Kitten Detente

[NWFlyer 2]

Having quickly given up hope for a warm, fuzzy, lovey photo op, I'm now sitting around watching the kitten staredown and wondering when we can get to a state of detente. It's not so bad as the cold war - there seems to be no guarantee of mutually assured destruction (though given the attack that took place on an innocent mouse toy that was attached to the cat scratcher ... I'm not so sure.).

Franklin (who is significantly bigger than Daisy despite being younger) is doing his best to push back on Daisy, who is wondering why this guy is invading HER space. "No, you can't eat from MY bowl... okay, you can eat from it but not while I'm eating from it, and I'm going to watch you the whole time."

I'm hoping I'm doing the right thing by just letting them play it out. I have seen some swatting and growling and hissing, but I am hoping they will just play out this tension without getting too aggressive. Both of them seem to be eating and drinking, so I suspect it's not outright warfare. I'm actually wondering if it's a bit more pronounced just because I'm paying attention.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[SARLDO 0]

Man, for a second there, I thought you were posting a recipe. Had to look again. (Oh "detente" not "Dente").

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[Nightingale 0]

Try two food and water bowls for the next few weeks... eventually, they'll either each pick one or, more likely, they'll start sharing, and you can take one away.

For the time being, you might want to separate them when you're not home, just in case, until you're happy they're getting along. Most of what you're seeing right now is Franklin and Daisy trying to establish the cat-dominance order and who is top-cat. Once this is settled, they will settle down peacefully with the occasional playful battles to determine if the top-cat is still worthy.

[NWFlyer 2]

I just broke down and gave Franklin some alone time in the bathroom. That's where the food bowls and litter box are, so I put a separate set of bowls outside for Daisy and created a makeshift litter box for her (which she just used, so it'll do till I can either pick up another one or get them to quit picking on each other). He's NOT happy in there (I hear quite a bit of whining) but they were really starting to get aggressive, and I do have to be able to leave the house this afternoon.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[akarunway 1]

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Having quickly given up hope for a warm, fuzzy, lovey photo op, I'm now sitting around watching the kitten staredown and wondering when we can get to a state of detente. It's not so bad as the cold war - there seems to be no guarantee of mutually assured destruction (though given the attack that took place on an innocent mouse toy that was attached to the cat scratcher ... I'm not so sure.).

Franklin (who is significantly bigger than Daisy despite being younger) is doing his best to push back on Daisy, who is wondering why this guy is invading HER space. "No, you can't eat from MY bowl... okay, you can eat from it but not while I'm eating from it, and I'm going to watch you the whole time."

I'm hoping I'm doing the right thing by just letting them play it out. I have seen some swatting and growling and hissing, but I am hoping they will just play out this tension without getting too aggressive. Both of them seem to be eating and drinking, so I suspect it's not outright warfare. I'm actually wondering if it's a bit more pronounced just because I'm paying attention.

Going thru it w/ my new hunting puppy and my next door neighbors' dogs (babysitting) Interesting watching. Who's the Alpha dog. Mine will be when he hits a 100lbs.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[eeneR 3]

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Mine will be when he hits a 100lbs.[Wink]

Size has 0 to do with who is alpha My 20lb Shiba is alpha over both my 55lb husky and my brothers 160lb St. Bernard. Just cause he is bigger does not make him the boss, it is all about the attitude and confidence. Course in the wild if they were to fight to the death then maybe size would matter, but not always

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[turtlespeed 226]

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Man, for a second there, I thought you were posting a recipe. Had to look again. (Oh "detente" not "Dente").

I know . . . Sad times . . .

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Zep 0]

When I brought home the stray it took my cat about three months to accept her, I came down one morning an found them sleeping together,
Now the stray(named Little) has had kittens, leo (the original cat but not the father) is having a hard time accepting them, he'll growl an hiss when they cross his path
an he'll give them a bop with his paw, but Ive noticed that he doesn't extend his claws. I think it's his way of saying I'm the boss an you stay out of my way.
Any way I give him extra cuddles an let him sleep on the bed as a consolation for having to put up with so many female cats

The short of it is if they have to live together they will find an order an peace will return.

Gone fishing

[NWFlyer 2]

I thought we were doing better after an afternoon of isolation, but after being all "whatever" when I first let Franklin out, they're back to hissing and tussling. And now they're checking each other out from across the room.

Yep, looks like a few more days of off and on "alone time" till we get settled.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Shell666 0]

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I thought we were doing better after an afternoon of isolation, but after being all "whatever" when I first let Franklin out, they're back to hissing and tussling. And now they're checking each other out from across the room.

Yep, looks like a few more days of off and on "alone time" till we get settled.

Yep, time will tell. When I got a new kitten (who was 8 months old) my 4 year old HATED the sight of him. It took them a good 2 or 3 months to finally work things out. I never separated them (they were both male - I probably SHOULD have but they were both outdoor cats so they had their "space" there). They never got "violent" with one another. The odd hissing and batting at each other was all they did.

And that continued until this past year.

Now, 2+ years later, they both sleep on my bed and the older one grooms the younger one. There's still a little batting and hissing but only when the old guy is being an ass ... it now comes from the young one!!

And if they get really bad, I just sick the dog on them. That cools them both off.

Enjoy your new kitties. And thanks for being such a good mom adopting them.

'Shell

[NWFlyer 2]

There's still a lot of batting and hissing and growling, but also moments of tolerance and outright decency towards each other. I'm sensing more play than fight in their wrestling now. Still might take a while for a real friendship to form, but the hostilities are a bit lighter for now.

Franklin's settling in a bit and even warming up to me a little, though he's definitely not the cuddleslut that Daisy is yet. He does like to play, though, and with his monstrous back paws, he can really get good balance on his hind legs.

Still no photos of the two of them together. There was one point tonight when had her on my tummy and him at my feet on the ottoman, but I had to ruin the photo op to get the camera.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke