Bully kitten behavior, need help!

[U2beal999]

This isn't my first cat rodeo. Grew up with cats and have introduced kittens to older established cats multiple times before with no issues.

But, my new kitten is being suck a f-ing jerk to my older cats and it's not getting better, so I come asking for help in figuring out strategies to encourage peace in my cat household. Let me introduce the actors in our play:
Kumo (male, 4lb, fixed, nearly 6 mo. Introduced at 4 mo.)
Tsukki (male,12lb, fixed, nearly 4 yr, littermate to Hina, lowest on totem pole)
Hina (female, 8lb, fixed, nearly 4 yr, littermate to tsukki, highest on totem pole)

Important info (I think) siblings were part of a 4 kitten litter and the breeder (they're all japanese bobtails) socialized them with people and other cats before I brought them home. Kumo, on the other hard, was a single kitten litter and as far as I know didn't socialize with other cats or people prior to my picking him up to take home. So he's got hard-core single child syndrome(aka, EVERYTHING IS MINE)!

I did the slow 2 week introduction of scent first, site swapping, feeding near doors, etc. When they first were introduced visually, kumo was scared hissy kitten and the siblings were just curious and avoided this New Thing. Once it was obvious New Thing wasn't going away, that's when the siblings started hissing and swatting toward kitten.

All the cats are bonded to me and the siblings were very attached to me. Kumo drives either of them away if they try to make biscuits or snuggle with me. He's not a snuggle kitten, so he doesn't even take their place on me.

Playtime from me happens frequently until kumo is flopping over tired, but he always has energy to tackle either of the siblings. Tsukki will belly up wrestle for a bit, then his and jump away when he's done. But Hina will ears-flat hiss as soon as kumo even looks at her funny. If he tackles her it often escalates to growls and screams from Hina (she's a calico).

Kumo also will try to run Hina off from the cat wheel. Occasionally he will use the wheel, but most often it's just to chase and corner Hina. That's when the loudest fights occur.

So far no blood has been shed, but there isn't a day without hissing and growls from my older siblings. They're being distant with me and will only act themselves once kumo is shut in his room for the evening. I tried for several weeks to have kumo out during the night, but he chases the siblings out of my bedroom and then occasionally will sleep on my bed next to me (siblings used to share a bed on my bed, but now only Hina uses it due to kumo)

They are fed in separate rooms, I have 3 separate litterboxes on completely different floors of my house, and have multiple cat trees/perches/cat wheels. I've used feliway multicat in multiple rooms and tried Jackson galaxy bully/scarey cat drops.

I think what's happening is kumo is trying to assert dominance to be top cat and Hina is really Not Cool With It.

So any suggestions you have will be majorly appreciated

 

[U2beal999]

Oh I forgot photos! They're all snoozing after breakfast and playtime.
Kumo enjoying sunny foyer

Tsukki snoozing on cat tree #3

Hina in cat tree #4

 

[susanm9006]

Has Kumo been in for his neuter yet. If that hasn’t been done, I would schedule it asap. Hormones can affect a cats behavior but honestly, most six month old cats ARE jerks. He is full of energy and himself and entertainment is annoying his fellow housecats. And on their part, as adult cats they have what seems to be a built in instinct not to really hurt kittens, so the youngster gets by without serious consequences or injuries. As he grows up however, you may see that he is starting to get serious slaps and nips as they start to teach him some manners.

 

[ArtNJ]

Kittens are usally a PITA, its the default condition. You might have gotten lucky with prior rodeos, but its something I've seen and read about many times. The image that sticks with me is when I adopted my now 7 year old from a home where he (then a kitten) was being fostered with a 3 legged cat. I couldn't have stayed more than 30 minutes or so, but I must have seen my future cat jump on that poor tripod like 50 times. The tripod just calmly continued hopping away. Of course, sometimes the harassed cats aren't so chill with it and behave like yours. I mean, I've called this kind of kitten a jerk myself, so I certainly don't fault you for that, but I did just want to make the point that its normal, and will improve as the kitten ages, although the amount and timeline for improvement are wildly variable. By age 4, my cat, the one that bullied the tripod, got a kitten playmate -- and he was awesome with her. They do grow up!

