I adopted Bella three weeks ago from the Humane Society, and never dreamed that I'd want another kitten. Bella is 12 weeks old, and very well behaved most of the time.
The boys upstairs came to my door one night about a week ago, to ask me if she'd escaped, because there had been a kitten crying in the bushes for at least 12 hours. They caught the kitten (I'll name it if I can keep it), and brought it to me. I think that the foundling is about six weeks, but it was so undernourished when they found it that I don't know for sure. I've had it in the bathroom, which is the only room in my apartment that is shut off, for about a week, but Bella just isn't warming up to it. I tried leaving them separated until she showed interest, I tried exchanging scents, I tried only feeding Bella in the presence of the other kitten, and right now I'm trying the vanilla trick. Nothing seems to be working, though.
And when I say that the two aren't getting used to each other, I mean that Bella treats the poor little kitten like it's one of her toy mousies. She bites its face, she bunny-kicks it, and she won't let it run away from her. While the little kitten does chase Bella a bit, when it's not being mangled, Bella is the definite agressor, and starts all of the fights.
I thought that terretorial instinct was something for older cats, not kittens. Is there anything I can do besides give them more time?
The boys upstairs came to my door one night about a week ago, to ask me if she'd escaped, because there had been a kitten crying in the bushes for at least 12 hours. They caught the kitten (I'll name it if I can keep it), and brought it to me. I think that the foundling is about six weeks, but it was so undernourished when they found it that I don't know for sure. I've had it in the bathroom, which is the only room in my apartment that is shut off, for about a week, but Bella just isn't warming up to it. I tried leaving them separated until she showed interest, I tried exchanging scents, I tried only feeding Bella in the presence of the other kitten, and right now I'm trying the vanilla trick. Nothing seems to be working, though.
And when I say that the two aren't getting used to each other, I mean that Bella treats the poor little kitten like it's one of her toy mousies. She bites its face, she bunny-kicks it, and she won't let it run away from her. While the little kitten does chase Bella a bit, when it's not being mangled, Bella is the definite agressor, and starts all of the fights.
I thought that terretorial instinct was something for older cats, not kittens. Is there anything I can do besides give them more time?