So, we rescued Rury in Oct. 2020.
We saw him at a Popeyes hanging around the garbage with what appeared to be an injured leg, he was hobbling and holding it up. We returned later that night because we couldn't stop thinking about him and it was getting cold, and after a few hours we lured him into a trap and took him home. He spent about a month locked in the guest bedroom, and I had daily interactions with him with petting and feeding.
During that time I was taking blankets and beds that he used out and letting my kittens smell them, and they were super young at this point, like 6mo. I was taking their things in the room and also the room itself should have been covered fully in their scent since they were in there all the time.
Eventually I started leaving the door open to Rurys room for a few hours at a time, and slowly worked up to leaving it open 100% of the time.
None of them have ever fought but I would not say they've ever really become friends. I think Rury maybe wanted to for a while with them, but they were always hesitant of him and just sort of let him be.
We're at a point now where all 3 eat on a table together, and they are never separated. Rury now loves to play and loves to be pet (pick up/lap or anything like that is 100% off-limits still). I never thought he'd reach this point! He jumps up on my desk with my several times a day asking to be pet, and lays down on the desk infront of me, he is the same with my husband now as well. He pretty much never goes in "his room" anymore, preferring to sleep in our bed or infront of the fireplace.
So onto the issues that have been popping up the last few weeks. Rury wants to eat... A LOT. I have always free fed the kittens and they pretty much self regulate, I'll put a can down and they will typically take a few hours to eat it all, coming and going. But now I really have to keep a hawkeye out on Rury because he will eat his, wait for Tuck and Winnie to finish what they want, and then go try to eat all of that as well. Every time I stand up and move towards the kitchen area, he comes running, and sits on the table, expecting food. He has also started getting pushy when the humans are eating, trying to get his head to the plates. My night routine since I got the kittens was to put one last can of food out at night, and they eat on it all night until I get up (i get up sort of late). This hasn't been working out anymore, because Rury eats their "reserves", and they are really hungry when I get up.
Microchip feeders and whatnot are out of the question...way too expensive. Is there any other ideas other then locking rury up at night in his old room (I really don't want to do this), or completely changing their schedules? How do I get them used to something they've known their whole life.
Next issue I'm having is... I don't want to say aggression, but I'm not really sure what it is? For a few weeks Rury has been doing some weird stuff to the other cats. Mostly the girls, Winnie and Reme (reme is only here on the weekends, but shes friends with everyone). When they are in the litter box for instance, he likes to get close and wait for them to come out. Then he'll charge at them, but doesn't actually do anything when he reaches them? He'll also sometimes do this in doorways, sometimes he will try to "grab" them with his disfigured leg... which really upsets them and they all scream at him when he does it. Then he just sorta looks dumbfounded afterwards? I don't know if he is trying to play (but they won't play with him), or if it is some type of bullying, or some kind of pecking order situation now that he is a lot more comfortable in the house. It doesn't seem too dangerous so far, but I don't know if I should do anything about it.
It is particularly bad with Reme, who is the smallest kitten, really a baby still. He can get really obsessive over her. I have had to shoo him away so she could get out of the litterbox, or just, leave her alone, because she gets really upset.
Also, everyone is spayed/neutered, even the baby!
We saw him at a Popeyes hanging around the garbage with what appeared to be an injured leg, he was hobbling and holding it up. We returned later that night because we couldn't stop thinking about him and it was getting cold, and after a few hours we lured him into a trap and took him home. He spent about a month locked in the guest bedroom, and I had daily interactions with him with petting and feeding.
During that time I was taking blankets and beds that he used out and letting my kittens smell them, and they were super young at this point, like 6mo. I was taking their things in the room and also the room itself should have been covered fully in their scent since they were in there all the time.
Eventually I started leaving the door open to Rurys room for a few hours at a time, and slowly worked up to leaving it open 100% of the time.
None of them have ever fought but I would not say they've ever really become friends. I think Rury maybe wanted to for a while with them, but they were always hesitant of him and just sort of let him be.
We're at a point now where all 3 eat on a table together, and they are never separated. Rury now loves to play and loves to be pet (pick up/lap or anything like that is 100% off-limits still). I never thought he'd reach this point! He jumps up on my desk with my several times a day asking to be pet, and lays down on the desk infront of me, he is the same with my husband now as well. He pretty much never goes in "his room" anymore, preferring to sleep in our bed or infront of the fireplace.
So onto the issues that have been popping up the last few weeks. Rury wants to eat... A LOT. I have always free fed the kittens and they pretty much self regulate, I'll put a can down and they will typically take a few hours to eat it all, coming and going. But now I really have to keep a hawkeye out on Rury because he will eat his, wait for Tuck and Winnie to finish what they want, and then go try to eat all of that as well. Every time I stand up and move towards the kitchen area, he comes running, and sits on the table, expecting food. He has also started getting pushy when the humans are eating, trying to get his head to the plates. My night routine since I got the kittens was to put one last can of food out at night, and they eat on it all night until I get up (i get up sort of late). This hasn't been working out anymore, because Rury eats their "reserves", and they are really hungry when I get up.
Microchip feeders and whatnot are out of the question...way too expensive. Is there any other ideas other then locking rury up at night in his old room (I really don't want to do this), or completely changing their schedules? How do I get them used to something they've known their whole life.
Next issue I'm having is... I don't want to say aggression, but I'm not really sure what it is? For a few weeks Rury has been doing some weird stuff to the other cats. Mostly the girls, Winnie and Reme (reme is only here on the weekends, but shes friends with everyone). When they are in the litter box for instance, he likes to get close and wait for them to come out. Then he'll charge at them, but doesn't actually do anything when he reaches them? He'll also sometimes do this in doorways, sometimes he will try to "grab" them with his disfigured leg... which really upsets them and they all scream at him when he does it. Then he just sorta looks dumbfounded afterwards? I don't know if he is trying to play (but they won't play with him), or if it is some type of bullying, or some kind of pecking order situation now that he is a lot more comfortable in the house. It doesn't seem too dangerous so far, but I don't know if I should do anything about it.
It is particularly bad with Reme, who is the smallest kitten, really a baby still. He can get really obsessive over her. I have had to shoo him away so she could get out of the litterbox, or just, leave her alone, because she gets really upset.
Also, everyone is spayed/neutered, even the baby!
He is also never groomed by them, but they all groom each other. He seems to have kinda been outcast, which really makes me sad. Maybe it's too soon? At least, no one is outwardly mean/aggressive to him.
