Hi everyone! Excellent forum!
I have a 4 month old male kitten (Mugglesworth), and am now introducing him to a 6 week old female (had to be adopted because many kittens/cats at the shelter were sick.) We decided to get a second cat, younger than our first (tough to find outside of kitten season!) because soon I will be going to school all day and didn't want our indoor cat to be bored in our apartment. But now the fun begins with kittensitting these two!! I have two questions (for now!)...
We are gradually letting the two socialize, which now seems to consist of Mugglesworth wrestling the female... play fighting. It is very very closely supervised (basically my husband or I holding one/both.) They seem to like each other, and pine to get at each other (even the little one-quite a spitfire) but we will do this slowly. My question is: how do you know if the older is hurting the younger one when they play? I don't want to leave them together too early. When do you guys think she will be big enough to be left with him - or to play without being so closely monitored? Also, how should I divide my time amongst the two? I don't want the older to feel abandoned but understand the younger needs to be socialized...
Secondly about the spay/neuter. I realize it is best to have both, or the older one, fixed. Mugglesworth is still too young (I think?), but when would be the best time to get him done? And similarly, for the young one. Thanks for any help!
Jen.
I have a 4 month old male kitten (Mugglesworth), and am now introducing him to a 6 week old female (had to be adopted because many kittens/cats at the shelter were sick.) We decided to get a second cat, younger than our first (tough to find outside of kitten season!) because soon I will be going to school all day and didn't want our indoor cat to be bored in our apartment. But now the fun begins with kittensitting these two!! I have two questions (for now!)...
We are gradually letting the two socialize, which now seems to consist of Mugglesworth wrestling the female... play fighting. It is very very closely supervised (basically my husband or I holding one/both.) They seem to like each other, and pine to get at each other (even the little one-quite a spitfire) but we will do this slowly. My question is: how do you know if the older is hurting the younger one when they play? I don't want to leave them together too early. When do you guys think she will be big enough to be left with him - or to play without being so closely monitored? Also, how should I divide my time amongst the two? I don't want the older to feel abandoned but understand the younger needs to be socialized...
Secondly about the spay/neuter. I realize it is best to have both, or the older one, fixed. Mugglesworth is still too young (I think?), but when would be the best time to get him done? And similarly, for the young one. Thanks for any help!
Jen.