Help new kitten

[Leanne]

Thanks everyone for your advice,

I'm at work today but my Husband is at home with the cats and said they have spent the morning chasing each other so far. His back to work tomorrow and they will be sperated during the day until we're happy we can leave them both alone.

I'll start a new thread and post a couple of pics of them

[Millys Mum]

I would think about keeping them apart when your out until Milo is bigger, just as a precaution as Jess could accidently get carried away when playing.

I think we need piccies! 

[Hippykitty]

This sounds like normal behaviour for two cats. They may even continue play fighting when they are old pals. At the moment this is just establishing the pecking order. Jess is telling Milo that he's in HER home, and he should bloomin' well understand that she's the boss! 

As long as there's no damage being done and Milo isn't being hurt, I'd leave them to it. Eventually they'll establish a firm friendship or a happy status quo. Either way, Jess has no reason to feel lonely anymore. 

[Leanne]

Thank you.

The kitten was a stray (at 12 weeks its sad) so I think he is quite fisty and seems to be holding his own, he keeps going back for more - the nutter his so funny!

[blackcat]

sounds like the opening rounds of what will build into a solid friendship to me. The holding down and biting the neck is simply a message to the kitten that the older cat is in charge. Obviously if it looks like becoming aggressive and hurting the kitten you should intervene, but if it is more of a symbolic thing and the kitten is released promptly then I would not be too concerned. A kitten leaving its mother will be feeling a bit liberated (remember your first flat?!) and so will be trying things on. The older cat, also within its established territory, will not want to accept this intruder as being more important than he is. So will put the kitten in its place. Keep and eye on them and if you feel the kitten is getting the rough end of the stick separate them again, but I would think you are doing fine at present, especially if there are no hissing standoffs!

[Leanne]

Some background info, We've had Jess for a year, back in November we went on our annual 2 week holiday, during this time we had a fantastic cat sitter who came in twice a day and my dad came into Jess every night so he had company. Since we've been home Jess has been very stressed and suffered with cystitis twice (its not medical the vets have checked its stressed induced) Jess is alone for a long period of time during the day so after a long discussion we decided to think about getting another cat (I've always wanted another but my husband wasn't keen).

So yesterday Milo arrived he is a 12 week old kitten, we had every intention of introducing them slowly but we wasn't prepared for Milo making a dash for it so they met last night. Initally there was alot of bopping and chasing but no hissing, but now Jess seems to be trying to pin Milo down and going to bite his neck, when Jess does this Milo just fights back and has only hissed once and then Jess backed away.

I don't know whether I am being neurotic and worrying unnecessarly and its just them getting to know each other or whether this is a sign they won't get on.

I should add they have both used each other litter trays and tried to eat each others food.

Any advice is welcome, thanks