Problems with new kitten...

Awww, what a doll!!!!

I'd just let the two of them wander around together and lock the baby up whenever you're going to be gone, unless they are getting along just fine. You know, they're going to spend a bit of time hissing at one another. With Bagheera and Kahn, it was 10 minutes, then they were buddies. With Kahn and Joyeux, it was less than half an hour, and then they were best friends. Bagheera and Joyeux took weeks... Noel and Joyeux took weeks, although they just spent time hissing at each other. Noel, of course, just hisses at everyone, and grumbles in general, growls, swats them, etc.. it's just her grumpy old lady nature. But the vicious "I'm going to rip you to pieces" Bengal snarling that Joyeux did to Pogue took several days in which I was (for the first time) worried to let them out together.. but now they're best friends, and even that only took a few days.

It just depends on the kitties involved.

Sounds like little miss is getting over her fear. They're pretty adaptable. I'd probably try to play with Shinya and little miss together.. they probably won't do it the first time, maybe not even the second.. but keep trying and they will, I think.

So basically, put them together and if all hell breaks loose, try the long introduction method. xD

I really want them to be friends before the 22nd simply cause that's when I start school again and I want them to have each other while I'm out of the house all day. Shinya HATES me leaving her and since I have not much of a life right now, I never HAVE to leave her. But I could sense problems coming when I started being out all day, and I'd already planned to get a 2nd kitten around Christmas so, I just got one early! If uni starts and they can't be in the same room together, that would be sad cause they'll be so lonely..

Thankyou so much for everything. I knew deep down that it was just a matter of time before she came around but, the fear that things wouldn't work out, and watching her so unhappy was taking over and I just needed to talk things out. She doesn't hiss at me at all now..in fact she hardly even arches her back (Shinya did that for WEEKS.. and still does occasionally)..

In the middle of writing this I decided to throw my 2 babies together and see what happened. Curious sniffing at each other without a hiss or even any hints of violence in sight went on for about a minute... and then suddenly new baby starting hissing a little and tried to bop Shinya on the head, then again across the face... it was after 3 of these that Shinya started hissing a little but, pretty much just ran to the corner of the room and hid there! And the kitten just followed her, hissing and being generally unpleasant. Shinya was giving me this "HELP ME!!!" look so I got her out of there.. She's even more clingy to me now but doesn't seem at all angry or anything.. I think she wants to be friends with our newcomer but the crazy little thing just hisses or growls at her and backs her into a corner!

I tried playing with them..managed to get the new baby playing but she was growling the ENTIRE time.. and Shinya was just stuck hiding in the corner, afraid of getting attacked by the new little monster! xD

Having NEVER done this before, I have no idea what's "safe" and when it goes too far for them both and I should give them a timeout... Either way, Shinya has passed out from exhaustion next to me so.. I guess that's enough for now! x_x

Basically, my feeling is if they're not pinning one another down and attempting to rip each other's throats out (my Bengals are famous for this move, but they also play that way)... growling, hissing, swatting, and probably some actual biting is normal, although I didn't expect the kitten to back Shinya into the corner. You'll definitely know the difference when it gets serious. The meowing, growling, fighting and snarling take on an entirely different sound and feel. It's unmistakeable when you hear it. So, the likelihood is if you aren't sure, it's probably nothing more than average.

I think it's probably okay to let them be around each other.. but yeah, no harm in doing it in small doses, and it's not bad to give them a "time out" when she backs Shinya in to a corner. The kitten will no doubt knock it off in a few days. Much like she did with you. They'll be best friends before you know it.

Haha, well after seeing how highly strung my little abyssinian is, and knowing how timid my Shinya is, I'm not surprised AT ALL. I just didn't see Shinya getting angry, and low and behold.. she didn't do much more than hiss a little before running off!

Things are a bit tense with the new baby because, she obviously has gotten herself attatched to me, she lets me hold her and she purrs and crawls all over me.. but if she suddenly smells a really Shinya patch on me, her mood will just change and I'll get a hissing kitty in my face! xD

Actually, I do have a question.. the new kitten hasn't had her 2nd vaccination yet - she goes in for it in a few days. Shinya obviously has had both of her starting vaccinations.. but the store told me that I shouldn't let the 2 cats mingle too much before the vaccinations are over. HOWEVER, this is Japan and they are WEIRD with somethings - like how they say you should pretty much leave a kitten in a cage for the first week so they can adapt! Well.. Shinya just CRIED and CRIED so I gave up after only a few hours, just putting her back in there when she needed to sleep. And as you know, the new baby just got scared being trapped in there and needed her space.. So I sometimes wonder if they Japanese way of caring for pets is different to the western way! (I'm from the UK originally btw!)
So.. do you think they should be kept apart til the vaccinations are over or should I just keep all the doors open and let them do as they please unless things get shakey? xD

Where did you get her from? I know you may have said in your original post, but I don't recall it and am just too lazy to go back and look. :emb:

Is Shinya vaccinated against all the majors, and tested for Feline Leukemia, FIP, and also for FIV? Also was the kitten tested for any of these and did the tests come back yet, and if they did, I'm assuming the result is negative?

