Mister Mushi Face's progress

[lilleah]

Hello all!

I am starting this new thread because "Willys" thread was going a bit off track.

Mister Mushi Face is a 13 week old Blue point Himalayan. He still fits in the palm of my hand, I think he might have been the runt of the bunch. But he is now my little baby. He's SOOO cute, I cant wait to post pics of him and Kipper.

The transition is going as planned, I just wish I could make it go faster, but it is already going faster than I planned due to "comfort zone"....I LOVE COMFORT ZONE! It has made kipper into a big ol' lover boy. And you can tell the room that it is in because once he exits the area that comfort zone is not in, he gets a little bit more mad about the kitten.

I have done everything that people have mentioned about bringing a new kitty into my home. The blanket with catnip, switching thier scents, switching thier room a couple hours a day, letting Kipper know he's still our baby too, letting them eat next to each other through a crack in the door, letting them actually see each other through that crack. It's going well.

It's been one week, and last night I actually brought the kitten into the living room where Kipper and Comfort Zone are, and the kitten was able to run around, while Kipper sat on the couch watching his every move. If the kitten got too close to Kipper, within a couple feet, he would growl...no hissing, no ears going back, just a little growl, but that was enough for the kitten to know to stay back.

They were in that room together for about a half-hour, then I noticed the kitten wanted to PLAY with Kipper, and kipper was having NONE of that, so I separated them for the night. I was very happy about that half-hour that Kippe delt with Mister Mushi Face being in his territory.

Anyways, I have a few questions about Mister Mushi Face and his health. He is so small, and I'm afraid he's going to have something happen to him. He poops ALOT and IT IS SO STINKY!! Any info on why the poop smells so bad? It's not hard poop either, but it's not runny. It's just kind of a "messy" poop I guess I would say. No worms in it.

He eats like crazy too....I didnt think a kitten would want to eat so much, but I am wondering if maybe because he was the runt, he didnt get to eat as much as the others. His body has actually gotten a tad bit bigger scince he's been here, and I think that's because he's eating good.

And how can you tell if if kitties got a fever? Last night he felt hot, he just felt hotter than normal, and I was worried. Should I take him into the vet again? He still plays and eats fine.

Ok my fingers hurt now, so sorry about the long post, just wanted to get all that out.

 

[beckiboo]

Congrats on your new baby! I would say any new pet needs a vet check, so just take Mr. M to the vet. They can test his poo for worms, because sometimes there aren't visible worms, just eggs. The vet checks under a microscope. I think it is pretty rare to actually see worms in the poo, even if your kitty has worms.

Best of luck with the introduction!

 

[lilleah]

OK guys, Our resident kitty (Kipper) had been doing great with the new kitty (Mister Mushi Face), but the past 2 days, he's been gettting worse....

He now growls, and hisses, and puts his ears back, and today we had them both out in the living room, with my 2 year old daughter. Kipper was just sitting there watching the kitty, and he starting growling, just as my daughter walked by, and he hissed and grabbed her and clawed her face, with such anger.

She did nothing to him, I think she might have startled him while he was watching the kitty so intentively. I dont know what to think, because after he clawed her, he took off and ran straight for the kitty growling and hissing, and he was going to attack....

I picked out Mister Mushi Face, and took him back into the room and let Kipper settle down...Any one know WHY he would do this to my daughter...He has been so good to her forever, the cuddle and hug all the time, but he's never freaked out on her.

I am kind of mad at Kipper for doing this, when he did it, he was told VERY firmly that that was wrong, and he didnt seem to care.

Should I take the process slower now? Like start all over, and keep them confined to separate rooms...Or continue to try and let them be in the same room (sometimes)...

They are only in a room together for about a half-hour each day, and then the get switched a couple hours a day so the new kitty can roam freely in the house.

 

[lilleah]

I am still worried about this situation....Anyone have any ideas on how to settle Kipper down?? We have comfort zone, but it doesnt seem to work as well when the kitten is out...

Im thinking about Soft Paws, but I dont have a car tonight...

