bolted for the door, but he was limping in pain. I did not want Sampson to get hurt but he was in such a fit that he wouldn't let me touch him! The stray was shaking with rage and was arching his back and getting up on his hind legs. I started grabbing sticks and chunks of mulch to throw at him, and eventually he left.
Merlin was fine and probably sprained his leg in the attempt to escape, thankfully there were no bites, just chunks of his beautiful fur scattered around the yard. :-( This cat still shows up sometimes and we don't know what to do. Our cats love being outside and we don't want to deprive them of their playtime, but they also need to be safe. How can we make this bully stray go away???