New Kitten in the House

MissViv

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
14
Purraise
21
Hi there and Merry Christmas! I am new here and want to introduce myself.

It is just me (Vickie) and DH (Lynn) with a 3-1/2 year old Ragamuffin (Phoebe) and a new 4 month old Ragdoll, Jewels. We have had Jewels for a little over a month now and have some behavior problems we are trying to work through. The worse for Jewels is SCRATCHING us, I have trimmed her nails once and she needs it again. Those little nails can hook you and man oh man are they painful. I have scratches all over my hands and sometimes take to wearing gloves to handle her. She will climb up into my lap and lay down and sometimes let you pet her and other times she wants to play with my hands as in swatting them and biting. We have tried just about everything we know to do. We firmly tell her no and set her down on the floor, encourage her to play with her toys (which she does wildly). She loves to play. She claws and bites my hair so I have to keep it pulled back in a pony tail.

Phoebe is more laid back and does not seem to like Jewels at all. We kept them separated for about a week and then put them together. Phoebe wants to get close to Jewels and smell her and give her kisses but Jewels, of course, wants to play and raises her paw to Phoebe's face and then Phoebe starts to growl, hiss and slap at Jewels. She is constantly stalking Phoebe and Phoebe runs out the cat door to the screened in porch to get away. We got Phoebe when she was 9 mos. old and she was already declawed on the front paws. I do not want Jewels to hurt Phoebe with her claws but Phoebe has really thick long hair. She would only get hurt if Jewels clawed her in the eyes.

Anyway, trying to work things out. Phoebe seems to be getting a little better. We close up Jewels in her safe room at night so Phoebe can have run of the house and sleep with us when she wants. I hate putting Jewels up but she is a little wild cat at night.

I know a lot of this is because she is a kitten but we are even considering giving her back to the breeder. Any suggestions or encouragement?
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,442
Purraise
33,215
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
Merry Christmas and Welcome!!! Jewels sounds like what she is - a kitten. Teaching her not to use her claws might better work if you hiss at her (like a mama cat would do), or say a fairly loud "Ouch". Keep whatever technique you use consistent, repeating each and every time you want her to stop - that will help her to learn faster. Ditto with the clawing and biting at your hair. And if you put her down on the floor afterward, ignore her for a minute or two - do NOT immediately try to engage her in play as that is sending her mixed messages.

It sounds like you might have gone a bit too fast with the introductions between the two cats. But, in the big scheme of things, it will smooth out over more time. Phoebe seems to be doing fairly well with Jewels, and as I said before Jewels is just being a kitten! You just need to work on the scratching issue. When you think Phoebe has had enough of Jewels, then distract Jewels away from her with play time - it is diverting Jewel's attention and gives Phoebe a break. And, make sure you spend time solely giving Phoebe attention too!

Maybe take a look at these TCS articles in case there might some ideas for you to consider.
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles

Adorable cats! Thanks for the pic!
 

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,278
Purraise
62,764
Location
Canada
Hello and welcome to TCS. :wave2: And Merry Christmas to you too. 🎄

About Jewel's biting/scratching, maybe something in this TCS article will be helpful:
How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats – TheCatSite Articles

There's also this one from the Humane Society:
Teach your kitten how to play nice
(just ignore the part about using a spray bottle, as per TCS there are at least 5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat | TheCatSite

And about her sharp claws, try to regularly clip them. Even just the very tips will get rid of the razor sharp points. Here's another TCS article on How To Best Take Care Of Cat Claws – TheCatSite Articles

As for the play with Phoebe, the links FeebysOwner FeebysOwner mentioned should have some tips. But as long as it is just some hissing, growling, swatting, and not blood or fur flying, it's probably not too bad. Other than the blood and fur flying, the other thing would be to watch that Phoebe is still eating and used the litter box normally and that she doesn't seemed stressed. And giving her a break from Jewel is good too.

Good luck. Hopefully in time they'll be besties. :catlove:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

MissViv

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
14
Purraise
21
I've tried just about everything I know to try and read every article I can find and nothing is working. Jewels the kitten runs after Phoebe and jumps on her and Phoebe DOES NOT LIKE IT! I am beginning to think they will never bond and Phoebe just does not like the new kitten.

Maybe Phoebe was meant to be an only cat (child).
 

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,278
Purraise
62,764
Location
Canada
Do they ever play together? Sleep near each other? Do you feed them at the same time / area? Do you play with Jewel a lot, to help her use up her kitten energy?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

MissViv

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
14
Purraise
21
No they do not play together. Phoebe watches when I play with Jewels. Jewels loves to play and Phoebe plays a couple of times a day. If Jewels happens to get close to Phoebe during play there is a fight. Phoebe has taken to slapping Jewels hard and biting her - not drawing blood. Phoebe is not a biter.

