Okay, due to the persistence of my 10 month old kitten, Angus and the persistence of the new, 3 month old kitten, Leo that I took in last week, the quarantine ended early. Leo snuck out when I opened the door and while I was chasing him down, Angus snuck into the spare room. I put Leo back in and shut the door. It was 10 minutes later when I realized that Angus was in the spare room. 
Fortunately, Angus was wonderful about the new guy and he's been looking out for Leo, playing with him (more gently than he plays with Riddle--my niece's 10 pound 2 year old cat), grooming him--in short it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Except for one thing: when I put food bowls down, one for each cat--Angus has always had to take a nibble from every food and water bowl in the apartment. He doesn't care if another cat is eating or drinking, he just wants a taste. The kitten, half Angus' size, growls when Angus or Riddle approach or even get closer than two feet while he's eating. If Leo (the kitten) goes to one of the other food bowls, he immediately growls to drive the other two away from that bowl, too.
I understand that it's food aggression and since he was basically turned loose by the family who was supposed to be caring for him and he's just about 12 weeks old now, there may be some fighting for resources/not getting enough to eat/large litter and having to fight for resources. I can't know what this kitten has experienced in his 3 months of life. I can't, however, let this go unchecked. So far I've been sitting on the floor between the cats during meal time and whenever the kitten growls, I hiss back at him. When he goes to another bowl and growls, I take that bowl away and give him his.
I've read a few different articles and each one seems to have different advice about dealing with it. One article advises feeding the cats in separate rooms. I can do that, but that won't stop the kitten from going into the kitchen where I feed Angus and Riddle and driving them away from those food bowls. Another article advised ignoring the growling and offering praise and treats when he's eating quietly. And, of course, the advice to hiss at behavior you don't like to express displeasure.
Has anyone here dealt with food aggression? I would like the kittens to be buddies and aside from anything involving food, they are. The kitten has only been here a week and was isolated with his own food/water up until 3 or 4 days ago (this past Thursday). He was neutered this weekend so I don't know if that would have any effect since he's only 12 weeks at this point anyway. Would a calming collar be worth a try?
Fortunately, Angus was wonderful about the new guy and he's been looking out for Leo, playing with him (more gently than he plays with Riddle--my niece's 10 pound 2 year old cat), grooming him--in short it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.Except for one thing: when I put food bowls down, one for each cat--Angus has always had to take a nibble from every food and water bowl in the apartment. He doesn't care if another cat is eating or drinking, he just wants a taste. The kitten, half Angus' size, growls when Angus or Riddle approach or even get closer than two feet while he's eating. If Leo (the kitten) goes to one of the other food bowls, he immediately growls to drive the other two away from that bowl, too.
I understand that it's food aggression and since he was basically turned loose by the family who was supposed to be caring for him and he's just about 12 weeks old now, there may be some fighting for resources/not getting enough to eat/large litter and having to fight for resources. I can't know what this kitten has experienced in his 3 months of life. I can't, however, let this go unchecked. So far I've been sitting on the floor between the cats during meal time and whenever the kitten growls, I hiss back at him. When he goes to another bowl and growls, I take that bowl away and give him his.
I've read a few different articles and each one seems to have different advice about dealing with it. One article advises feeding the cats in separate rooms. I can do that, but that won't stop the kitten from going into the kitchen where I feed Angus and Riddle and driving them away from those food bowls. Another article advised ignoring the growling and offering praise and treats when he's eating quietly. And, of course, the advice to hiss at behavior you don't like to express displeasure.
Has anyone here dealt with food aggression? I would like the kittens to be buddies and aside from anything involving food, they are. The kitten has only been here a week and was isolated with his own food/water up until 3 or 4 days ago (this past Thursday). He was neutered this weekend so I don't know if that would have any effect since he's only 12 weeks at this point anyway. Would a calming collar be worth a try?
