Kitten + New Ferret= Disaster

[critter4314]

Hello my name is Courtney and about a month and a half ago I took in a abandoned kitten that required bottle feeding. Around my area there is a high birth rate of cats as well as increased euthanization. Due to those reasons I decided to take her in. During this time I have fallen deeply in love with her but she has various issues that I am not sure how to handle. I have raised many cats and she is by far the one who has bitten and scratched me the most. Although we redirect focus on toys she continues to bite and scratch at both me and my fiance. We will leave her alone when she begins and then go back and she'll be completely sweet. It's sort of akin to a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde thing. One minute she will be sweet and then the next minute attack. I have recently began putting her in the bathroom for 10 minute intervals when she begins. Recently my fiance adopted a rescue ferret and her behavior has grown worse. She acts very curious and is willing to go up the ferret's cage and sniff it but the minute we even look at her cross eyed (my fiance more so) she will begin to hiss and growl. I understand that because of her upbringing and not being around her mom and siblings this can increase behavioral issues. I'm just wondering how the best way to deal with this redirected aggression would be without having to give up either of my pets. I highly doubt if I even returned the ferret that her behavior would decrease. I have given her ample space of her own and she will choose to come sleep in the same room as the ferret regardless. Some advice would be wonderful.

 

[Willowy]

She's very very young (I'm guessing around 8-10 weeks now?) and hasn't had a mother to teach her proper cat manners. Her behavior is very normal for a young kitten, and especially for an orphan. Keep being consistent and she'll get the idea eventually.

Ferrets smell weird, and in the wild, weasels will kill small kittens. So it's natural for her to regard the ferret as a possible predator and feel anxious about it. On the other hand, besides another kitten, there's no better playmate for a kitten than a playful ferret! If the ferret is young and healthy, and the kitten weighs at least as much as the ferret, I'd let them play together, with supervision. The ferret may be useful in teaching the kitten proper bite inhibition.

Also, get a fishing pole toy (like Da Bird) and play with her a lot. That way she gets enough stimulation and exercise, but without biting any hands or feet.

 

[Furballsmom]

You could try a HISS, just like her momma would, when bad behavior starts.

 

[critter4314]

She is very scared of the ferret when it is out but doesn't mind when he is caged. I would love nothing more than them to play but I'm not sure how to approach it

 

[Furballsmom]

It sounds like your kitten needs to be the same size, weight-wise, first...

 

[Willowy]

It sounds like your kitten needs to be the same size, weight-wise, first...

Won't take long---ferrets only weigh 1-3 pounds. It depends on the ferret's personality too.

Just keep letting her in the room when the ferret is out, and don't force anything. I think she'll get brave enough to play with him eventually.

 

[critter4314]

I think that approach would work. He's super playful and I think he would chase. Debating on getting her a perch so she can watch him from afar playing

 

[critter4314]

Update on kitty/ferret. Been appropriately disaplining her for hissing and she full on played with our new ferret today! She's super curious about him and no claws during play. Thanks for the advice.