# Re-Introducing Kittens from the same litter.



## fourlegs (Nov 9, 2012)

My Sally is 15weeks old and has been with me 5 weeks. She has the run of the house and plenty of toys. She can be very affectionate, however I don't think she has taken to my shift work patterns too well - especially as some days if I have a long shift I can be out for 10hours or more. I think she needs a playmate as she often seems uninterested in toys and often when I come home none have moved.

By pure coincidence my friend, whom I got Sally from, has said he has one kitten from the litter left which he doesn't want and couldn't afford to keep anyway. He is now desperately trying to get rid of it and is on about going to the local rescue centre and dumping it there.

In hindsight 2 kittens would have been better and I am more than happy to home the final one he has.

How would 2 kittens, seperated 5 weeks ago, take to being back together again? Or do I just need to start all over as though they have never met?


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## labydird (Aug 1, 2012)

That sounds great! Almost like the predicament I was in a while back!

We got Luna and then around 5 weeks later we got Orion, who is not her brother but were brought up together since they were kittens (they are now 2 years old) Anyway we were worried that they would not remember one another and wouldn't get on. We still did take precautions as Luna was very curious and wanted to follow and smell him all the time and it made him very nervous and scared especially since he was still exploring his new surroundings.

Its still a slow process IMO and you need to be more patient with the new one as they will be trying to suss out the new place and people as well as have an inquisitive kitten following them about and trying to dominate!

Now they get on great, they have spats where they both try to show they are dominant )lol) but end of the day they are always friends again and happy to sleep next to and groom one another


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## SandyR (Oct 8, 2011)

Go for it.

Be prepared to start from scratch with safe room and slow introductions to begin with but you will probably find they get on very quickly. 

It's generally easy to introduce kittens together (with a few exceptions) and the younger the better even if they are from different litters. 

Hopefully they will remember each other but even if they don't it should be pretty problem free as long as your prepared to take it as slow as needs be. 

Good luck and keep us posted.


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## flyballcrazy (Oct 6, 2010)

We bought a male kitten then four weeks later went and bought home his sister. He hissed at her to start of with then was fine


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## The Minkey (Feb 6, 2012)

A kitten companion is a very good idea given your long shifts. However, it's very doubtful they'd remember each other - my female hisses at the male whenever he's come home from treatment at the vets because he smells different - so be prepared to take it slow with the introductions, they'll soon let you know how quickly it can go.


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## fourlegs (Nov 9, 2012)

Day 1 of the introductions - George was fine in his safe room and I had tried, as best as possible to mix scents etc. I opened the door to the safe room this afternoon and since then it has all been a bit odd. George, the new kitten, is incredibly confident and is wandering around the house growling and hissing at everything and anything (including me, the cat toys, and Sally cat). Sally looks to be interested in him and seems to be desperately trying to see what is going on but hasn't really had a chance to get close because as soon as she is within eye sight George growls loudly and will often shoot after her. He's not talking to me now either, and even when nobody is around and Sally is elsewhere, he just sits somewhere and growls and growls.


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## broccoli (Jul 1, 2011)

fourlegs said:


> even when nobody is around and Sally is elsewhere, he just sits somewhere and growls and growls.


i would have him checked at the vet - constant growling does not sound normal.


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## fourlegs (Nov 9, 2012)

Ok, George has been checked by the vet 2 days before I brought him home, and the vet said he is in good health.

I had swapped scents etc before they met yesterday, I thought reasonably well and neither cat seemed bothered. After the introductions yesterday it is all a bit awry.

Last night George was in his safe room and miaowed and miaowed all night long - I'm swear he didn't stop. Sally, despite being able to hear this, didn't seem remotely interested. Whenever I go in to see George Sally always seems interested at the door and tries to get in. George will come to his side of the door and try to get out. As soon as they smell each other under the door the hissing and growling starts, from both sides, with occasional batting of the door. After they had seen each other the scent thing has suddenly become an issue. I had petted George before hand, so had his smell on me when I had petted Sally and she didn't respond. Now, if I try and swap scent clothes, an old pair of socks etc she goes mental. If I take her smells into George's room he doesn't seem remotely bothered, he just sniffs them and carrys on whatever he was doing. 

I have tried swapping the rooms over this morning - i.e. I put Sally in Georges room and let George out into part of the house. Sally just sulked squashed in the corner of George's room occasionally hissing, whilst George wandered round the house quite confidently, completely oblivious to what is going on.

When on his own George is adorable. He is very friendly towards me, likes being petted, plays with toys, purrs loudly and has cuddles, so he appears to have settled into the new surroundings. When Sally is around he won't entertain my presence and growls at me as soon as I go near. 

From watching the hissing and growling it seems to be George is the instigator of the commotion.

At the moment Sally has just had cuddles and has gone to sleep on the sofa in the front room, while George is asleep in his room upstairs.


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## apricot (Sep 25, 2012)

Don't worry, they will soon settle down. They are only babies still and it shouldn't take long. I'm so glad I got 2 kittens, they play and sleep together all the time.


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## fourlegs (Nov 9, 2012)

apricot said:


> Don't worry, they will soon settle down. They are only babies still and it shouldn't take long. I'm so glad I got 2 kittens, they play and sleep together all the time.


I do hope it all works - today has been very trying!


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## fourlegs (Nov 9, 2012)

Well what an exciting few days. After much scent swapping, some short introductions and a lot of hissing etc, we appear to be making progress - purely by accident. This morning before going to work I went in to see George in his room and he shot out like a bat out of hell as soon as I opened the door. Sall was waiting, but these was no growling. A bit of hissing, then lots of chasing round the house (at 0300!), and I had to put George back in his room before work. When I came back after lunch I let George out and he met Sally without any growling. I let them be, but an hour or so seemed to be too long and they got a bit lively by then so returned George to his room to calm down.

Then a shock.

After some "time out" I went in to see George. He was asleep on his bed and Sally followed me in. I was petting George who was partly asleep and "chirruped" at me when I walked in. Sally jumped up, sniffed him, then started licking him while he sat there. He didn't respond apart from sniffing back.

This peace didn't last long as Sally bopped George who then growled, jumped up and started chasing her round the room. 

But we have progress, not much hissing, some sniffing and very little growling. They were even drinking from the same bowl of water at one point, and both eating treats out of my same hand too. Before it all kicked off again!

P.s, Photo of George attached. Will get better ones when he keeps still long enough!


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## fourlegs (Nov 9, 2012)

I am pleased to report excellent progress - as you all said would happen! Sally and George have been making excellent friends, and are now quite happy to sleep together, toilet in the same litter tray, eat together and play together. 

We have the odd disagreement as to who is going to get the lap and cuddles when I am watching tele, but other than that, all is well!#

Attached picture is what I saw on my bed when I woke up in the middle of the night the other day.


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