Slowly introduced kitten is attacking resident cat non-stop!

Kitcat2017

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All,

I wanted to start with thank you first by always being there for this rookie cat mom. Here I am, back again, with a new issue.

A little background - We have a 3 year old neutered boy who's the love of my life. We have had him since he was 5 months old. Very picky, prefers things in his own way, doesn't eat wet food, very ritualistic. But very sweet, affectionate and well behaved. A month ago with all the COVID chaos our local shelter was struggling and while we had been debating adopting another kitty for almost a year now, I thought it was a good time since I was working from home. So we adopted another boy, neutered, 8 weeks old in March.

I had extreme guilt in the beginning as my 3yo was not taking it well and I felt like I ruined both kitty's lives. We did tons of research and did the best that we could in terms of slow introduction. We followed the Jackson Galaxy method and kept them apart for 2 weeks, gradually allowed them to meet and have brief play sessions. Lots fighting happened that I was concerned about but I was told it is part of the process. My 3yo would hiss and swat and want to be left alone and the kitten will still instigate. Eventually it got tiny bit better. On his 17th day at home the kitten perhaps fell from the stairs and started limping from his left front paw. That was the first night I saw him flatten his ears back and hiss at the 3yo and my older boy was so confused! I assume the little one felt vulnerable due to his injury and that's why he hissed. We took him to the vet the next day. X-ray didn't show anything and the vet said it could be a soft tissue injury and asked us to keep him confined in a kennel. It's been an absolute nightmare. The kitten would cry and cry and complain and want to get out but we didn't wanna risk his recovery. Even though it hurt him and us we just put up with it. We kept him in a kennel and occasionally took him out to another carrier to take him out to tour the house. He could see my 3yo all the time even thought he was confined and my 3yo always showed interest in him. He was starting to get extremely frustrated being caged up. First forward 11 days - Vet said if there's no limp we could let him out in a carpeted room for a couple of days and monitor him, no high jumping. So we put him back in his room day before yesterday. He was so so hyper to have gotten out of the kennel and would run around the room like crazy. I was worried he'd re-injure himself. Nonetheless I took my 3yo to his room because 3yo was crying outside trying to see the little one. It has been hell since (2 days). I don't know what happened but the kitten is being extremely aggressive with the 3yo, constantly pouncing on him and attacking him, biting and trying to claw him with occasional flattened ear. I may have heard some yowling from him as well. Meanwhile 3yo doesn't even hiss at him! He has body slammed him a few times to stop but that't it. The kitten is acting a lot more aggressive than he did when they first met! they have gone through introduction and everything and now it's getting worse. I'm so confused and heartbroken I don't know what to do! I am worried they're both going to end up hurting each other, intentionally or unintentionally. I'm worried he's gonna end up stressing out or scratching my 3yo, who has a history of upper respiratory where conjunctivitis is very common for him. His eye have always been sensitive and he just went through a cycle of conjunctivitis due to the stress of the new kitten on the first week. I'm also worried the kitten will re-injure himself with the body slams and fights. I can't confine him again! I don't know what to do to make them get along.. I could try reintroducing but I'll fail at the feeding phase as my 3yo refuses to eat wet food or eat with anyone around him. He would rather starve. Are my boys gradually getting violent? Are they going to hate each other? Is it even safe to keep them together? The kitten is definitely more violent/aggressive than he was before his soft tissue injury and kennel life. Why are they being more aggressive after a month.. why is my older boy not hissing at him and putting the kitten to his place like he did when they were first introduced.Please help.. I'm losing my mind and I'm so concerned that their relationship will never improve and moreover they'll end up hurting each other. These are brief 5 minute meetings and the kitten just can't help but attack attack attack non-stop. I can't imagine how am I gonna leave them with each other all day when I go back to work next week.
 

ArtNJ

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That sounds totally fine to me. That is how many kittens are. Fearless. Holding their own in play wrestling against adult-size cats. They pounce, they body slam, they use their paws, they play bite. Its normal. Remember, cats are predators, and like all predators they play by simulating hunting and fighting behaviors. If there is no hissing or running away they are having fun and becoming friends. If there is a little squealing from the little one when the big one pins him, that means he is uncomfortable, not hurt.

Accidental injuries are not impossible, but we have many, many posters here and I can only recall one instance where a kitten accidentally hurt a big cat in a meaningful way. Usually people worry about the other way around.

You can take a video for us, which will help us say "normal" for sure, or, very unlikely, let you know if we think there is a problem.

The only thing we are not qualified to opine on is the paw injury, and recovery from that.

P.S. You should have seen my then 11 week old kitten holding her own with my 5 year old cat. No weight to her, but she made up the difference with speed, skill and sheer enthusiasm for the wrestling.
 
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