She came from the same place I got Shinya, this really nice petshop that's miles away from my home and ridiculously expensive but, it's such a nice place. Shinya was staying in the hotel there when I was back in England and I have this one staff woman I deal with there who calls me regularly to check on them and stuff. I'm so glad I found this place because they're just such a friendly environment..and because of them I found Shinya who is just so suited to me it's unbelievable.

ANYWAY, yes.. from what I know they do all the important tests and things before they sell any of their cats or dogs... I got Shinya before her 2 starting vaccinations so I had to take her back in for them after 8 weeks and 12 weeks.. My new baby has had the first one but has to have the 2nd one next week.. But now you've mentioned that, I think I'll work out what those things are in Japanese (I speak enough japanese to get by but NOT things like that! xD) and ask them when I go in in a few days.

Currently, both my babies are wandering around my bedroom. Shinya has started getting aggitated now because I'm guessing, the bedroom is HER territory.. she's definitely laying down the rules here.... but so far there really hasn't been anything more than some hissing.. but they almost look like they're playing hide and seek with each other.. and now they're chasing each other around the bed... there's still some hissing but it's less, and mainly coming from Shinya now (who's back to hiding in a corner)

Seems like they'll be ok.. I just need to give them both some more time... Patience is not one of my strong points but..xD

Yeah, I think you're not going to have any problems, especially since Shinya is still a kitten herself.

If they were both tested, and Shinya has had her shots, and doesn't have anything, I'd say that you're probably safe to let them around each other, provided that neither of them are going outside and don't have exposure to outside diseases. Shinya *shouldn't* contract anything if the baby has anything, as long as she's had all of her shots, with the exception of something like worms, which you probably would see regardless of whether they'd had their shots or not.. but isn't life threatening. All the major things that the baby might give to Shinya should be covered by the series of shots that's she's had, and she's not due again probably for what, another 8 months, at least.. so, Shinya shouldn't contract anything from the baby. The baby shouldn't be able to get anything from Shinya, as long as Shinya hasn't had any exposure to any outside influences (other cats or any other source). So, if anything is wrong with the baby, she probably already has it, and it shouldn't transmit to Shinya.

You may want to do some research on it.. I'm not an expert on cat diseases by any means, but.. from what I know these are the ones they vaccinate for (and there might be a few more)

Bordatella (kennel cough, which .. has a different name for cats, but is essentially the same thing that dogs get, from my understanding, and I haven't known it to be life threatening in the short term, but it may be in the long term. I don't know that for sure)

Feline Leukemia: This they generally test for, and then when the tests come back negative, they vaccinate for it, and I believe it's a shot and a booster. This is transmittable from one cat to another, most frequently through saliva, according to my vet, and the threat from mucous to mucous or other body fluids is a smaller threat)

FiV, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (the equivalent of HIV, but not transmittable to humans from cats.. and I may have the terminology wrong. FIV should be correct, though, so you might be able to research it from that).

Distemper: You would probably know the kitty was sick if she had this, they don't last long when they get it.

FIP: I'm not sure if this is standard or not. This is one of those things that they can test for but it's usually unclear as far as I know, and I believe the test is called a titer test. This is one in particular that I don't vaccinate for, because the disease has many different strains and from my understanding the disease sometimes develops from the vaccination.

Ghiardia: My vet considers this standard, but he's the first one I've dealt with that did, so I don't know if it's only recently become standard or if it's just one that most don't vaccinate for. I didn't have mine vaccinated for it. As far as I know this is treatable, but I don't know much about it, except they usually get it from stagnant water.

Rabies

Distemper is usually in a "3 in 1" vaccination that includes two other vaccinations, but I don't recall what they are. There was a day that I did know it, but, that was a long time ago. FILV and FIV are usually vaccines that are seperate, and I think rabies might be seperate as well. I believe the bordatella is a nasal vaccination (might be the wrong terminology.. but they shoot the fluid up the kitten's nose).

Thanks for all the info! I'll be sure to check it out.

Things with my 2 babies are actually not TOO bad.. I mean, they're still hissing at each other but it's infinitely reduced.. and they'll actually chase each other around now. When one leaves the room, the other follows.. they're simply fascinated by each other I think... but still hissing with caution!

When they're both around though, they hate me! Shinya tears my hands to shreds (she's always been a play biter but she's a big girl now and it HURTS!), I'm guessing because she doesn't have the guts to poke at the newcomer, so if my hands are nearby and she can see our new kitten.. OWW! I don't mind too much though!
And then Yuna/Luna (wow I need to decided) will just run away from me if Shinya's in the room because she's so on edge!!

However, Yuna/Luna has COMPLETELY changed now. When I enter the room she runs up to me and starts rubbing my legs. The second I pick her up the purring starts and she's all over me... She loves to climb around my head and shoulders like a monkey.. Just like people here said, she really is a COMPLETELY different kitten now...
She still won't eat though unless I trick her by putting some tuna in there (then I of course have to give Shinya some too just so she doesn't get jealous! xD).. I think perhaps she just doesn't like the food very much because she'll devour the milk formula in a second. Either way, I think she's totally fine now...

I give the babies a few more days before they'll quit the hissing probably... probably..

THEY'RE PLAYING TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I heard the noise of this little bean bag ball thing Shinya has rolling around, and of course the crazy pitter patter of running cat feet (gotten used to that now!), looked around and saw a mini game of kitty football!!!!!

I'm SO relieved!

Hehe, it'll probably come to the day that you're like, "hey guys, remember me, the human.... I feed you, I change your litter... I PET you...???? Hello.....???"

Silly little critters, bless their hearts.

It's already like that nearly! When they're both in the same room, they're too busy chasing each other around and poking at each other and generally being insane to even notice I'm there too!!

I've seen them use each other's litter tray and they've even eaten food from the same bowl (though they're not supposed to because they both have slightly different food right now!) And then this morning, Yuna was crying so I let her out and they started playing. It was 6am so I just thought "Meh, I'll go back to sleep."
I wake up to a silent room... look over to the window (I have floor length thick black curtains) and see 2 little tails sticking out from the bottom really close to each other. They'd fallen asleep there (Shinya likes sleeping there)... and NEXT to each other! SO cute and such a relief.. I mean, Yuna has only been here for 4 days, and they've only been together for 2. I guess it's cause they're both so young, they adapted FAST.

Today they're been better though... when Shinya gets tired, she'll plod over to me and make her "ATTENTION PLEASE!" noise and collapse in a heap next to me. Yuna usually has to be taken out of the room at this point because she's too kitteny to understand that she NEEDS SLEEP. She'd play until the passed out! And when Yuna woke up in my room this morning, she hopped onto the bed and started purring/nudging me/rubbing me/licking my face... so I guess they haven't forgotten about me YET!!!

Oh, and if you haven't seen it...


You should take a lot of credit for this!! Because of the advice on this thread, they're playing together like this now!

That video is so cute. What beautiful kittens you have!

Originally Posted by kluchetta

That video is so cute. What beautiful kittens you have!

Click to expand...

Thankyou!!! I know perhaps I shouldn't say things like this but, they ARE really so beautiful! I have this feeling they're going to get older and become these graceful stunning cats, and they're going to stare at me with this "Yes.. we ARE more beautiful that you!" look!! Right now they're just balls of silly kitteny-ness but... I can tell that they're going to be amazing to look at when they're older.. So jealous of them.

Yeah, I'm jealous of mine every day when I have to walk out the door to work and they're all romping or sleeping and just doing cat stuff with absolutely no concern in the world or responsibility other than to keep those squirrels on the deck in line (through the glass door)

Congratulations that the introductions have worked I just watched the video and they're adorable.

Watching two cats playing like that always makes me want to get a second kitty but my Nikita wouldn't appreciate that. She's a year and a half now and very settled with me and doesn't like other cats at all unfortunately.

Anyway your kitties are so gorgeous and their colours are very nicely complimentary. Grey goes very well with red

Believe it or not, Siggav, my Bengals are the first ones to take to the kittens, when they come in. Now, that's not to say that they don't spend the first day trying to bully it, and I thought Joyeux was going to try to kill Pogue when he first came, but..yeah, one day of Pogue and Joyeux batting paws under the bathroom door and they were best friends.

Khan, who is notorious for his ongoing demonic growling noises (I heard him do this once for two weeks almost non-stop), is an F3 and while he didn't take to the older cats (or older kittens), *doted* on young kittens. He loved Tavi, Joyeux, and Pogue right off the bat (well, that is, one day and he accepted them).. which surprised us all.