Boo Hoo - Need to take cat back to rescue centre

[DoThisDoThat]

Please help me on this one. Just rehomed two persian cats. Both are lovely. BUT, I took one home last week while the other was being neutered. Now brought cat number 2 home and number 1 is growling, hissing and generally being mean. Also, number 2 is still a kitten (8 months old) and a bit lively so has scratched the kids a couple of times already.

So, question is, do I take him back? I'm really worried he won't be happy here. Or do i persevere and see if it all calms down?

How long has the being mean thing been going on. They can take a couple of weeks to settle down and establish their positions in the pecking order.
As for the scratching, if it is just in play I don't see a problem - my children soon learned to avoid behaviour/situations that might lead to scratching.
I would encourage you to persevere because I think you should give them a chance to get used to each other.

I agree with seeing how it pans out. The scratching should definetely calm down as cat gets older

Scratching DC not a problem. Usually that will ease off as they settle in and they will learn to avoid the DC - and vice versa.

The meanness may also ease off once the pecking order is established.

Think I'll give it more time. They are lovely boys - the cats that is, not the DCs. Samwise and Pippin (hobbits). Aw.

Definitely give it more time. At least a fortnight. I've had cats who've started off like this and ended up as very best friends - all cuddled up together and washing each other

Agree they need more time, last time we brought a new cat into the house it took a month for existing moggy to accept him and for the hissing/spitting and puffing up of fur to stop.
Then for the rest of older cats life they were best friends

As for scratching agree again, kittens do scratch it's what they do. It will settle down as he grows, and both cat and kids will learn when to avoid each other. Unless they're like my DD who takes great delight in playing 'chase my finger' with our persian, and is permenantly scratched. She's not bothered in the slightest though, she knows how to not be scratched and does it anyway!

My health visitor, who was not the sort to give sensible advice on much, was of the opinion that cats will never scratch children's eyes. They have specific aim!

Our cat who we got as a kitten never scrathes me as I always told her off for doing it to me. My DH always played catch the hand etc games with her which explains why his arms are always scratched - even though she's now 8.

Are they playing when the children get scratched? As if its a young cat it might be getting over excited.

My cat scratched near my DD's eye when she was 6 months old.

you need to let new cats settle in for at least a month then review it. Mine are nothing like they were when brought home, they are different cats!!

Give them a bit more time and I'm sure things will improve.

One trick, which I have never tried and which sounds disgusting, but I am assured does work, is to wipe some of the older cat's used (not pooey!) litter over the coat of the kitten so it smells right (to the cat, if not you).

Kittens get over-excited so they will scratch. I never left my youngest alone with the kittens until I was satisfied they were smart enough, and good-tempered enough, to just leg it if he annoyed them.