Hi everyone, first post here!
Little bit of background:
About 10 weeks ago I got a then 4ish month old male kitten. At the time I already had a 1.5 year old male cat who was very friendly with the neighborhood cats. Unfortunately, 2 weeks after I got the kitten, my adult cat got hit by a car and broke both his hind legs. He received surgery on both legs and had to be crated for at least 6 weeks. 2 Weeks ago his left leg started deteriorating and the vet recommended it be best to amputate his leg and another 2 weeks of crate rest. Over the last 2 months both cats were able to see, hear and smell each other. I've let the kitten carefully meet him in the crate a few times. Kitten already did the neck grab once during those meeting sessions and after that I decided it be best to wait with physical contact after crate rest. Last Monday was the last day of crate rest, after his stitches were removed. He has already adapted quite well to life on 3 legs, although he's still wobbly, gets tired very quick and can't really jump yet. Not really surprising for sitting in a crate for 8 weeks.
Now that the adult cat is wobbling around, the kitten does the neck grab body slam move all the time. He usually walks up to him from the front and then locks his paws around adult cat's neck. Adult cat doesn't cry/hiss/growl when he does it and actually wrestles back until he's had enough. However, with him being so immobile still I really don't like all the body slamming and especially the very rough wrestling (mainly biting in the neck). Although the adult cat can still bite and swat just fine, he can't easily/quickly stand up or get away if he's had enough. Kitten is also BIG, he's almost the same size as my other cat.
I have to keep an eye on them at all times and break them up when it's getting too rough, or I simply turn the kitten the other way when he's preparing to jump on him. I have to this a few times until he gets the idea and chills out. Because I don't trust them together unsupervised, I have to keep them separated when I'm away from home and at night. At night I keep the adult cat in his crate, which he doesn't seem to mind. I keep him in the bedroom (with all the necessities) while I'm away from home. He absolutely loves sleeping on the bed, so that's no problem at all. When I'm home I let him roam around until he's had enough. When he gets tired from wobbling around he goes back to the bedroom and I close the door, just so the kitten won't bother him there.
Fortunately though, they seem to be doing better every day. There's been a few occasions where they sat on the bed together. Usually the older cat starts grooming hem during these moments. Whenever kitten prepares to jump on him, I pick him up and turn him the other way. After a few times he gets the idea. I do let him do his thing every now and then, because I understand he wants to play and adult cat actually instigates sometimes as well. However, when I feel things are getting too rough I separate them.
Has anyone dealt with something like this before? I'd like to get some tips on what I should and shouldn't do. It feels like what I do is the right way, but this is all new for me, so I'm a bit unsure.
Little bit of background:
About 10 weeks ago I got a then 4ish month old male kitten. At the time I already had a 1.5 year old male cat who was very friendly with the neighborhood cats. Unfortunately, 2 weeks after I got the kitten, my adult cat got hit by a car and broke both his hind legs. He received surgery on both legs and had to be crated for at least 6 weeks. 2 Weeks ago his left leg started deteriorating and the vet recommended it be best to amputate his leg and another 2 weeks of crate rest. Over the last 2 months both cats were able to see, hear and smell each other. I've let the kitten carefully meet him in the crate a few times. Kitten already did the neck grab once during those meeting sessions and after that I decided it be best to wait with physical contact after crate rest. Last Monday was the last day of crate rest, after his stitches were removed. He has already adapted quite well to life on 3 legs, although he's still wobbly, gets tired very quick and can't really jump yet. Not really surprising for sitting in a crate for 8 weeks.
Now that the adult cat is wobbling around, the kitten does the neck grab body slam move all the time. He usually walks up to him from the front and then locks his paws around adult cat's neck. Adult cat doesn't cry/hiss/growl when he does it and actually wrestles back until he's had enough. However, with him being so immobile still I really don't like all the body slamming and especially the very rough wrestling (mainly biting in the neck). Although the adult cat can still bite and swat just fine, he can't easily/quickly stand up or get away if he's had enough. Kitten is also BIG, he's almost the same size as my other cat.
I have to keep an eye on them at all times and break them up when it's getting too rough, or I simply turn the kitten the other way when he's preparing to jump on him. I have to this a few times until he gets the idea and chills out. Because I don't trust them together unsupervised, I have to keep them separated when I'm away from home and at night. At night I keep the adult cat in his crate, which he doesn't seem to mind. I keep him in the bedroom (with all the necessities) while I'm away from home. He absolutely loves sleeping on the bed, so that's no problem at all. When I'm home I let him roam around until he's had enough. When he gets tired from wobbling around he goes back to the bedroom and I close the door, just so the kitten won't bother him there.
Fortunately though, they seem to be doing better every day. There's been a few occasions where they sat on the bed together. Usually the older cat starts grooming hem during these moments. Whenever kitten prepares to jump on him, I pick him up and turn him the other way. After a few times he gets the idea. I do let him do his thing every now and then, because I understand he wants to play and adult cat actually instigates sometimes as well. However, when I feel things are getting too rough I separate them.
Has anyone dealt with something like this before? I'd like to get some tips on what I should and shouldn't do. It feels like what I do is the right way, but this is all new for me, so I'm a bit unsure.