Excitable kitten, not so excitable cat!

[KellyLouise]

Ahhh yeah thhats not a bad idea!! Could defintely try that.
I know hahaha its adorable !! He is the cutest!

[Judecat (Paula)]

What about a cardboard box with a blankie inside and a small door cut in? He can go in and guard 'his' door if Fuzzums tries to follow him.

I love that name by the way.

[KellyLouise]

Thanks everyone for all of the advice. What is the best way to give Smudge his own space? How do people set it up as Fuzzums can climb and leap everywhere?
Will try and let them out a bit more together and see what happens! Fingers crossed.

[Judecat (Paula)]

We had Trouble and Emo when the kittens came along and I let them get on with it, luckily they were both very tolerant apart from the odd hiss. When the kittens got too much for them they would give them a bop, but they didn't use claws. Liz is really the expert though, being the Mistress Of Understatement, her family is huge. Emo and Bob really bonded, until the other two came along, then the kittens wore each other out and left the older two in relative peace.

[Liz]

Sometimes it is best to let them get on with it and let the older cat have a place to retreat to from the kitten my older lot always have a resigned look on their face when something small and fluffy comes along and will bop them if they are being a tad to full on, my ferals are wonderful with kittens and never pass on their fear of humans to the kittens

Also lots of playtime and treats help them get on

We use interactive toys like the red dot machines, the big cheese, the flicker and many others mine have more than a lot of pet stores but I do have a larger than average family

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Maybe, Smudge just needs a place to retreat too when kitten shennanigans get too much for him to bear? 

Have you tried feeding them both together in the same room (but with a bit of distance between the food dishes)  When they associate each other with good things it'll help a lot.  What about playtimes?  If you can get them both interested in the wand toy playtime that will also encuorage them to play together.

We had all three tearing about the living room last night after their favourite bird thing onna stick.   We make sure each of them gets to have a go, so all three can be part of the play.

Smudge and Fuzzums sound lovely.    I can't see the piccies, but I'm pants at posting pictures too, alas.   

[hollycat]

Hi.
I'd just let the kitten out and let them get on with it. I think that's the only way.
Kittens have so much energy and he only wants to play. Your older cat will let the kitten know when he's gone too far.
The kitten will tire himself out quite quickly and fall asleep giving the older cat time to get used to him.
Keeping them separated for as long as you have won't help.

[KellyLouise]

Hello,
Thanks so much for replying. Sorry for a delay in replying - its been a bonkers week at work!
Thanks for all your tips - its great to get ideas from others. We have tried a feliway difuser bt it didnt seem too do much. However we only had one so perhaps it wasnt enough.

Since wrting this post, the kitten escaped out the living room the other night room and chased poor Smudge round the house! If only Smudge chased him back it might scare the kitten but he just runs away. We have had kitten for about about 2 and a half months now but they are still separated. Its so confusing as the other night we let them together and they were swatting each other (kitten outside tunnel) and smudge jnside his tunnel and then as soon as smudge saw the kitten had wondered off for a moment he fell asleep - which suggests to me he can’t be that worried! But then things like today happen and he ran outside (he did come in after some biscuit bribary) but I can’t figure it out :/.

As for what they are like - they are both adorable. Smudge loves a game (when he can be botherred to stip sleeping haha) and has beautiful patterns on his coat. He loves food haha so doesn’t appreciate being told no he can’t have any. He loves my partner in particular and snuggles on the pillow and kneads him all the time. Sometimes I’ll get one if Im lucky haha but he does love a chin rub

Fuzzums - also a rescue cat - well kitten - is black with a white splidge on his chest. He lives snuggles (me!) and playing with anything! Screwed up post it notes are his fave and he brings them back to you so you can
Play forever haha!

I’ve attached pics haha! (I think) Or not - it wont let me as the files are too large.

What about you?
Thanks,
Kelly x

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Now I've a bit more time, I've been able to find a link to Zylkene and to Pet Remedy products.  prices vary and you may be able to find them cheaper elsewhere, but this is a pretty good price:

https://www.monsterpetsupplies.co.uk/dog/dog-calming/zylkene-anti-stress-capsules-75mg-cat-small-dog-x-100?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhOv-nvyp1wIVU5SyCh3jAA4FEAQYAyABEgI5A_D_BwE

https://petremedy.co.uk/reviews/

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

How exciting that you have a new kitten in your family, KellyLouise.  Welcome to Purrs.   

It's such a big thing, introducing cats, and doing it so that they get along well.  Cat interaction takes place on many subtle levels that as people we don't always pick up on - cats use body language, whiskers, ears,tails and posture to interact with each other, and you have to watch very carefully what goes on.

You have a set up where you have a nervous older cat, and an energetic kitten. 

Kitten wants to play - older cat is nervous and not sure what to make of the kitten.