 

[opilot]

Kippie wants to be top cat. He may never get used to the kitten
(who is also male correct?) You need to go back to the begining intro -
keep them separate etc etc for at least a couple of weeks now. No
letting kitten out with Kippie around. Then you can put kitten in
a play pen to be out while Kippie is around for a couple of weeks
and then you can GRADUALLY let out of play pen...

As to daughter - Kippie redirected aggression at her, because of the
kitten - he was startled. IMHO many cats dont do well with younger
kids - they don't always know or understand to be careful. Not their
fault, just their age....

Complicates the introduction alot...

Anyway patience and back to the begininng. Kippie won't hurt
your daughter if the kitten is not out...

 

[kathylou]

OMG. If my ex found out one of my cats scratched his child, he would call the Social Services on me.
IMO, the 2 year old needs to be out of the way when they are interacting. The kitten needs to be protected from the big tough tomcat, and the older cat needs to be reassured that his place in the household is not being threatened.
Yeah, probably they need to start over again with the introductions. Wait until the baby gets big enough to defend himself. Meanwhile, maybe a gate or screen they can see each other through. Maybe a rope or towel or something they can play with on both sides of the door.

 

[lilleah]

"clawed her face" was a bit exaggerated, sorry....

He pretty much just grabbed her and went to bite her arm, but he grabbed the hat she was wearing, and his claw went down her cheek, she's fine, she didnt cry or anything, she was just like "mama, kitty?" with a confused look on her face...

Kipper was in his "mode"...he was watching the kitten with such curiosity, and she startled him.

I started the whole process over today, starting with the separate rooms, food next to the doors, a blanket under the door that they can both be on at the same time, with some catnip spread across it.

Kipper knows though, he's just confused now....wondering where the kitten is.

I will let you know tomarrow how things go...

Thanks

 

[lilleah]

Things are not going well...

Kipper still does not like my kitten..He still hisses, and wont allow the kitten to come near him...I am worried that no progress will ever be made. This makes me sad..Although I am OK with the things that are going on now..

I take Mushy out 3 times a day, a couple hours a time. Then he goes back into the room, eats and goes to sleep from being so happy and running around so much. He wants to play with Kipper SO MUCH, that when he sees him, he goes bolting for him ready to play...But kipper hisses and makes the kitten go away.

Im just plain worried it will never work...I just HOPE HOPE it does....They would both be so much happier once they got to actually play together.

 

[lilleah]

Oh yea, another thing...

How in the heck do I clip Kipper nails???!!! He WILL NOT let me anywhere near his precious raptor claws...

I am trying to put "Soft Paws" on him, but that invovles clipping his nails....I cant even imagine trying to put these soft paws on him, because he wont let me clip his nails. Any ideas??

I called all the local groomers, but they dont have any openings untill tuesday, they all said they'd do it free of charge, including putting the soft paws on, but I cant wait untill tuesday...Or should I just wait?

 

[beckiboo]

You have to get the kitty when he is feeling mellow or sleepy to clip his nails. Occasionally I can clip all four feet, more often I do one or two at a time. If you have never clipped nails before, I would just have the groomer show you how, and then have them apply the softpaws.

Maybe a few hours a day is too much for Kipper. Can he go into another room while the baby is out? If baby goes for Kipper, he will hiss and growl. Mr. M should know what that means, and back off.

Also, check for pointers on the behavior thread. Cats take elevation as a sign of status, so if you hold Mr. M he is up higher than Kipper, and Kipper will be mad. Kipper needs to have a way of getting up higher on a shelf or something when the kitten is around.

Also, maybe they should be kept totally apart for a week or longer to restart the intro. I assume Kipper is neutered? If not, that would help, too. I think they will work it out in time. Again, the behavior thread would have lots of good pointers for this situation.

 

[opilot]

Quick upper for you: 15 years ago, I brought Diablo home to Shebs.
Shebs hissed and swatted him for 6 weeks solid - Diablo never let up
trying to approach! She finally gave up, started grooming him and
playing with him. Me??? She wouldn't give me the time of day or purr
for me for over 6 months. She was that pissed off!!

