18 week kitten and 10 week old kitten, introduction!! Help xx

[Laurensxx]

So i got Frankie mid april at 10 weeks, he is now 18 weeks!! I got Dexter last week at 10 weeks!! Both sphynx kittens (same dad different mums)! I have kept the baby in my room and allowed Frankie to roam the house as usual. I have swapped scents by blankets and swapped spaces. I started to introduce them in short intervals and there was a lot of hissing and growling from the baby cat to start with. 2 days later the growling/hissing has stopped however, during their meetings the 18week old kitten is stalking/pouncing on the baby kitten! He is pinning him down by biting his neck and sometimes using paws (no nails out) the baby has let out some little meows doesnt seem scared of the bigger kitten but the bigger kitten will not leave him alone and continously jumps on his back! Theres been no blood or broken skin/scratches so far. I cant tell if they are ok together or not!! Any tips? I am giving treats when together and only doinh shoet bursfs of meeting at the moment!! Neither are neutred because of age/weight!

 

[susanm9006]

Your older kitten is playing with the younger, and doing what kittens do, biting and wrestling. The younger experienced the same behavior with his littermates and isn’t being harmed, so while he may yelp, squeal or even hiss, as long as he doesn’t seem frightened of his new sibling, everything is fine.

Kittens the age of yours are pretty much guaranteed to be best friends in short order. The older is a bit bigger so if you feel the younger is getting annoyed or tired of the play, you can distract him with a treat or wand play.

 

[Kris107]

If you have a video, sometimes that's helpful se we can help interpret body language. It sounds like play, but you have to see what the "underdog" is doing too. If that one hangs around/stays, then the cries are just to say "too hard" but he's in for playing. You can help with bigger cat's boundaries too. When he's being too much, then he gets a warning.

 

[Laurensxx]

How do I upload a video? X

 

[Laurensxx]

I will add baby cat is meowing as if he is hurting him sometimes but big kitten is trilling non stop when I seperate or when he first sees him! I’m so confused xx

 

[Laurensxx]

If you have a video, sometimes that's helpful se we can help interpret body language. It sounds like play, but you have to see what the "underdog" is doing too. If that one hangs around/stays, then the cries are just to say "too hard" but he's in for playing. You can help with bigger cat's boundaries too. When he's being too much, then he gets a warning.

I have uploaded one to my profile media! X

 

[Kris107]

Yeah, big cat is being too rough. Little cat looked like he was trying to defend and get away. Big cat could be overstimulated by suddenly having a playmate and not get that he is bigger. Are there any safe spaces for little to go? Are you able to play with them as opposed to them just with each other?

 

[ArtNJ]

Video definitely did *not* look right. Neither cat had any hair! Ok, ok, sorry.

I do see K Kris107 's point of view about the video. Kitten somehow seemed young for its age and unusually helpless. But I'm a big believer in what susanm9006 said. If it was really a problem, the kitten would hold a visible grudge and act afraid of the bigger cat at all times, not just when rough play is happening. You can trust the kitten that way. If the kitten sometimes seems to want the bigger kitten's attention, and especially if the smaller kitten initiates play or seeks affection from the bigger kitten, those are powerful signs that regardless of how it looks, everything is ok.

Doesn't mean you can't gently separate them if it seems to much and the younger one is unable to disengage.

 

[Sarah M]

You cats are cute

It doesn't seem to be a very big problem. My two cats did this when I introduced them. The older kept trying to pun the younger one down and rough play and groom her. I did think that towards the end the younger kitten got a bit agitated.

I would recommend you to engage in playing with both of them so they can bond in a safe way and also get their energies out. I also do a high pitched tsk tsk tsk when one of my cats is being too persistent with the other. My cats are also trained on No so that works too.

Just play with them, especially the older one, who seems to have a lot of energy. That will improve things tremendously. If you are already playing with them, increase the intensity of the play.

 

[Laurensxx]

Thank you, I guess it’s gonna be a slow introduction until big kitten realises that little kitten isn’t a toy! I think baby kitten was the runt as he was a lot smaller and quieter than the other kittens when I went to pick him up so he was already at a disadvantage! Big kitten is not interested in the slightest about treats or toys when baby kitten is around! The vet suggested another kitten due to the big kittens high energy!! Xx

 

[Sarah M]

Thank you, I guess it’s gonna be a slow introduction until big kitten realises that little kitten isn’t a toy! I think baby kitten was the runt as he was a lot smaller and quieter than the other kittens when I went to pick him up so he was already at a disadvantage! Big kitten is not interested in the slightest about treats or toys when baby kitten is around! The vet suggested another kitten due to the big kittens high energy!! Xx

I don't think adding a third kitten will solve things. Cat dynamics are weird. As for the lack of Interest in toys, you can try different types of toys and different types of play. There is a something that every cat will go crazy for.

 

[Sarah M]

A loud clap or a whistle helps also to break the focus of one cat on the other.

 

[Laurensxx]

I don't think adding a third kitten will solve things. Cat dynamics are weird. As for the lack of Interest in toys, you can try different types of toys and different types of play. There is a something that every cat will go crazy for.

I don’t mean a third kitten, I mean it was the vet who said my kitten would benefit from another kitten and that’s why I have two now! X

 

[Kris107]

The new addition sounds so exciting to older kitten. You said when little is around, the bigger doesn't care about treats or toys. Just sounds like he's obsessed a bit! Just keep working with setting boundaries. Between you and little, hopefully big will learn how to be a bit more gentle. Gentle will mean little might play back more! Overall though, I think they'll end up just fine as others mentioned. Kittenhood is all about teaching manners and such.