New kitties... already needing advice!

[luvs2eat]

We brought out two newly neutered kittens home from the humane society yesterday and are TRYING to get Peaches used to them. I thought animals wouldn't hurt baby animals... nurturing and all that... but I'm really afraid to let Peaches go w/ them. She seems WAY too intent on them... like she's gonna pick 'em up and wing 'em around like a toy.

They have no fear of her... they curl around her legs and rub against her (w/ us holding her collar). They're secluded at the moment (letting surgery incisions heal a little) and can see Peaches and she them... they're batting their hands out of the barricade at her and other stuff.

ANY advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Rubelishous]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

Right now they are probably nothing more than toys for Peaches. Keep them caged away from her until she gets used to them.

Right now also they are usurping her position as baby of the family and there might be some jealousy. Make a fuss over her to reassure her

[Ginger]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

It's all about the pecking order in the household. You and your Babe should be Alpha to Peaches and Peaches should be (at least for the moment) alpha to the kittens. Feed Peaches before the kittens, give Peaches attention before the kittens. You can also try putting a towel down in the kittens' bed and then put it in Peaches bed.

You are doing the right thing by sequestering them and letting them see each other. It could take a couple of weeks before you can leave them alone in the same room. Just remember that Peaches may be fast but those kittens have a whole pile of sharp little defence mechanisms at the end of their paws.

[smellis711]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

This is what always worked for me... Put the animals together gradually, a few minutes at a time and supervise them to get them used to one another. Every time you do this do it for a longer period of time. Within a week or so they should be used to each other enough so that they can be in the same room without bothering each other. That's when it's ok to start leaving them alone for short periods of time. I'm assuming Peaches is a dog? Make sure to praise peaches when she's good with the kitties. Soon they'll all be good friends. And yes - make sure Peaches knows that she's still your baby!

[luvs2eat]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

Yep, Peaches is an almost 2-year-old boxer girl... and STRONG. The classic boxer move when playing w/ a toy is to whip it back and forth... I have visions of these little kitties being flung across the room.

We've cordoned off an area for them and they're now inside the dog crate (no longer used by Peach)... so they can see each other and the kitties can btt their paws out.

I guess I just expected it all to go way smoother. I'll take the time necessary!!

Thanks CK pals!!

[Needers]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

Dont let the kitties around the dogs food! I dont know if your dog is aggressive or not, but be careful. We thought our Chow wasnt, but come to find out, she was, the "One" time. My ex was feeding the kittens real cat food for the first time, and decided to buy the Chow a can of food for a treat. He fed the dog first. Big mistake. A kitten ran up to the bowl and the dog with one bite, bit the kitten thru the head. She (the dog) knew she did wrong too. It was our fault, not the dogs. After that, she would let my adult orange cat eat HER food and would wait in the backround.

Google your dogs breed and see if they tolerate smaller animals. What I read about our Chow, they dont like anything smaller than them. But, she had no choice, since we had all these kittens. Her best friend ended up being my Ho cat.

It will take some time. When the kittens get bigger, your dog is going to realize who the bosses are after she gets nailed in the nose a few times with claws. Right now, since they are babies, they will curl up to the dog, as you stated, they think she is their mom. Wait til the kitties try to nurse! My 6 month old Boston Terrier was trying to nurse a kitten!

[luvkidrock]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

I am not trying to put a damper on this situation, but my uncle had a boxer for years that ate his kitten and all of the neighbors' kittens. He never could get the dog used to cats, but she loved dogs.

My boxer hated dogs and loved cats.

I hope this isn't the case for you.

[luvs2eat]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

I hope not either!! I really think it's just a matter of time. Peaches hangs out at the side of the crate and lets the kitties "bat" her... and she doesn't even flinch. I think w/ time she'll be okay... but we won't take our eyes off of her!!

[roset]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

Luvs, think it will work all out. We just had cats but the kittens had a child proof gate so they could see eachother, oh they hissed a few times but after a week or two then let down the gate & watched to make sure. Everyone by then was use to eachother & got along.

[floridagirly68]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

When my kids were 5 and 6 we had a baby kitten named Smokey and a dachshund. One night we left them together for about an hour. When we can home DD ran in and picked up the kitten and it flopped over in her hands. Apparently the dog broke his ribs and punctured it's lung. It was soooo sad. DD did realize he was dead she brought him to me and said he wouldn't wake up. She cried for two days.

[Ginger]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

This morning, my senior cat, Chester, and DD's pup (5 month old Australian Shepherd) finally had a face to face confrontation. The cats have been hanging out upstairs while I have been pup-sitting and there has been a baby gate across the stairs to keep the pup on the main floor. Chester walked up to Maya, did his lovey rub across Maya's face, just like he does with our Molly, stood still long enough for Maya to sniff his butt, then turned around and gave her what-for with his paw--right across Maya's nose. I guess he had decided it was time to take back the main floor.

[Rubelishous]

Re: New kitties... already needing advice!

My friend had a rottweiler and a Himalayan. The rottie was very exciteable and would race up and down the stairs when she came home. She came home one night to dead silence. At the top of the stairs was an hilarious tableau. The rottie stood there very still. The cat had one claw in her nose. The claw was in too far to withdraw easily so they were frozen there in place until someone could rescue them. We have no idea how long they stood that way but it was really funny.

Your Peaches will learn quickly that little kitties come with very sharp accessories.