 

[lilleah]

I am certainly thinking this may take a while. Which is OK, because everything is going ok...I just wish Kipper wanted to play with the new kitty.

The kitten wants to play with Kipper so bad, it's halarious. Everytime he spots him through the crack of the door or anytime, he bolts after him in his playful mode. But yet, kipper is reluctant to like this little one.

Kipper actually bit my husbands arm very hard today when he realized we were going to switch thier rooms. Kipper felt bad though, and soon warmed up to a hurt daddy. A little bit of catnip is all we needed to get Kipper in the room.

There is no further progress, and I am sure hoping it doesnt take 6 MONTHS! That's a long time, but we can tell Kipper is very interested in the kitty, but when the opportunity arrives for Kipper to even see the kittens paws under the door, he hisses. He acts afraid of the new one. But he's 6 times bigger than Mr. Mushy.

Thanks for the "upper" Opilot

 

[opilot]

Yeah, just keep up with it. When I got mine 15 years ago, I didn't do
an intro, just threw them together. I thought Shebs would mother
him right away! But he was like Mushi face, always after Shebs!

Don't feel bad, but at some point let him out and let them
sort it out. Kippie may warm up to him eventually, but
it could take up to 6 months or a year.

With Didi, shebs evenutally, after running away and hissing and swatting and
growling if he got close... she gave in.

Now they sleep on the same
pad and mutually groom eachother/

So I think yours will too... use Feliway, and possibly try
putting softpaws on Kippie, so he can't claw you OR the
little one. And go slowly and give him LOTS of love
and attention!! Cats IMHO do get jealous of eachother.

(You should see me at my house. Each cat has its own
special love time and place- Diablo at bedtime and during the night
and again before getting up - and of course the bedroom
and bed are pretty much off limits to Lexi, Shebs in the evening
by the tv - and shebs sleeps in the kitchen area which is
"her" room/area, and Lexi in the bathroom upstairs which is
her room entirely and which is "her" area, primarily in the am hours
while getting ready for work (tho she's also started doing
night time bathroom love visits!!)

 

[lilleah]

Hey, I have great news! I brang Kipper to the groomer to get his "soft paws" on, and I LOVE THEM! I was able to bring the new kitten (mushy) out into the rest of the house, and they are "somewhat" getting along. There is NO playing or anything, but they are tolerating each other! YES! SCORE!

This is great, I cant wait to keep my door open tonight so that Kipper can once again come sleep with his mommy. He'll be so happy. The kitten usually likes to sleep on the floor on his blanket, so it should be ok.

YES!

 

[lilleah]

Had to update, because Im so happy about the progress that "soft paws" has allowed me to make.

They have been running around the house now for like 4 hours, Kipper growls still, but never ever hurts the kitten. Kipper tried to stab the kitten, but soft paws helped any injuries that would have occurred.

They just got done eating, and now they are both sleeping. Not together, i know that will take a few weeks, but they are living together somewhat peacfully now.

I am so happy that I can now keep my door open to the bedroom. Kipper has wanted to sleep with us for 2 weeks.

I am happy!

 

[opilot]

Excellent news!

Just give it some time. Like I said, it took
shebs and didi about 6 wks to get to the point where shebs
allowed contact and "accepted" him and actually "played" with
him....

Kippie will be happy to sleep with you again. He will probably
establish that the bed is *his* spot, LOL. (Diablo never let
Shebs ANYWHERE on the bed but the end, and only under
certain circumstances. Later in life, he Banned her from
the bed. If she was there, and he got on? Yup, he started
her down until she fled the bed!! He was totally awful to
poor Shebs. He's mellowing w/ age tho...

once again, great news, and good luck. Keep us posted!

 

[lilleah]

Well everything is wonderful. They now cuddle, and play, and eat together. And Kipper has become the most thankful kitty ever. He comes and cuddles with us like crazy now. He's happy too. This is great.

The whole progress was a bit frustrating, but we did it. And I couldnt be happier. I thought for sure Kipper would never accept this kitten. But now they are friends.

YAY! Thanks so much guys, you all are so helpful. I couldnt have done it the way I did without the help from this site.

Thanks!