Just curious as to whether anybody else has encountered this, as, thus far, nothing appears to be having any effect: indeed, I suspect the problem is growing worse..
As some who read Crossing the Bridge may be aware, my little girl, Kîa, vanished without trace four months ago: Farewell, my little one; Kîa: 2012-10-21...2015-04-21). With her brother, Nimrod, pining and miserable, I decided to get two new rescue kittens, in the hope they would (at least in part) replace his lost sister, from whom he had never spent more than a few hours apart.
Rîna and Tällia were chosen with the greatest possible care; they are tortoiseshells (as was Kîa), from a litter of five kittens, extremely well socialised, and were very happy to have shared their foster home (with mother and siblings) with two dogs, a duck, a rabbit, a young, crying baby, a toddler and several adults. Needless to say, they have no fear, and have been extremely friendly and outgoing from the moment they arrived here two weeks ago (just under twelve weeks of age). I was uncertain as to how Nimrod would deal with interlopers on his teritory. But from the start, he has shown no aggression of any kind; although timid towards anybody but myself (I live alone), he appears to want nothing other than to be friends: always approaching the kittens with his tail up, mewing softly. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, both are displaying utterly unexpected agression: hissing; glaring; stalking; crouching, but only under very specific circumstances.
I've read various guides and followed classic introduction steps as much as has been possible under the circumstances. My space, however, is somewhat limited, and it has been impossible to keep them entirely separated. For the present, the kittens are sleeping in the bathroom; Nimrod in his usual place in the laundry. Both Nimrod and Kîa always were indoor/outdoor cats, but I've tried to keep the kittens indoors until they're familiar thoroughly with their new home, and are a little older. Swapping towels between beds; handling Nimrod, then the kittens etc., has gone perfectly: sniffing, purrs and rubbing from all concerned. Exposing all in the same room, whilst I hold any of them results in quiet watching and kitten purrs, even at only about two feet distance. The kittens can smell anything he's had without reacting. They can sniff one another under doors without any nasties. However, the instant the kittens see Nimrod whilst on the floor, both arch their backs, hiss, stare and crouch. Rîna adds growls into the mix. If I pick her up and sit her in my lap, whilst I sit on the floor almost beside Nimrod, the hisses turn to purrs and her tail goes up. I can rub his face, then hers, and the purrs continue. I can pat both at the same time without a problem. However, the instant she's down, it's all aggression and hissing. Her sister is a little better (hissing without growling), but essentially, the problem is the same.
If the aggression was more generalised, the solution would be obvious: reintroductions from scratch. However, I can't see this would help with such a specific aggressive response.
Rather than getting better, I consider the problem is growing worse. Always timid, Nimrod is becoming increasingly frightened, when every approach he makes is met with hissing and agression. He whimpers and cries to be let out, and is spending less and less time inside. Worse, his teritory is shrinking; sometimes he'll whimper before coming in, he's wary now about going into the sitting-room, even when both kittens are locked in the bathroom, he's eating less, and he's stopped climbing on the cat tree. Still, he seems to want to keep trying to be friends, especially if I'm there with them all.
So, any ideas. Although I'm determined to make this work, Nimrod was here first, and the poor little boy's been through enough, without having to put up with this. I couldn't have asked for more friendly kittens, but I'm not prepared to have Nimrod suffer any more. If I can't find a solution, then better to rehome them sooner, rather than months down the track, which would be tremendously unfair to them. Hopefully, it won't come to that.
As some who read Crossing the Bridge may be aware, my little girl, Kîa, vanished without trace four months ago: Farewell, my little one; Kîa: 2012-10-21...2015-04-21). With her brother, Nimrod, pining and miserable, I decided to get two new rescue kittens, in the hope they would (at least in part) replace his lost sister, from whom he had never spent more than a few hours apart.
Rîna and Tällia were chosen with the greatest possible care; they are tortoiseshells (as was Kîa), from a litter of five kittens, extremely well socialised, and were very happy to have shared their foster home (with mother and siblings) with two dogs, a duck, a rabbit, a young, crying baby, a toddler and several adults. Needless to say, they have no fear, and have been extremely friendly and outgoing from the moment they arrived here two weeks ago (just under twelve weeks of age). I was uncertain as to how Nimrod would deal with interlopers on his teritory. But from the start, he has shown no aggression of any kind; although timid towards anybody but myself (I live alone), he appears to want nothing other than to be friends: always approaching the kittens with his tail up, mewing softly. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, both are displaying utterly unexpected agression: hissing; glaring; stalking; crouching, but only under very specific circumstances.
I've read various guides and followed classic introduction steps as much as has been possible under the circumstances. My space, however, is somewhat limited, and it has been impossible to keep them entirely separated. For the present, the kittens are sleeping in the bathroom; Nimrod in his usual place in the laundry. Both Nimrod and Kîa always were indoor/outdoor cats, but I've tried to keep the kittens indoors until they're familiar thoroughly with their new home, and are a little older. Swapping towels between beds; handling Nimrod, then the kittens etc., has gone perfectly: sniffing, purrs and rubbing from all concerned. Exposing all in the same room, whilst I hold any of them results in quiet watching and kitten purrs, even at only about two feet distance. The kittens can smell anything he's had without reacting. They can sniff one another under doors without any nasties. However, the instant the kittens see Nimrod whilst on the floor, both arch their backs, hiss, stare and crouch. Rîna adds growls into the mix. If I pick her up and sit her in my lap, whilst I sit on the floor almost beside Nimrod, the hisses turn to purrs and her tail goes up. I can rub his face, then hers, and the purrs continue. I can pat both at the same time without a problem. However, the instant she's down, it's all aggression and hissing. Her sister is a little better (hissing without growling), but essentially, the problem is the same.
If the aggression was more generalised, the solution would be obvious: reintroductions from scratch. However, I can't see this would help with such a specific aggressive response.
Rather than getting better, I consider the problem is growing worse. Always timid, Nimrod is becoming increasingly frightened, when every approach he makes is met with hissing and agression. He whimpers and cries to be let out, and is spending less and less time inside. Worse, his teritory is shrinking; sometimes he'll whimper before coming in, he's wary now about going into the sitting-room, even when both kittens are locked in the bathroom, he's eating less, and he's stopped climbing on the cat tree. Still, he seems to want to keep trying to be friends, especially if I'm there with them all.
So, any ideas. Although I'm determined to make this work, Nimrod was here first, and the poor little boy's been through enough, without having to put up with this. I couldn't have asked for more friendly kittens, but I'm not prepared to have Nimrod suffer any more. If I can't find a solution, then better to rehome them sooner, rather than months down the track, which would be tremendously unfair to them. Hopefully, it won't come to that.
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), to explore, the instant the door is opened. Site-swapping isn't an option; Nimrod has never been confined (there's never been a need), and all that does is make him cry desperately to be let out. Of course, he'll accept being confined for a while in the laundry (where he and Kîa slept). But that's not going to help, since I can't confine the kittens in there (they won't use his litter, and I end up with messes on the floor). Also, it's his last place of safety, and putting them in there simply upsets him (he cries, and then won't eat there unless I stay with him) I meant to mention also that there are strange inconsistencies with him. Although apparently frightened, he switches to tail up and purring whenever he's near me, even when the kittens are around. But the moment I move away (or he moves away), once more he's timid.
I am so, so sorry that things aren't woking out. Sadly, I think you're doing the right thing. Nimrod has to be your first priority. Maybe these two just were't meant to be. You're so right though - two such well socialised kittens should be easy to rehome.