They do not sleep hear each other. I feed them in the kitchen and sometimes their bowls are fairly close to each other. I try to feed Phoebe first since she is the resident cat and then I can put Jewels bowl down close to Phoebe's. If Jewels is eating first, then Phoebe will come to the kitchen but will not approach and I have to bring her bowl to the other side of the kitchen. Phoebe only licks at wet food so she leaves food in her bowl and Jewels will finish it up. Jewels is little only 4.5 # but she is a big eater. Phoebe has weighed around 9.5# ever since we got her at 9 mos. and she will be 4 in April.

We play with Jewels a lot. Cat toys all over the house and we have Da Bird Wand that she goes wild over and her and Phoebe were both playing with it yesterday at the same time, mostly Jewels with Phoebe watching.

We give both cat and kitten lots of attention and love and we keep hoping for a miracle that Phoebe will accept Jewels.

We had a cat, Sadie, when we got Phoebe. She was a rescue and very sweet and Phoebe accepted her pretty quickly but Sadie was the resident cat. They never did get really close though, never sleeping together but they would groom each other & liked to chase each other through the house. Sadie passed away last August with complications at approx. 4 yrs. old. It was a terrible loss for us and I had a hard time with it, I still miss her and thought another kitten might help.
 

ArtNJ

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
5,485
Purraise
6,957
This isn't a Jewels issue, as its totally normal for a kitten to annoy the ever loving *&^! out of an older cat that doesn't want to play. Its a Phoebe issue. Not that its abnormal either. Its not super common for a 3 1/2 year old to be so put out by a kitten (much more common with older cats to have that reaction) but it certainly does happen. Worst case scenario is a long slow crawl to toleration. Best case, its like a switch gets flipped and they end up friends. Unfortunately, the long slow crawl is more likley, but something in between isn't too much to hope for. Time is going to be the major driver -- I'm not aware of much that actually works beyond time. A little break now and then for some closed door love for the older cat may be the best you can do.
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,442
Purraise
33,215
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
A month is NOTHING in terms of the time it may take to get Phoebe to, at a minimum, tolerate Jewels. This process could take months and months - and, maybe more months.

Work with Jewels to stop the scratching - lots of suggestions in the above posts. Make sure to give Phoebe time away from Jewels so she doesn't get too stressed out. And, be patient. Btw, if you are stressed out Phoebe more than likely picks up on this and that will only stress her out even more. If she is on edge, she will probably be less tolerant of Jewels. And, keep in mind, Jewels, being a kitten, is going to take months to settle down as she matures a bit.
 

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,278
Purraise
62,764
Location
Canada
I forgot it's only been a little over a month. That really is no time at all in a cat's mind.

When Phoebe bites Jewels, how does Jewels react? Does she run away frightened and hide. Or does she run away, but then quickly come back to torment play with her big sister some more.

As long as both are eating and using the litter box normally, and there's no major fur flying or bloodshed, it's probably going on better than you think. Some swatting, hissing, etc., is normal as the adult cat teaches the kitten cat manners.

Not sure if your situation warrants a restart, but TCS does have this article on How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles

Oh and here's one on stress: Stress in Cats – The Ultimate Guide – Cat Articles

Do keep treating Phoebe normally. Tell her you still love her, and that Jewels is not replacing her. Give them yummy treats when they're together so Phoebe associates good things with Jewels.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

MissViv

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 23, 2020
Messages
14
Purraise
21
Thanks for all the comments. We are doing everything that you have suggested. We are very loving and tender with both cats. Jewels is hyper and more aggressive being a kitten and all.

When Phoebe does get so aggravated with her that she jumps on her and pins her down and does a soft bite on her head, Jewels will retreat just a little but never runs away. I usually intervene at this point and carry Jewels to another location in the house to give Phoebe a break.

We do let them have a lot of interaction with each other. They both roam free in the house most of the day but Jewels is put up at night in her safe room. She cannot sleep with us because she bites my hair and will not settle down.

Hoping things will get better.
 

ArtNJ

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
5,485
Purraise
6,957
Its actually good when an adult cat pins a kitten! That teaches them what you cant. Its the adults that are too scared (yep, some are even if it doesnt make sense) to pin the kitten that tend to have longer lasting worse problems. The kitten won't be hurt -- the intent is to teach the kitten some manners. If the intent was injury, the kitten would be injured.
 
Top