[K Parker]

i have a problem similar to the introduction dillemas, but as far as i know it is more complicated.

i have a cat that is about 4 months old. he recently had been getting aggressive, biting harder and much more spastic. id read that cats need companions in order to know how hard to bite etc, and at one point we had a second kitten in the house. now that kitten is gone (it wasnt ours to begin with) and we just got a new second kitten. its 8 weeks old and the most lethargic creature ive seen. it moves so slowly and is completely passive. my older cat will run up and strike it on the head and the smaller cat doesnt even respond.

first of all, why is my older cat so aggressive if it happened before the new cat was introduced?
second, why is the new cat so... taoist?
third, if the old cat attacks the new cat, will he know not to hurt the new one? he bites me from time to time without blood but with some pain involved. and last, how do i fix this if the new cat wont play?

ill keep them in different rooms but that doesnt solve why the old one got aggressive before we even got the new one.

any suggestions?

 

[Jeanie]

I'm sure you had the little one checked, but if not, please do. Sometimes there is a quiet kitten in a litter, but this kitten sounds too quiet. The older kitten is still teething so he likes something to play with and bite. If the young kitten is healthy, start the introduction again, leaning the little on in a carrier when the older kitten is in the same room. Rub them both with the same towel to give them the same scent. Also, you might want to calm down the older kitten with feliway, which I hear is amazing for calming cats.

The site I checked suggested using Mc Donald's straws for the kittens to teethe on. The site did not suggest any other straw, and it was not related to Mc Donald's. I wish you the best. Introduce the kittens a bit more slowly. Let them take turns in the carrier until they're really well acquainted. I'm sure other members will have more ideas.

 

[K Parker]

just curious, but checked for what? i got it from the PetSmart adoption program, which means it came from a local animal shelter/hospital here. they guarunteed me it was healthy but if they could be wrong ill gladly have her checked.

today the smaller cat has been a little more playful and i think is getting over the shock of petsmart. so thats good.

how long does teething last? i grew up on dogs so i dont know all these little things.

thanks for all the help so far. is there a good way to keep the older cat from not biting so hard? the best way i heard was just through natural play with other kittens, which is sort of the reason for the new cat to begin with.

thx again.

 

[Jeanie]

I just think the little one sounds unusually quiet for a kitten. It could be intimidated by the older kitten. However, its healthcare depends on the resources the shelter has. I'm just a member who has had many cats over the years. The vet is the expert. Did you get a health and vaccination record?

Kittens that have recently been moved sometimes hide for a day or two. If the little one's healthy, she should settle in soon. Ideally, she would be with her mother and litter mates until 12 weeks. It's quite a shock to be away from them.

If I think my cats or kittens are playing too rough, I usually clap my hands or sau "no" in a loud tone of voice. Cats don't like loud noises. Some people shake a can with coins as a correction.

Here's a schedule I found for you:
TEETHING SCHEDULE

DECIDIOUS TEETH (PRIMARY)
(In WEEKS)

Incisors --- 2-4
Canines ----3-4
premolars--3-8

These are usually all in by 8 weeks of age



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PERMANENT TEETH (SECONDARY)
(In MONTHS)

Incisors --3-4.5 Canines 4-5 Premolars 4-6 Molars 4-5

 

[tanyuh]

Your kitten may have a fever. Cats will sleep all day and not eat very much and act lazy all day if they have a fever. Maybe buy a cheap digital thermometer and take his temperature. (The non-digital ones take too long). I would do it just to be safe. As Jeanie said, kittens can also be a little scared and nervous and hide for a the first couple of days. But take his temperature just to be sure.