The best way to let the two interact is by slow and gradual activity, so making sure for example the kitten is confined to one room of the house until introductions have been properly managed.  This will mean your older cat won't feel like their space is being invaded all at once and everywhere.

We kept our two semi feral kittens in a secure back bedroom for a period of around three weeks until our other adult cat had had a chance to get used to their scent, and the noises which would issue forth as the girls galloped round the room like a herd of small elephants.  They were pretty wild, and hadn't been socialised, so we had a lot of input to take care of.  Nonetheless, we let Moray smell the girls, by scent swapping, which you refer to, leaving blankets and towels in there which they slept on, and played amongst, and then we'd take them out and let moray smell them.  We would also take some of his blankets, and a cloth we kept for the purpose - we'd rub it over his face and cheeks and tail area, and then leave it in the girls room, so each cat got a chance to smell the others, without actually seeing them.

We made a point of putting treats out for our older cat, just by the door to the bedroom, initially with the door closed, and we'd do the same on the other side of the door for the girls.

This meant they were feeding very close to each other, but with the door acting as a barrier.

When there was no adverse reaction, we began leaving the door ajar a little, each time there was feeding going on.

When Moray first met the girls he spat and hissed and arched his back.  He wasn't very happy, but he didn't run away.  Even if he had, we'd just have let him do so, and he could come back when he felt braver, and less threatened.

It wasn't too long before they were all rubbing along together. 

We also used plug in pheromones (Pet Remedy was our choice, but you can also use Feliway).  These smell a bit like sweaty socks to humans, but help cats to relax and feel less threatened by strange situations.  They're around £9.00 to buy, but well worth it, and I'd suggest one upstairs and one downstairs if you have an upstairs downstairs house, or one in the kitten room and one in the main living area if you can do that in a flat.

We also used Zylkene, which is a milk based product you can get from your vet or from Pets At Home and other good pet stores.  You can sprinkle it on their food, and it will help to calm your nervous cat - and your kitten too.   It is safe for use in kittens and cats, but you would need to buy around at least a month's supply to give it time to work. 

The kitten will have tons of energy, but please don't let him out just yet.  He's very young, even if he has been neutered.  It is also coming on for winter, and young cats need to acquire street sense, preferably under closely monitored situations where you can be around with them for most of their experimental forays outside. 

Kittens and cats in the wild follow pretty much the same routine -  hunt, kill, eat, groom, sleep.  Hunt and kill, has to be replaced by playtime in your average domestic cat.

I'd suggest keeping him inside until he's at least 6 months old.  In order to use up his excess energy, you need to invest in daily playtimes - preferably two or three times a day, and at regular times, so the kitten can anticipate the fun.   The playtime needs to last around 15 minutes, so your kitten is physically tiring at the end of it.

The best toys for playtime with young kittens are things like wand toys - long wand, long string, suitable toy on the end.  Make it move like a mouse or a bird - it takes practice.  Make the kitten leap and stalk and work for the toy.  When he catches it, you can give it a little cat treat like a dreamie or something similar that he/she likes.   You might find that your nervous cat wants to join in, or watches from a suitable distance, looking interested.  You can also try playing with a pet laser pen toy - again, make them work for the red dot.  This will help to use up the excess energy the kitten has, and will make the kitten more appealing to the nervous cat. 

Make sure your nervous cat has places to hide where the kitten can't yet go - maybe a high perch or bed.  That way, he or she will have a place of refuge to retire to when it all gets a bit much.   

The main thing is to take things slowly, and not to try and rush things.  You have to go at the pace of your older cat, and to respect their view of the new situation, which may not be quite as enthusiastic as your own.   


Am sure others will be able to contribute with things they've done too which have worked successfully.

What are your cats names, and what are they like?

[KellyLouise]

Hi everyone,
I am hoping you can give me some advice. We have recently got a new kitten (he is now about 4 and a half months) and he is being kept in the lounge with a glass door.
Our older cat (5 years old) is generally a nervous cat who we rescued but we have seen him many times outside relaxing with other cats. We also have tortoises who he gets on well with.
So we have tried brief encounters (after sight/ scent swapping for many weeks) Occasionally the big cat runs over and rubs noses with the kitten but this is only if he is really calm. At the moment he has tons of energy and gets so excited when he sees the larger cat and tries to pounce on him in a playful way. Big cat is not a fan of this and hisses or swats at him. Other times he will just watch him and doesnt seem to fussed.
What is the best way of getting a. Positive relationship between the two- we have a kitten lead and that seems to work well as he is contained from jumping at the cat but they can still get used to each other.
Also kitten has now been speyed and can now go outside but he seems so tiny still and we are a bit worried about letting him Out so soon but also realise this could be a good way of him using up some energy and maybe then will be calmer with big cat. I also worry about him pouncing on the larger cat and putting him off coming in too.
I would be interested to hear any other stories which were similar and how they went. Any tips would be brilliant as we dont want to have to give the kitten up unless we really really have to.
Thanks in advance.