This morning I was having a lie in when suddenly my cat leapt up, made a really unhappy noise (not a scream but it was unsettling) and ran down the stairs.
This was followed by her standing by the cat flap looking out and my other cat was also skulking/dashing around. I couldn't see anything the other side of the door and tried to comfort the girls but they were skittish and although would let a really short stroke there was no purr to be had. After a few mins I went back to bed but then I could hear them growling downstairs ... this time I went down, my cats ran back up stairs, I opened the door and there was the Tom. So somehow (?), he was the source of their distress.

There was another incident a couple of months back where he chased one of mine into the house (its a chip flap so he got a bit of a headache from that one) and also there is often the smell of him spraying at the back door.

Also this week I came in one night and one of my girls was really skittish, and now I recognise her actions then were the same as this morning. Obviously I don't know if something Tom-related had happened then, but there was no explanation.

I can't be mean to the Tom even though I shoo'd him away this morning, but is there anything I can do either to discourage him or has anyone any tips the best way to comfort/reassure mine?

Sorry for the long story!!

That happened with my two. I was lying in bed and heard them yowling.
My poor old blind cat Cato had chased a Tom cat out and was fighting. Poor old Cato could hardly walk or a few days and cried every time I picked him up.

what a brave Cato

There was a mean black tom cat after my impossible princess. He would come in through the cat flap.

Poor old boy hasn't been out since!

Its not unusual then! its just really unpleasant seeing them so scared in their own home
Aw sad for Cato too

My cat was bullied when we moved into my current house a few years ago. The evil thing bit him and gave him an abscess. It hung around the back door ready to pounce all the time. So I bought a little water pistol and that solved it. It wouldn't come near the garden after a couple of sprays. After that as soon as it saw me it would run off.
It still won't come near me or the garden even though my lovely cat went to the bridge seven months ago.

You could try a cat flap that only opens by thier collars, or locking the flap at night?

Had exactly the same problem recently. Somebody's tomcat has been coming through our catflap, eating the food, getting on the side knocking plates off and spraying up the walls. As well as attacking my three cats. Crackers goes ballistic and chases him out all the way to this toms house.

I've got one of them - I'm just not sure how to get the message through to the girls that once they're in they're safe!

Ah I see, sorry I thought u mean he was getting in. You could try feliway plug in, the hormone thing. It's calming and soothes them. I've not had much success but I know others that have.

The Beast is a bit of a wuss around other cats generally. For all his gitness he won't fight his corner.

We had a bit of a time with a bigger black cat, he looked evil (we called cat of Satan) and he would pick on the Beast.

Whilst I was at work, the OH would hear him whimpering in the bush outside, with the other cat prowling about. The OH would pick Beast up and shoo the other cat away, by accounts the other cat wasn't that scared and would just give evils back.

Anyhoo this happened one weekend when I was home, the OH picks the Beast up and shoos the other cat away.

It just gives her evils.

Meanwhile I fill the wash up bowl with water and throw it over the cat from the kitchen window.

It looked totally stunned for a sec, then shot off at a great rate of knots.

Never had any come back from the owner of a soaked moggy, would have stood my ground anyway.

Cat never bothered the Beast again.

I hope other FM's here know I am a big cat lover, and I took no great pleasure from what I did.

But sometimes you have to put you and yours first.

sounds like a plan

thanks for the post & thanks everyone for replies. they've been really edgy today not themselves, something is unnerving them, I'm convinced its the tom-related