New rescued kitten attacks other 3 cats

[mogs]

He has been with us for 3 months now and seems to have developed a nasty attitude with our other 3 adult cats. He goes for them, they hit back hissing and growling, but still he goes for them. We have 2 adult males age 12 years and they are quite happy to ignore him but he just won't back off. The other cat is a female aged 4 years. All cats are neutered. The 3 adults tolerate each other without aggression.

It's got to the point where I am going to have to keep him in the house in a place away from the others, as his behaviour means no one gets any peace (including me).

Any suggestions to bring about peace and calm.

[YCCMB]

I have 3 cats: 2 siblings whom we got together, and.a third cat that my neighbour found under a bush when she (the cat, not my neighbour!) was about 7-8 weeks old.

Whilst they all get on OK and live together fairly harmoniously, the newer arrival can be a bit of a bully, batting the others away with a swipe of her paw to be first to the food, or chasing the less brave of the other two. That's about it, though.

However, it wasn't until I watched a documentary series on BBC2 a few months back that I learned that cats aren't actually too fond of one another. They're solitary animals and prefer to be alone. It certainly made me think about the wisdom of so many cat charities in the UK who actually impose on people wanting to re home kittens that they must take a pair!

I think a new arrival will always feel the need to be assertive, in a sort of "fight or flight" response, and once it becomes a learned behaviour there's not much you can do to change it. Cats just aren't that biddable, although sure, there are people who have managed to "train" theirs to do all sorts of things, from using the loo to opening doors. But in terms of how they behave towards other cats...I think it's more difficult.

In your shoes, I'd try to re- rehome the newcomer. It may be kinder all round, and spare your older cats from feeling bullied.

[mogs]

Thanks for your reply Betty, I know what you mean about cats preferring to be solitary, the documentaries on TV where they put cams on the cats to watch behaviour showed that neighbourhood cats actually know when to go out to avoid next doors moggie.

I don't want to rehome him, not yet anyway, I would hate to send him to the SPA after his neglected life before we had him.

I'll continue doing what I have been doing so far - other cats go out (usually at the same time) he comes in or is kept indoors in a different area from the others.