How/when should I integrate my kittens?

Home The Daily Kitten Cat Chat Forum Cats & Kittens How/when should I integrate my kittens?

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #856624
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Hello, I have two kittens and am temporarily renting a room with them. I rescued my older kitten, Toulouse, around Halloween 2016 and he was about 5 weeks old. I rescued my second kitten, Violette, at 3 days old as her mother was hit by a car, and she was born around January 1, 2017.

    Toulouse weighs about 5 pounds and Violette weighs about 22-25 ounces.

    I have been bottle feeding Violette, now adding wet food to the formula, she has been dewormed, tested clear for parasites, and is just now beginning to use the litter box! Toulouse is vaccinated and soon to be neutered. I have Violette in an XL crate with everything she needs and some toys, and have a blanket tied around 2/3 of it so that she and Toulouse can onlyreach their arms through the bars to play on one side.

    Violette gets let out periodically throughout the day to play in the room while I hold Toulouse or put him inside a carrier, if he has too much energy and wants to play too roughly with Violette. Violette seems to want to play and so does Toulouse, although I wouldn’t leave them together unless I am within 2 feet of them. They seem to be getting along, aside from the fact that Toulouse easily gets overly excited from Violette learning to pounce and play, and wants to take the playing to the next level, but Violette is too little.

    When/How should I go about the process of getting them together without the crate? I have lots of vertical space and floor space in the room for them as well as toys, and window seats to try to accommodate for the less than ideal amount of space for the time being.

    Thanks!

    #856625
    JerseyJoan
    Moderator

    Hi TV! I haven’t had two so close in age get together in a long time; Shaddo and Jiggs were about a year apart and with the current generation Leela and Comet are about 2 years apart.
    I’d suggest closely supervised time together, so that neither gets in over their head in their excitement. When Violette is ready for solid food, you can start feeding them together, so they have a ‘serious’ activity together. You can also try getting them to play with the same toy, though you may want to wait till Violette is a little older and better coordinated in play. If they are focused on playing with a toy that you control, such as a wand toy, the focus is off each other.
    I’m not a fan of letting them ‘fight it out’. I don’t like anything that looks like a fight, and believe a calming presence helps discourage this.

    #856632
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Oh, it’s finally time! Wee Violette is going to meet her big brother. I hope Mr. Toulouse is a good boy.

    As JJ said they’re close enough in age that it should be easier. I, too, don’t agree with the “fight it out” way because someone usually gets hurt. You know their behavior so watch when they’re together. You’re a smart meowmy and know when too much is too much.

    PG

    #856721
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    HI TV,

    How goes the introductions with wee Violette and bro Toulouse? Has she won his heart yet? 😉

    #856801
    ToulouseViolette
    Participant

    Thanks! We are still using the cage, and they seem to be slowly learning how to play together nicely.
    Toulouse was neutered yesterday, got his FVRCP booster, microchip,and got tapeworm dewormer and Violette got her FVRCP vaccination as well as tapeworm dewormer (since Toulouse had tapeworm and she got broadspectrum dewormer last month) So they had a very big day!

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.