Helping my kitten get used to new arrival

[shesgonestella]

I have an 18 week old Ragdoll kitten who I’ve never had any problems with. She settled in right away, and is such a perfect girl. She’s very sociable and loves attention, so I got a second ragdoll kitten this weekend so they can grow up together and be playmates. They’re both girls and there is 7 weeks between them.
Debby (newest kitten) is settled in her safe room and very happy. She’s eating well and is desperate to come out and play with Delilah.
Delilah is a bit scared, and feels very put out. I let Debby explore a bit Ive now consigned her to her room until Delilah seems more relaxed.
Delilah is still playful, but definitely on edge, and sadly is totally off her food.
ive switched up bowls, given her multiple options in different places, but she’s just not keen. It’s been about 24 hours of not eating properly, and 4 days of the new kitten.
Over the last 24 hours she’s eaten tiny bits if I sort of throw them to her and make it a game, but not enough for a growing girl.
Ive got the Feliway Friends plug in and just got the general spray, which I’ve sprayed around for her today while I’m at work and outside the door where the new kitten is)
Any advice, or has anyone else experienced anything similar?

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Your kittens are pawsitively precious. I'm sure in time, they'll be besties. But for now getting Delilah eating well again is the top priority.

TCS has this article that might be helpful: How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again – TheCatSite Articles

Hopefully Delilah starts eating well today. If not, you might want to check with your vet, as cats can't go too long without getting enough calories.

Why Has My Cat Stopped Eating And Is It Dangerous? – TheCatSite Articles

 

[ArtNJ]

Two kittens always end up besties, but it can take up to a week or so sometimes. You don't need to do anything special for two kittens to be friends, but I do agree that it would be good to figure the eating out first.

Its not clear to me what is going on. Is Deliah hissing? If there is no hissing, it could be excitement, not fear/distaste. It could also be a bit of an illness.

If Deliah is over eager, I can guarranty you'll be concerned about rough play when you put the together, with the size and age difference. Thats almost always ok, no matter what it looks like, but you can come back and ask.

 

[shesgonestella]

Two kittens always end up besties, but it can take up to a week or so sometimes. You don't need to do anything special for two kittens to be friends, but I do agree that it would be good to figure the eating out first.

Its not clear to me what is going on. Is Deliah hissing? If there is no hissing, it could be excitement, not fear/distaste. It could also be a bit of an illness.

If Deliah is over eager, I can guarranty you'll be concerned about rough play when you put the together, with the size and age difference. Thats almost always ok, no matter what it looks like, but you can come back and ask.

she is hissing, yes. Although she will lie down in the presence of the new kitten and just watch her fairly peacefully. She only hisses when Debby comes up and they sniff each others’ noses - that is usually then followed with a hiss.

 

[shesgonestella]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Your kittens are pawsitively precious. I'm sure in time, they'll be besties. But for now getting Delilah eating well again is the top priority.

TCS has this article that might be helpful: How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again – TheCatSite Articles

Hopefully Delilah starts eating well today. If not, you might want to check with your vet, as cats can't go too long without getting enough calories.

Why Has My Cat Stopped Eating And Is It Dangerous? – TheCatSite Articles

thank you, I will take a look!

 

[ArtNJ]

So not excitement, she is a little stressed. Put the kitten away for an hour and she will probably eat.

Unless its an illness, it should be fine soon. It just rarely takes much more than a week with two kittens.

 

[di and bob]

Hissing, growling, and swatting are perfectly normal. If the kitten gets 'punished' and comes back shortly after running away, everything is normal, if she starts hiding and does not come back, or totally hides from the older gril, she is really getting hurt. Get some lickable treats for your older cat and see if that perks up her appetite, I get Delectable Lickables in the stew flavors. everything sounds normal to me, just give it some time!

 

[shesgonestella]

They’re going to be separate all day today, so hopefully she releases her space isn’t under threat. But I will still follow the tips in the article linked above and see if I can pick up some of that high calorie Hills food. I got her to eat some plain poached salmon yesterday so will just focus on things that are especially yummy