I adopted an 11-week-old kitten a few weeks ago, and had been feeling guilty because she seemed to have so much pent-up energy and sociability when I got home from work. Even after extensive play, if I turned my attention elsewhere she would try to claw her way up onto my lap or pounce on my feet. She was gradually learning not to bite and scratch, but was still a little crazy, so I thought maybe she needed someone to play with while I'm at work. When I found out her little brother, the runt of the litter, still hadn't been adopted, I decided to see if she would be happier with him around.
The folks at the clinic where I got them said there wouldn't be any need for a lengthy re-introduction for recently separated littermates, but she had a different opinion. Yesterday when the little one came home, I let her sniff him in his carrier, and then when he finally came out, she sniffed him some more -- and promptly decided to show him who was boss. It didn't seem like ordinary, cute kitten fights, because she was clearly winning every single one, had him pinned down by the neck, and the poor little guy was squealing in alarm. I set up his own little space in the bathroom and back hall, but when they were calmer, I let them try to get re-acquainted again. More fighting. I ended up separating them for the night, spending some quality time with her in the living room, where she's been sleeping, and then he was sleeping right outside my bedroom so I got up and petted him numerous times in the night and he seemed content.
Today she's less mean, and even once groomed his tail for 30 seconds and later let him lay down next to her. He's been squealing less. But mostly she's been extremely domineering, ostentatiously eating his food, drinking his water and using his litterbox. Woe betide him if he tries to play with a toy -- she's got it away from him instantly and punishes him for his impudence. I tried bringing him into the kitchen to eat, but he went scampering back. He seems to want to make friends. She seems to want to be around him, too, but mainly to keep guard. She watches him like a hawk.
Does this sound like ordinary littermate rivalries that will soon be resolved, or did she get too used to being an only cat already? If she's not going to take to him, I hate for him to get stressed out by all this bullying only to go back to the shelter, and I don't want to get too attached to him if he can't stay.
Thanks for any advice on warring siblings!
The folks at the clinic where I got them said there wouldn't be any need for a lengthy re-introduction for recently separated littermates, but she had a different opinion. Yesterday when the little one came home, I let her sniff him in his carrier, and then when he finally came out, she sniffed him some more -- and promptly decided to show him who was boss. It didn't seem like ordinary, cute kitten fights, because she was clearly winning every single one, had him pinned down by the neck, and the poor little guy was squealing in alarm. I set up his own little space in the bathroom and back hall, but when they were calmer, I let them try to get re-acquainted again. More fighting. I ended up separating them for the night, spending some quality time with her in the living room, where she's been sleeping, and then he was sleeping right outside my bedroom so I got up and petted him numerous times in the night and he seemed content.
Today she's less mean, and even once groomed his tail for 30 seconds and later let him lay down next to her. He's been squealing less. But mostly she's been extremely domineering, ostentatiously eating his food, drinking his water and using his litterbox. Woe betide him if he tries to play with a toy -- she's got it away from him instantly and punishes him for his impudence. I tried bringing him into the kitchen to eat, but he went scampering back. He seems to want to make friends. She seems to want to be around him, too, but mainly to keep guard. She watches him like a hawk.
Does this sound like ordinary littermate rivalries that will soon be resolved, or did she get too used to being an only cat already? If she's not going to take to him, I hate for him to get stressed out by all this bullying only to go back to the shelter, and I don't want to get too attached to him if he can't stay.
Thanks for any advice on warring siblings!