One thing that definitely does help some is having elevated spaces for the bothered cats to retreat too. For example, the only times I saw one of my now passed cats play with a younger cat he disliked was when he had elevation. Its a real observable effect on cat confidence. Even an extra cat tree might help, and for those with the inclination there are many clever things that can be bought/installed/created.

There are people here that suggest other things like feliway defusers and cat music. I'm a science guy, and don't necessarily believe in that stuff. For example, the scientific studies on Feliway are few, small, and mostly don't show an effect. But some people say that stuff helped, and I understand the intense dissastifaction with merely waiting for time to maybe, eventually, help.

 

[Furballsmom]

Scientists Have Created The Perfect Music For Cats
Here's a note about cat music
"As the researchers wrote in the 2015 journal article: "The results suggest novel and more appropriate ways for using music as auditory enrichment for nonhuman animals."
But beyond the therapeutic affects, the research also provides fascinating insight into the species-specificness of melodies.
One of the co-authors, David Teie, had previously shown that tamarin monkeys also respond differently to music that's been specially composed for them. The team now hopes that their study will provide the framework to compose melodies for more species."

Anyway, members here have commented that it really does work

 

[ArtNJ]

Scientists Have Created The Perfect Music For Cats
Here's a note about cat music
"As the researchers wrote in the 2015 journal article: "The results suggest novel and more appropriate ways for using music as auditory enrichment for nonhuman animals."
But beyond the therapeutic affects, the research also provides fascinating insight into the species-specificness of melodies.
One of the co-authors, David Teie, had previously shown that tamarin monkeys also respond differently to music that's been specially composed for them. The team now hopes that their study will provide the framework to compose melodies for more species."

Anyway, members here have commented that it really does work

I think of it this way. For human kids, the most that exists is stuff like The Wiggles, which can occupy the little ones for a bit. I'm fully prepared to believe that there is a cat equivalent to The Wiggles, and naturally such a thing would help a bit. I have trouble believing there is something that does more for cat behavior than The Wiggles does for human toddlers. But hey, The Wiggles were an important part of our parenting strategies, and if they have that for cats, why not. Too funny to remember The Wiggles...

 

[U2beal999]

I do remember The Wiggles! My friends kids now listen to Kidzbop and Caspar Babypants. I suppose I really did luck out on the three other kitten intros into established cat hierarchy! My calico does have quite the forceful personality, and I'm probably attuned to her stress more than her sibling (probably because he mostly rolls with kitten energy way more than his sister). I'll try to trust the process and tame my anxiety over an upcoming international trip (where I won't be able to control any situations)

Thank you all for your advice! I'll keep you updated on my household rodeo. There are flashes of behavioral growth I do see!

 

[Furballsmom]

There are flashes of behavioral growth I do see!

Yay, good for them, --and you too
Definitely, please do let us know how things continue to progress, including with the trip

 

[BoaztheAdventureCat]

Kittens are usally a PITA, its the default condition. You might have gotten lucky with prior rodeos, but its something I've seen and read about many times. The image that sticks with me is when I adopted my now 7 year old from a home where he (then a kitten) was being fostered with a 3 legged cat. I couldn't have stayed more than 30 minutes or so, but I must have seen my future cat jump on that poor tripod like 50 times. The tripod just calmly continued hopping away. Of course, sometimes the harassed cats aren't so chill with it and behave like yours. I mean, I've called this kind of kitten a jerk myself, so I certainly don't fault you for that, but I did just want to make the point that its normal, and will improve as the kitten ages, although the amount and timeline for improvement are wildly variable. By age 4, my cat, the one that bullied the tripod, got a kitten playmate -- and he was awesome with her. They do grow up!

One thing that definitely does help some is having elevated spaces for the bothered cats to retreat too. For example, the only times I saw one of my now passed cats play with a younger cat he disliked was when he had elevation. Its a real observable effect on cat confidence. Even an extra cat tree might help, and for those with the inclination there are many clever things that can be bought/installed/created.

There are people here that suggest other things like feliway defusers and cat music. I'm a science guy, and don't necessarily believe in that stuff. For example, the scientific studies on Feliway are few, small, and mostly don't show an effect. But some people say that stuff helped, and I understand the intense dissastifaction with merely waiting for time to maybe, eventually, help.

I don't entirely agree with you. My cat Boaz is 3 years old and he is STILL a jerk to our 2 other cats his age!