2 kittens from different litters

Help me please. I got a 10 week kitten. Got her since she was 6 weeks. Four days ago I got another kitten who is 6 weeks. We think it's a male but not sure. Now my older kitty seems to be constantly playing rough with him. Little one doesn't mind but after awhile he cries out in pain. Is my older kitten jealous or in heat? How can I get them to play nice and be able to sleep with us. I feel bad because the older one sleeps on our bed but the younger one I put in a different room all by itself. I'm scared to put them together because he might not be able to sleep because older kitty keeps biting her and pouncing on her.

Kittens really shouldn't leave their mothers until 10-12 weeks. They learn a lot of cat lessons, and at that age are big enough to deal with rough-playing housemates. But what's done is done.

Kittens do play rough, and the older they get the rougher they are. A 6-week-old kitten is just an infant, so it'll be a couple weeks before he's up for that kind of playing. I would continue keeping them separated when you can't supervise, but do allow as much rough play as he can tolerate. That's what teaches them how to be a proper cat. In a few weeks you shouldn't have to worry and they can be together all the time.

Your female probably isn't in heat. . .the youngest I've heard of is 14 weeks. But she should be spayed soon! 12 weeks is ideal, if your vet is willing. Especially if the little one is a male.

I agree with Willowy. Also, if he's a male, he might catch up to her in size pretty quickly. River (female) was about 12 weeks when we got Miles (male) at 9 weeks old and he was already bigger than her. Definitely keep them separated for now if she's hurting him, but I don't think it will be too long before he'll be able to hold his own.

Thank you. I didn't want to get him so young but the owners needed to get rid of him because they are looking for a place to live (the tenant needed them gone) and if I didn't get him they will give him to another person in line.

Would it be alright if they take turns sleeping with us? I feel bad for the 6 wk kitty sleeping by himself in a different room.

Try a night time routine to help them settle. A good 20-30 minute play session, followed by tasty raw or wet food and then lights out.

Otherwise, yes I would rotate them. 6 weeks is so tiny.

Thank you so much for your helpful replies everybody. I bought this multi level cat house that my 10wk old kitten Sam loved so much she didn't mind being moved in the living room. We now sleep with our 6wk kitten Leo and everybody is happy
I will wait until Leo is 10 wks before I let them play unsupervised. I do think they like each other but Sam plays too rough at the moment.

I am happy to say that finally they are getting along very well. So well they would seem to sometimes ignore us and just eat, play and sleep.

I have the same problem and worried they wont get on as my older kitten has her ears back and worried they wont get on and will have to get rid of 1 which i dont wana do plz help

It took me 2-3 weeks until my kittens got along. Now they are the best of friends. I kept them constantly apart for the first 2 weeks and let them play together only when i am around. At first i introduce them to each other there was constantly hissing and growling from my older kitten. At the time they were 6 and 9 weeks. Only when the younger one turned 8 1/2 did i let them play together. It was scary for me because i thought the older one might kill the younger. You just have to be patient. I gave my kittens their own litter boxes and bowls of food and water. Do not force them to share a litter box at this point when they still dont get along. It will just add more stress on the both.

jones83 said:

I have the same problem and worried they wont get on as my older kitten has her ears back and worried they wont get on and will have to get rid of 1 which i dont wana do plz help

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 ChrisRog gave you some excellent advices.  Myself I wonder:  Are you SURE your older kitten is really angry? Hissing and spitting a lot?  Chances is big it is hers playing pose! As said, they can play quite rough, and this may includes some very warriorlike gruelsome postures!

Welcome our Forums Jones!

Good luck!

We have 3 7 weeks olds and 4 4 week olds and boy do the other ones play rough with each other AND the babies (who are starting to play themselve now and will run at the older ones mouths open and try to pounce  ) but when the older ones get too rough somebody will cry and the playing stops for a minute. This is how they learn what's acceptable level of play and help mold them into good mannered cats.

We tried to keep them seperated at first (when they were 4 weeks and 1 week old) but the older ones kept crawling in with the babies to sleep and ever since have been helping teach the little ones things they need to know to be kittens while still learning from the older cats in the house too. It's actually quite cute!

An update and all is great the nxt morning i woke up and my oldest was just watchin her whilst i fed and came up startedlicking her and has been very motherly to her im so happy and can relax slightly just havent left them alone for a period of time as she is still tiny compared to my older on. Thankyou for your advice and felt better seein other ppl who have come out the same outcome xxx