Tabitha attacking new tiny kitten

[tabithatiger]

hello I am hoping someone could tell me whether I should seperate my 11 week old Tabitha with our newest 8 week old kitten Sapphire or just let them sort it out, although they are only just 3 weeks different in age Tabs is double the size of little Saffy and Tabitha is being extremely rough she will not leave Saffy alone at all she is constantly pinning her down and biting her hissing ect and Sapphire is very vocal and squeals and meaows out loud as in pain. we brought sapphire, who is a small russian blue cross burmese breed, home 24 hours ago and let our 11 week old sniff through the carrier for a while and then was seperated over night last night, I introduced them today and its been constant following her around and pouncing on her. Are they Ok and shall I leave them or keep them apart longer???   heres some pics of Tabitha and Sapphire and you can Tabs is quite a bit bigger

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• tabithatiger
• Feb 22, 2014

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• tabithatiger
• Feb 22, 2014

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• tabithatiger
• Feb 22, 2014

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• tabithatiger
• Feb 22, 2014

 

[GemsGem]

Sounds like cat play but you should intervene if it gets to rough.

I would leave them together when you are there to supervise and intervene if things get a bit to rough. But I would separate them at night and also when you are not there to supervise them.

 

[tabithatiger]

Thank you for your help I will be watching them constantly and seperating at night time then 

 

[mservant]

I agree with @Gems Gem, this is how cats play with each other but as they are not litter mates and one is significantly larger than the other I would not leave them together without constant supervision. This play is how cats learn to socalize, however intervene if you think it is getting serious and your little one seems to be getting hurt - very rough and sqeals more panicked or louder, or looking afraid and hiding.  

Do you have more than one litter tray to make sure that your little one is able to access a tray freely and both feel happy that they have their own space.

 

[tabithatiger]

Yes we have 3 litter trays now tabitha has access to our room but little one doesnt as thats tabs space shes slept there since we got her so we are keeping little one on other side of home atm and Thank you for your reply I'm feeling much more at ease. Her sqeals do get quite loud but she is a very vocal cat anyway.

 

[GemsGem]

Sounds like the perfect set up to me

 

[mservant]

Sounds like the perfect set up to me

   

Good to know that staring contest at the litter tray isn't at their only tray. 

   Cute that they will already eat with each other and that suggests they should settle fairly quickly, and if their size evens up and bit it will get easier to leave them a little longer to work things out between themselves.  Your Saphire really does look tiny next to Tabitha!  I'm sure it's scary to watch with that size difference especially, but Mouse used to get completely flattened by his mom when he was little (having no litter mates to do it to him) and she'd pin him down and bite at his neck, lock jaws with him and generally make sure he knew he wasn't boss. 

  It seems to be what cats do.  (He's funny as he likes me pinning him on his back in the same kind of way and nuzzling his belly after a good play.  

 A bit like a little kid wanting their parent to blow raspberries on their tummy or something.  )