Although many people will tell you to keep them apart, I would let them get
on with it cos keeping them apart will only prolong the process. I let all
mine just get on with it, and it never took more then a week or two. Keep
them together and let them do what cats do, sniff growl and hiss. Just watch
over them and don;t interfere unless you see some awful fighting. Remember
the advice from my last post,where I mentioned how cats work on smell first,
so make them smell the same with some tuna brine/cat shampoo, and give E
lots more attention then a newbie. They have to establish the rank and who's
the boss. Newby also has to get used to new territory which as for now
belongs to E, and they both know it, and neither is currently happy with the
current situation. It's NORMAL! Give them some toys to distract them, and
LOTS of treats, bribe is never more important then at the introduction.

Don't worry they are both young so give them 4-5 days tops and they'll be
playing together. I expect hissing will last at least couple of days. So I
do believe this weekend you'll spend at home :)

I would only keep them apart if the things are really really bad. But some
smacking and lots of hissing is perfectly normal. When my QT arrived at 3
months old, Shadow was furious, (and adult). She hated him. She beat the
cr#p out of him, literarily raising her front paw like a human high above
her head then smacking him so hard he'd fly across the floor to the other
side. But he took it like a real man and persistently tried to win her
heart. It took him a week to win her over, and then they became soulmates! I
swear to God, if there were ever soulmates, it was two of them. They played
together, ate together and slept together. They loved each other to bits. So
much so that when QT got run over 8 months later, Shadow went into serious
depression and refused to move from the window until Tigger came 2 months
later and shook us both out of grief. She has then behaved similar to him as
well, but accepted him eventually and although they are not soulmates, she
likes him.

Saying that, Shadow took a bit longer to approve of Charlie and Sparkie(who
came as adults) and she quickly-and painfully to them- establish she is the
boss and not under any circumstances to be mess with. And they don't! They
never fight, but Shadow will give them her famous smack if they come too
near :)

So, just do the right thing and make sure you are creating the positive
association between the kittens by doing all their favorite things(food
stroking toys and treats-LODSA treats) while they are both there. And
nothing when they are alone in the room. DO NOT PUNISH in any way which I'm
sure you wouldn't, maybe just a little NO or hand clap if you see one really
hurting the other, and the other is crying in pain. Or a tiny spray of
water. But if they do get on they will do probably a lot of playfighting, so
you must make sure is it real fight or playfight. My Charlie and Sparkie
playfight at least once a day, but I know its just a game which they both
love even though it can be painful to them at moments when they bite each
other too hard, or pull hair. They still both initiate it and are happy to
join in. But if Shadow passes by, I can see the defensive behavior as they
both will immediately lie on their back and show her the stomach. See Shadow
accepted them in the pack, but they are not allowed to mess with her! She
sorted them out at the beginning and boy do they know who's the boss :)

Anyways, keep us updated on progress, I so envy you right now for enjoying
too kittens and am going to watch my videos when Tigger came and was a
little nutter :)

Congrats getting the new kitten, it will work out I'm sure, but give them
time.
I think the little one needs some hours per day alone in a room to be able
to investigate and to get sound sleep.
I would only let them near each other when supervised until you can be
absolutely sure that none gets hurt.
I guess this takes about a week or ten days, maybe quicker, but you have to
be patient.
Stroke the two, play with them so that they gain confidence.

Carola

Congrats on your second rescue.
I read a story about how one cat was introduced into
the home of another.  They started off sniffing through
the door..then they put up one of those kiddy gates and
they sniffed and growled through the gate...and eventually
they just stared at each other through the gate.  Seemed like
a good idea and it worked well for the writer.

AG

Don't hold them - don't force anything.  Let them discover each other,
first by scent, then by sight.  Keep them separated, but where they
can smell each other.

T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu - e-mail must contain "T.E.D." or my .sig in the body)

This behaviour is VERY normal. By this time next week they will be tied into
a knot together...playing.  Don't sweat it. They WILL become best of buddies
within a day or two. Carol