introduction difficulties, please help!!!

[nachoandsoma]

Almost 2 weeks ago I got a kitten. Soma is 10 weeks old and she is a very confident and playful kitten, she didn't particularily like being touched when I first got her but she never hisses and has become much more affectionate.

I have a 2 year old cat named Nacho and he is super affectionate and playful. He is curious about everything and honestly wouldn't hurt a fly but at times he plays a bit rough.

I have kept Soma and Nacho separated even though it has been hard at times since one or the other will try to dash out to play with the other. Lately I've let Soma out of the room for short play sessions with Nacho. Neither one of them hisses, there's just a lot of chasing, attacking and rough play between them. Soma can get a little aggressive with Nacho at times so I distract her with a toy and then put her back in her room.

Well, today I tried to let them play for a little bit longer and neither one of them hissed at all but after I put Soma back in her room I came out to play with Nacho and noticed his poor little eye was puffy. It looks like Soma scratched around his eye, there wasn't a lot of blood but it looks like it broke skin. I opened his eye to make sure she didn't scratch the eyeball, thank goodness, it doesn't look like his eyeball is scratched. But, he has a hard time keeping the eye open and its puffy I'm so so so saddened by this.

It absolutely breaks my heart that Nacho got hurt in anyway. I clip Soma's nails regularly but they are still SO sharp. Im also covered in scratches from her since she tries to climb up me all the time. I am doing my best to train her to play nice but it's taking a lot of patience.

How can I teach Soma to play nice?I know she is in her socialization phase and I'm worried that if I can't get her rough play under control now my poor Nacho will be covered in scratches.
They honestly don't even sniff each other much, neither one is super territorial but Nacho displays more dominance by holding her down. They both just want to play but if it results in scratches I just don't know what to do!

 

[mollyblue]

Nacho is doing the right thing by holding her down... thats what our momma cat did when her baby got too rough.  I am saddened too that Nacho got scratched. If you didn't hear them yowling, and no one was trying to get away, it sounds like it was pretty unpredictable.  We don't want Nacho getting hurt, but he really is in a better position to teach her what is too rough as far as play goes...on or our cats will give the baby a warning chomp right beside his ear. She doesn't bite him, but she bites at him.  If that doesn't work, she gives him a thunk on the nose... he knows when he has gone to far.

When you are playing with Soma, its better if you do not let her scratch you.  With Snowy, who was an adult when we got her but had never been socialized, we substituted tussle toys when she would start to get too rough.  The first stuffed animal we gave  her she shredded the stuffing out of the very first play session.  The second lasted about a week.  The third, we still have, and it has been almost a year.  She still tussles with it, but she treats it like her baby too.  You can also make a loud noise, say ouch, or snap, or clap or something as soon as she starts getting too rough.  You can also hold her down, gently of course, but firm enough to stop her actions.  A lot of people will say not to let her use your hands as playtoys, but I am one of those people who just can't resist...

 

[nachoandsoma]

I don't think Nacho knows how to tell Soma when she's gone too far. He bites down on her neck or he tries to groom her but he's never tried anything else. Soma will bite his ears and apparently scratch him especially when he kind of sneaks up on her. I have given her a million toys and she adores them but for some reason the second anyone's toes or fingers wiggle she is MUCH more interested in that. I know she's a kitten and it'll get better with training but it's unpredictable at times. I try to cuddle with her and bond, she lays on my shoulder but if I close my eyes for a little and then open them she swats at my face or attacks my hair. I'm worried that someone in the household or Nacho will end up with an actual eye injury.