Settling new kitten in, older kitten very unhappy!

[kittielittie]

I've got an 8 month old neutered male kitten, Eric.

I've just picked up his 9 week old cousin Ernie yesterday.

It's been carnage ever since!

They have their own beds, litter trays and feeding bowls. I've got a felliway plugged in.

It's tricky with the house layout to keep them apart and whenever I try and zone them away from each other they both get very distressed.

But Eric is constantly attacking Ernie and grabbing him by the neck. Ernie squeals very loudly when this happens.

I'm scratched to shreds from both of them.

Ernie is used to other adult cats and does try and give as good as he gets but I'm really worried that he's going to end up hurt by Eric throwing his weight about.

I'm trying to offer Eric lots of cuddles and praise when he doesn't attack him but in all honesty I'm at a loss what else I can do. I daren't even get in the shower for fear of what will happen!

I expected hissing and maybe both of them retreating somewhere in a mood until they got used to each other but not this level of aggression.

For further info, I'm the poster who had the rescue cat George who turned out to be terminally ill and had to be returned. Eric was not like this with poor George at all.

Any wise words?

I’d take kitten back if there’s aggression, if Eric’s decided he’s an only child there’s not much you can do.

Leave them to it. Ernie need to work out Eric is (at least for now) boss cat. This will take some hissing and shrieking on both parts. They'll sort themselves out.

I'm genuinely concerned that if I leave the house Eric will murder him!

If it was only yesterday, I’d give them a bit of time to settle. I had a 7 year old with a 5 week old (rescue from feral colony) and they took a few weeks to behave well together and often it was the kitten going back for more fights after squealing very loudly. I did have to separate them if I wasn’t around to supervise. Could you borrow a dog crate if you can’t bear them to be in different rooms?

I'd give it a few more days with very active participation by you with them. You do need to find a way to keep them separate for periods too.

Try feeding them treats together, then separating them

I've brought Ernie up to my room with his litter tray in the en suite so that has at least allowed me to get a shower. I'll leave him here while I pop to the shop and then I am home for the day

It's only been a day. But you must separate them to begin with, it is too much to put them together for long periods. So Ernie stays in the ensuite the majority of the time, you go in and feed, cuddle, play with him regularly. Let him out for half an hour - supervised only - and if aggression starts, take Ernie back to 'his room'. Keep doing this for half hour periods every few hours until you sense a change and can trust them together. You are right, Eric could hurt Ernie due to the size discrepancy.

IME it usually takes only 2 or 3 days for young animals like this to become friends (longer with an established cat). If it takes a fortnight, just keep plugging on, letting them see each other for a bit longer each day, always supervised.

You say Eric was not like this with previous kitten, but Eric is now a bit older - and anyway, cats react completely differently to each cat.

Just to check - Eric is neutered isn't he?

Just a thought but if possible it might be an idea to give them separate areas of the house for a week or so and then retry the introductions slowly. We kept our kittens restricted to one room for a week firstly to let them get used to us and secondly to ensure we could control introducing our incumbent cats to them.

oh I've been there, but yes you must keep them separate a little longer, Ernie is so little so it should be possible even if a bit of a pain! Two of mine were like this and now they sleep together cuddled up all night, but fight during the day! not too aggressively usually but the little one is older and they both worked out who is boss so its all good. Just go gently at first :) good luck!

@SimultaneousWindows yes Eric is neutered. Good advice there thanks.

Ernie is causing havoc to my bed throw and Eric is sleeping in his usual spot downstairs so some respite all round for a while

my last kitten was actually feral, picked up fro a street colony, so she definitely had to be separate and we just flooded her, wrapping her up like a little burrito and after 6 days she was a beautiful affectionate friendly little thing! they then met, he's a much older male, and were separated most of the time for around a month actually, with little supervised visits and playtime :) I only wish I could get more!

Let us know how you get on - in a few days they will hopefully be getting on better. I had two kittens with a similar age gap, the older (boy) was fairly 'assertive' and the younger (girl) was tiny - but they had great games and became very good friends.

Ernie has the run of the living room now and is having a very long snooze.
Eric is with me in the garden trying to catch passing gliders and light aircraft!
He's a 7/10 for staying in the back garden and only ever ventures to next doors garden. They have a party today and he's deeply suspicious of the bouncy castle so is quite content under the trampoline.
Interestingly they both shared a plate of soup earlier and not so much as a hiss or sly look between them.
Food may be the answer!

Just as way of an update. Ernie hasn't been eaten and Eric is certainly more tolerant. He still goes for the back of his neck a few times a day but when I go to intervene he just starts licking little legs as if to say 'what?' 😂

Ernie is a rascal though and goes and taps Eric on the nose when he's sleeping so he needs to wind his paw in.

Compared to a week ago it's a different home and neither have drawn my blood in about 4 days so I'm thankful for small mercy's.

I do think the heat has subdued them both though. They are alternating between full on sunbathing to finding the coolest place in the house and that has taken all their energies.

And separate food bowls and litter trays? Could have saved my money! It's a free for all and actually food time is one guaranteed time of tranquility as they halt hostilities for the duration.

That's great news, thanks for updating. I'm sure Ernie will continue to tease Eric, he won't be able to help himself, but it sounds like they are on the way to becoming good friends.

Mine prefer to share litter trays too, there can be a few clean trays available and they all decide to use the same one. Some of mine are happy to eat in close proximity, but one of them prefers to be at a distance - they are all different (and awkward😆)