Pumpernickel running the roost.

[bpenniman]

I got an 8 week old kitten named pumpernickel 2 and a half wks ago. Ive done the introductions. Boots is a male amd 11 and buck is a male and 8. They warmed up to her when i finally got the introduction successful but now pumpernickel is very rude to them and bosses them around. Shes now 10 wks old and not declawed (i would never declaw.) The older guys are adopted and both declawed. So anyways, pumpernickel jumps up on the dresser when i feed the two older guys and hisses, swats, and they both leave and let her steal their food. They are now all fed seperately at the same times. She also will jump on my bed at night and kick the guys off and lay next to me when boots usually does that and buck lays on his bed next to my bed. Pumpernickel wont even let either of them in the same room as me when i sleep. And they just submit to this tiny girl. Theyre both huge cats and shes tiny. She also is getting to play with me too rough. I put her in her room i designated a safe room 2 wks ago for a couple hrs today bcuz she went after boots and he ran away from her. I dont get it. Is it because shes not declawed and they are? Or because shes a female and kitten? I just feel , especially doing college in jan. (Chinese medicine) Anyways, how can i stop Pumpernickel from doing this? My grandpa, whos a big cat person told me i need to discourage the behavior or she will try and get bossy with me. Idk how. Do i raise my voice with her? Do i let the cats sort out their own issues?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. It is possible that your new kitten is behaving that way out of fear. She is really still very new to your household and could still be somewhat afraid, although kittens usually adapt pretty well fairly quickly. She also potentially could be the 'top cat' when all settles down, but you need to make sure your resident older cats are not being negatively impacted by it all. And, certainly, keep her claws trimmed regularly!

If you really think she has settled in enough to start working on some of her behavior, here are some TCS articles that might help. But, given her reaction to your other cats, I still think all time together between the 3 should be supervised.

Why Do Cats Attack?
Solving Cat Behavior Problems: The Key Ingredient
How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat
The Dos And Don'ts Of Cat Behavior Modification

 

[rubysmama]

Here's another link that might be helpful. It's from the Humane Society: Teach Your Kitten How to Play Nice : The Humane Society of the United States

Note: it does mention using a water spray bottle, however, TCS disagrees and has this article with 5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat | TheCatSite

 

[susanm9006]

I suspect it is mostly because she is a kitten and most cats have a built in instinct to not hurt them which includes giving huge leeway to act bossy and obnoxious with no consequences. As she gets older however, their behavior may change and you will see them standing up to her and even disciplining her with a swat, hiss or nip. Even without claws they can put a scare into her if they want to, and will probably always be bigger than her and able to pin her down in a wrestling match. So best to let them sort it out themselves.