♡please help♡ Introducing Bengal kitten to a 2 yr old Bengal..having problems..need advice

[MANDT303]

So we adopted 2 female sisters about 2 years ago from a breeder. So sadly we lost one of them this past July, she hung herself in our tree with her leash. It was very tragic and heartbreaking, without going too much more into that, long story short. Our kitten "Mishka" started suffering what we could only describe as separation anxiety after the loss of her sister. She is a very outgoing a brave young cat, we take her almost everywhere with us, she has been on harness and leash since she was 12 weeks old, and we walk her like people walk dogs. We contacted the breeder and all agreed that it would be good for her and for us to replace the kitten we lost with a new one. We didnt forsee too much issues in assimilating a baby kitten into our home, but as the Bengal breed remains true to its mysterious instincts, our Mishka is terrified of the baby kitten. So strange where not even big dogs frighten her. She has been so incredibly mean, constantly hisses and growls at the kitten. Fortunately the kitten does not seem to be too perturbed by her tirades, and it has not escalated to violence but we fear she may never accept this beautiful little kitty. We need some advice as it's been 4 days and doesnt seem to be much progress made. Does anyone have any tricks or some ideas me might try to help her to accept this new addition to our family?
Please and thank you, anything will help
~M&T

 

[Jcatbird]

Very glad you posted this. There are some tips that might help. Introductions with any new kitties should be done gradually. I have some part Bengals and they are a bit more excitable. Scent swapping is one thing to try. Will Mishka let you brush or comb? Try brushing the kitten and then brushing Mishka to blend their scents. Swap bedding too. Kittens are often unfazed by others. Lol They walk blindly into new things. Cat manners may not be observed. You may need to give Mishka some time where the kitten is in another room for a calming period. Give Mishka an area that the kitten cannot easily obtain entry as well. Each kitty needs their own place to “own.” Interactive play may help too. If they both get engrossed in play,Mishka may forget this kitten is new. Sharing the chase of prey can work with some. Anytime I intriduce a new arrival I do it by puttimg the newbie in their own room and allowing the resident cat to smell the new one under a door. If they resident hisses, introductions are delayed unt resident accepts the smell. The next step is to allow the resident to see the newbie through a blocked door. For small kittens a baby gate might work but for Bengals I suggest using the coated wire shelving that can be purchased in lengths that will fit your door. Seeing the newbie confined let’s them meet without concerns of territory, attack or any of the other things cats find offensive. In fact, it can inspire the resident to feel sorry for the trapped newbie, curious and hopeful for the newbie to be released to join in play. This may be backtracking for you if the kitten already has the run of the house but in the case of Bengals, it could save you more trouble than it causes. I’m sure the kitten will object but it’s easier to contain the kitten that to have Miska form a bad feeling about it.
I have introduced many dozens of ferals, including part Bengals and it is a process that takes time but I find that taking it slow works extremely well. The cats I have with Bengal genes also seem to like to have a place they can retreat to to chill out. They do very well with siblings but sometimes are less patient with non family members. They do want the company of the others but also having their own “cave” seems important to them. I have placed a cage up high for my most easily unnerved boy. He spends time with the clowder but then gets kind of worked up. Once he retreats to his cave/cage ( the door is not shut when he is inside) he relaxes again and is soon back enjoying the others. I also discovered that kittens made him the most unnerved but after they reached maturity and learned cat manners, he accepted them without hissing. I did not leave him alone with the kittens until I knew he had accepted them. He is a very powerful cat. Of course it was a bit different since I was also dealing with cats that were feral but I think the same process might make the path a bit easier for Mishka in the beginning. There are steps after the scent and sight swapping if needed. You can message me if needed or tag me if you think I can be of any help. Gosh Bengals are gorgeous!

 

[ArtNJ]

This normal! I have a 4 year old and 13 week old now that went through this, and they are playing so wonderfully now. It just took a little time; for a while the 4 year old was hissing and wanted none of the kitten. I've had worse other times in the past, and so have many others. So dont worry! It isnt 100% they get to full friendship or even toleration, but the chances are good, and things always improve.

I defer to Jcatbird as to whether you need to do anything different re: Bengals, but just in general introducing a kitten to an active 2 year old has a very good chance of having an excellent result, and time for the reluctant adult cat to "get over it" is the main element. Even though the adult can act like the kitten is some scary monster, it is still usually a lot easier when the newcomer is a kitten since adults have biological hardwiring and almost never will hurt a kitten, so you have less to worry about and its safe to let them be and have the adult gradually get over it. Usually I keep the kitten in a "safe room" until they are comfortable, then let them interact, knowing the adult will likely get over it. However, it is true that some adults never really accept the kitten. Its not totally clear to me how much a longer introduction process really helps, but still, you don't want them to not be friendly in a year and wonder if you could have done something differently; you'll feel guilty, even if you couldn't really have done much. So if a big cat seems to be having a fairly difficult time, doing a more fulsome introduction process like Jcatbird describes is a good idea -- it might help, and even if it doesn't, at least you'll know you did what you could and not feel guilty.

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. In addition to the above, we have a How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat | TheCatSite which may have some helpful tips.

That's so tragic about Mishka's sister. We have a Crossing the Bridge forum where you could post a tribute, if you'd like. RIP sweet kitty girl.