Of Betsy is the one starting most of the fights I'd give her a time out and lock her in the bathroom or somewhere small for a few minutes along with telling her a firm NO. And I'd do it at the first sign of her being aggressive and not wait until it's a full out fight with you getting hurt, or the kitten.
I've had up to seven cats at one time, and have had many cats overall. I've had two or more cats at a time, usually three or four, for more years than I can say. I've introduced kittens to adult cats and adults into the household. I didn't always do it very cautiously but they always figured it out.
My younger cat is 8 and has been a bully since he was a tiny three month old kitten. He's particularly awful to new dogs but can be mean to timid shy cats. He spent six months tormenting my current dog at first. I was afraid my 90 pound dog would ecentuaeve get fed up and defend himself and the cat would wind up seriously hurt of dead. Plus I never liked him bullying and intimidating my timid cats when I had more cats. He would steal food and cuff even cats that were literally dying that would only eat treats and I would separate to give hospice care and medications to in their last days. He'd sneak in and steal their food.
And pounce on the dog, and be generally a pain. I've been dogsitting a lot the past few months for extra income, so I've had a lot of dogs here for anywhere one night to now I have one for six weeks. Sometimes I have two dogs plus mine. So he's had to deal with it and no attacks allowed.
I let him hide and he can growl and hiss but if he starts pouncing or attacking, I say no firmly and he gets put in the bathroom. He hates that because he's extremely attached to me and follows me everywhere and always has to be right next to me. So he meows and cries and sounds like he's being murdered. I don't leave him in there long. If he attacks again right away, he goes right back in and stays longer. Repeat as necessary.
Here's the thing though. He's actually learned to like and made friends with some new dogs very quickly. I never pictured that. He's bonded to my dog now, and was to my last dog, but they were and are around for years. Even the current dog I'm watching that I have for six weeks who he hates, he doesn't attack. He hisses and runs away. The fog keeps following him to sniff him and make friends but the cat has stopped attacking over the years because he knows he'll get locked up.
Cats do fight, even if they're bonded. He's very bonded to my older cat but they fight all the time. Then cuddle up. Then groom each other. Then fight. Then play. Lol.
By locking up the younger one and spending all your time with the older one, you're rewarding her for attacking the kitten. She's learned that all she has to do is attack the kitten and the kitten goes away and she has you all to herself again with no sharing.
I would tell her a very strong no and make it very clear that you're unhappy with her the second she does anything aggressive to the kitten, then immediately lock her up and spend more time with the kitten. So she loses what she wants. And praise them both for getting along with lots of pats, treats and catnip.
It's worked for me with my cats. I've also had adult cats who never got along but learned to coexist and even sleep next to each other on the bed with me peacefully. They just never bonded but did learn to stop fighting with me interfering.
But don't give up and don't feel bad it hasn't been that long.
I've had up to seven cats at one time, and have had many cats overall. I've had two or more cats at a time, usually three or four, for more years than I can say. I've introduced kittens to adult cats and adults into the household. I didn't always do it very cautiously but they always figured it out.
My younger cat is 8 and has been a bully since he was a tiny three month old kitten. He's particularly awful to new dogs but can be mean to timid shy cats. He spent six months tormenting my current dog at first. I was afraid my 90 pound dog would ecentuaeve get fed up and defend himself and the cat would wind up seriously hurt of dead. Plus I never liked him bullying and intimidating my timid cats when I had more cats. He would steal food and cuff even cats that were literally dying that would only eat treats and I would separate to give hospice care and medications to in their last days. He'd sneak in and steal their food.
And pounce on the dog, and be generally a pain. I've been dogsitting a lot the past few months for extra income, so I've had a lot of dogs here for anywhere one night to now I have one for six weeks. Sometimes I have two dogs plus mine. So he's had to deal with it and no attacks allowed.
I let him hide and he can growl and hiss but if he starts pouncing or attacking, I say no firmly and he gets put in the bathroom. He hates that because he's extremely attached to me and follows me everywhere and always has to be right next to me. So he meows and cries and sounds like he's being murdered. I don't leave him in there long. If he attacks again right away, he goes right back in and stays longer. Repeat as necessary.
Here's the thing though. He's actually learned to like and made friends with some new dogs very quickly. I never pictured that. He's bonded to my dog now, and was to my last dog, but they were and are around for years. Even the current dog I'm watching that I have for six weeks who he hates, he doesn't attack. He hisses and runs away. The fog keeps following him to sniff him and make friends but the cat has stopped attacking over the years because he knows he'll get locked up.
Cats do fight, even if they're bonded. He's very bonded to my older cat but they fight all the time. Then cuddle up. Then groom each other. Then fight. Then play. Lol.
By locking up the younger one and spending all your time with the older one, you're rewarding her for attacking the kitten. She's learned that all she has to do is attack the kitten and the kitten goes away and she has you all to herself again with no sharing.
I would tell her a very strong no and make it very clear that you're unhappy with her the second she does anything aggressive to the kitten, then immediately lock her up and spend more time with the kitten. So she loses what she wants. And praise them both for getting along with lots of pats, treats and catnip.
It's worked for me with my cats. I've also had adult cats who never got along but learned to coexist and even sleep next to each other on the bed with me peacefully. They just never bonded but did learn to stop fighting with me interfering.
But don't give up and don't feel bad it hasn't been that long.
