How do I convince Inky and Aslan to love Nugget? Also, how do I teach Nugget how to play?

[Terabith]

We're keeping them mostly separated, but Aslan in particular is OBSESSED with getting into Nugget's room, and there have been a couple of containment breaches.  Inky and Nugget have been wary but fine when they encountered each other.  Aslan is so incredibly jealous, though.  He hasn't attacked or anything, and when he's gotten into Nugget's room, we've tried to create positive associations by giving Aslan treats, but he's given a couple of hisses.  

It's befuddling to me because Aslan came from a shelter where he was in a giant room with a dozen other cats.  He adores Inky.  He worshipped the ground Obama walked on.  He loved Tiger and Blackie, the cats who came last summer for a few weeks.  He adored Catsby who we catsat for a few weeks and seriously grieved when she went back home.  He's fine with all the animals in the neighborhood, including Fauxbama, who is objectively horrible.  

But he seems so jealous and mad at poor little Nugget.

Also, Nugget seems to have zero concept of play.  He's an expert purrer and biscuit maker, but I've never seen a kitten that didn't play.  He will kinda half heartedly play with things with feathers on string that are wiggled.  I've spent a fair amount of time batting crinkle balls around, trying to interest him.  He doesn't run or pounce or chase his own tail or do any other kitteny things.  The most interest besides the stick toy that I've gotten is from the ipad cat fishing game.  It's worrying.  Is Nugget traumatized?  Or screen addicted?

[Clarita]

There is a lot on the internet about how to acclimate cats to one another. We've only done it for one pair of cats and the elder one was just over a year old. (I've read as cats older it's gets harder for them to accept new cats.) We have a door that has slats in it so we would have one cat on one side and the other cat on the other side. So we could let them sniff each other out safely.

Also we would do blanket swaps with the two cats (be sure to rub the blankets all over the cats). When they rub up against you they are actually leaving their scent on you and they like things to smell like them. That's why sometimes when a cat comes home from a long vet visit the other cat will hate on them because they don't smell like they belong in the family. 

Another friend of mine suggested we also let the cats duke it out (just look for blood or traumatic behavior). We did let a certain amount of what looks like bullying to us humans happen to the younger cat. We were supervising all the interactions and monitor the younger cat's reaction and behavior. Apparently some of the "bullying" behavior was just the older cat teaching the younger cat how to get along in the family. There was some hissing and smacking (no blood draw). If the kitten is trying to get away from the older cat, and the older cat is pursuing then we'd step in to get the kitten away (vis versa). No blood was ever drawn in our situation but if you see that, that is a sign things aren't going well.  

Anyways some things to try, but I've definitely known people who had to return a cat because their cats never ended up getting along. 

[Terabith]

I think he’s definitely learning to play. I kicked the older cats upstairs and introduced Nugget to the basement living room.  He immediately became playful.  I guess the sleep/ eat/ poop room has to be different. 
 

Aslan is currently very miffed about being locked out of the basement.  

[Pawz4me]

I wouldn't be drawing any conclusions yet about how they'll get along. It takes time with cats, often lots and lots and lots of time. Hisses seem totally normal and expected to me. I'd continue to work on positive interactions. Swap beds, rub them down with the same towel, maybe consider using some Feliway for awhile. If catnip makes Aslan chill then maybe some of that (but not if it hypes him up). But mostly I think time is the answer. If Aslan was actually aggressive I'd worry more, but just hisses? Nah, that wouldn't be a big deal for me after just a few days.

[Scarlett]

Our cat doesn’t play and we took her in as a stray when she was less than a year old.  

[MercyA]

11 hours ago, Terabith said:

Also, Nugget seems to have zero concept of play.  He's an expert purrer and biscuit maker, but I've never seen a kitten that didn't play.  He will kinda half heartedly play with things with feathers on string that are wiggled.  I've spent a fair amount of time batting crinkle balls around, trying to interest him.  He doesn't run or pounce or chase his own tail or do any other kitteny things.  

I had the exact same experience with the kitty who was with us for a few weeks. As it turns out, he just wasn't feeling well enough to play. He purred, made biscuits, ate well, and followed us around, but his runny nose turned out to be a very difficult to treat infection. Once the infection really started to clear in his wonderful foster home, he got his kitten energy back and started to play.

Maybe Nugget is not feeling well?

[Terabith]

7 minutes ago, MercyA said:

I had the exact same experience with the kitty who was with us for a few weeks. As it turns out, he just wasn't feeling well enough to play. He purred, made biscuits, ate well, and followed us around, but his runny nose turned out to be a very difficult to treat infection. Once the infection really started to clear in his wonderful foster home, he got his kitten energy back and started to play.

Maybe Nugget is not feeling well?

I was worried about that, but he’d gotten a clean bill of health from the vet. But as soon as I opened the door to the bedroom and gave him the run of the rest of the finished basement, he started playing.  He can’t be free all the time because Inky and Aslan deserve to also get to use the living room, but he seems much more kittenish now.  

[Kanin]

We introduced a 6 month old kitten to our 3 year old cat. For the first week, it was horrendous. I thought we would need to bring the kitten back to the shelter. Our older cat was hissing, growling, and making ALL kinds of crazy noises. 

We followed Jackson Galaxy's advice about only feeding them in proximity, so they associate food with each other (good vibes!). At first, the older cat would only eat her food if it was like six feet from the CLOSED door to the kitten's room. It was wild! Over the days I brought the dishes closer together. Finally she would eat with the door cracked open and the dishes a foot from each other.

After a week, my DH finally said that we just have to let them figure it out. So, we let the baby out and he had the run of the house. I did put him in his room alone sometimes to give the older one breaks. He slept in his room alone. It was scary the night I let them both out... I was certain there would be a fight, but there wasn't. Not sure if I slept much, though 🙂

I remember it being a SUPER stressful week that felt like a million years. The next week was less stressful. By week three, I think they were okay to be out all the time together. 

Jackson Galaxy 1

Jackson Galaxy 2