So "Edo", the tuxedo kitten who is currently living with the lady who brought her to me, is being a bit of a trouble maker with the older kitty in their household. Older kitty is 13. History on him is he does not like other cats on his property. If they take him out for a walk he will try to attack any cat on "his" grass. He has always been the one and only.
Enter Edo three weeks ago. She was segregated to a bathroom from what I can understand for only one full day and let out part way through the second so the cats could meet face to face. There was a little hissing but it went not bad. The times together have gotten progressively longer. There was the requisite swatting and hissing. Nothing too serious. When kitty gets too rambunctious she goes back to "her" room. When the mom is away at work or shopping Edo is in her room as well.
A few days ago Edo started attacking the older kitty face first. She comes at him and attacks. When corrected she stops for a minute and then slinks along toward him and goes at him again. Edo has just had her first (and only) heat. I am picking her up to be spayed on Sunday.
I do not think Edo was ever socialized well as she was "adopted" at a young age (six weeks approx) and when she was no longer a cute kitten was put outside to fend for herself. Probably around 3 months of age. She was put into a carrier between two houses at night and allowed to run the neighbourhood during the day.
From the week I had her here I know she is very rough. She will be a normal kitty for about five minutes then she totally freaks and starts biting and growling. But she is still trying to play. The older kitty hisses when she does this but will not put her in her place. When she is being a calm kitten she is the sweetest thing going.
The older kitty has started hiding under the bed almost all day to get away from the kitten. I have told the new mom to take him in to her vet to be health checked. He hasn't been in for a few years. He has a diet of Royal Canin dry and some canned.
I said he may not be hiding from the kitten. He may be hiding because he is sick or has crystals. I have asked her if it is possible to wean him off the dry food all together and switch to a better quality canned.
I have given "Mom" all the advice I can think of. Separating them when Edo is misbehaving, correcting her consistently, not letting them be alone together, watching behaviour, trying to anticipate when Edo is about to change from
to
, etc. She will be separated for a week following her spay as I have explained she needs to recover as quietly as possible. During that week the older kitty is going to the vets for a check up. If she does not settle down she will in all probability come back here.
Any ideas on how to correct her behaviour would be great. I told her I would ask for other opinions to see if they differ from mine or for something new I could pass on.
Sorry for the novel. Had to try to get as much info as possible in.
