Hello all. I am after advice about integrating two bengals. We have a five month old and recently bought him another male kitten for some company in the hope that as he was still young he would accept it easier. How wrong was I?. They seem to detest each other, both as bad as each other always stalking the other and attacking at any opportunity. Loki who is three months older always comes out on top and I am afraid he will hurt the newbie. I don't think it helped that I made the mistake of just putting them together initially in the hope they'd get on. Any help appreciated as its stressing me let alone the cats. They just cannot be in the same room as each other.

How long have you had them? And what other behaviours are going on??

One thing you need to bear in mind with Bengals, is they do play ROUGH! And I mean ROUGH!!! So you need to give a bit more detail so we can try to work out if they really are fighting or playing?

When you say they can't stay in the same room together is there hissing and swiping going on as well?

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

If you have only had the new kitten a short time try separating him and give him a safe room for a few days, swap smells by letting each sniff the others blanket
so they get used to each other slowly. Hopefully they will get used to each other fairly soon. My 2 (brother and sister) still have the odd squabble when the male
gets too boisterous, and they grew up together.

Hang in there ..... these things take some time. The new kitten should have been separated from the other kitten in the beginning. First, bengals are territorial and this new kitty has entered their space. Separate them and swap scents. Each cat should have something with their scent on it -- blankets, towels. if not, then make sure they have something to lay on and put their scent on. Swap them out so the other kitten can smell the other cat. After a couple of days, you can try to integrate the by feeding them together in a general area but not next to each other. Both should be concentrating on the food and not the other cat. You can also engage them each in play with toys. They need to start associating good things with the other cat. There is a difference between cats playing and cats trying to kill each other. An over aggressive cat will cause the other kitty to lose confidence and become scared of the other kitty. You don't want this, so allowing the new kitty to gain the confidence necessary to stand up to the other kitty is so important.

The whole thing can take months ... many times it just takes a couple of weeks. You just have to be diligent and help out the situation and not let the cats duke it out for themselves. Be patient, relax and things should eventually work out to where they will be best friends.

We've had the eldest 5 weeks and the youngest a week now. I have separated them and swapped bedding so they get each other's scent. They will eat together but as soon as the food is gone the hissing, growling and swiping starts. It is just non-stop constantly chasing and attacking each other. The eldest stalks at any opportunity and then pounces. A couple of times u have thought they were playing but then it's so loud you know they're not. I just don't know if there's anything else should try, or just persevere. I've had feliway suggested but I've heard mixed reviews. I just want them to get on and be happy in each others company

Try playing soft classical music. It tends to calm cats down. When they are calm praise them both equally. If you meditate, try doing it in the room with them. They should curl up and go to sleep.

The fact they eat together is a good thing. Maybe it was all too much too soon as it is very early days, so let them eat together and then separate them and go back to basics and do gradual introductions.

It may be that one kitten (probably the older one) is getting overly boisterous during 'play' as he is bigger and stronger. I used to be horrified when my two played when they first arrived, and always thought they were going to kill each other. But they love pouncing on each other and wrestling. I used to break it up if either of them started to squeal but they'd both be at it again pretty quickly and it was usually the one I was trying to protect that was first to start it again!

Monitor them and break them up if it seems to be getting out of hand and try to play with them together with wand toys (Da'bird is always a winner) and have happy play associations for them and not just stalking each other/fighting.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Well I thought we were getting there. They seemed to be taking it in turns chasing each other with just the occasional hiss and growl- usually from the youngest. I fed them together this morning with the youngest trying to steal the others food occasionally, but nothing too bad. After a bit of chasing again the eldest then took it upon himself to pee behind the TV and a couple of other places and then ran off to hide as if he knew he'd done wrong. One step forward, two steps back

Okay, firstly you need to keep calm - they will pick up on any stress you are feeling!

This is very early days and they are both very young. He may have been caught short and Bengals are naturally very clean animals so he probably does know he's done wrong.

Just clean it up, make sure you get some spray/cleaner that removes any odour to ensure he doesn't go in that spot again because he can smell it.

Your older kitten has had his territory invaded and may be feeling threatened/stressed. So separate them and pretend they've never met - ie, go back to square one. Then do scent swapping etc, feeding together, play together - all at a very slow pace - there is loads of advice on here as to how to introduce cats to one another and it may take some time. A week is no time at all. I'm not the best person to advise on this as I've never been in this situation but someone who has been there, will be along to advise I'm sure.

How many litter trays do you have? It should be one per cat and a spare. Do they have plenty of spaces they can claim as their own, including vertical space, beds and escape routes if one is being hassled by the other?

Take a step back from the situation and try to see it through your kittens' eyes and see if you can make adjustments to your home that will help them co-exist.

Long term, I think they will be fine together as long as they have their own places they can own etc but these first weeks will be quite trying for you. I have litter buddies (two twin boys) but sometimes we still get squabbles and hisses over food, places they like to sleep, climb etc. Make sure you have plenty of wand toys for interactive play with you - hopefully you will be able to include both of them in this sort of game. I cannot stress enough how much my two (and most of the Bengals on here) love Da'Bird (or flying frenzy if in UK).

Most importantly, do not show either of them more attention than the other or you will have jealousy thrown in the mix as well. Although maybe your older kitten is feeling a bit pushed out anyway as he is now having to share you.

Take a deep breath and persevere!!! Everyone here will support and advise you every step of the way - you are not alone!

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

This is why my Raiden will be an only kitty. Integrating two cats is not easy in many households and both of these are bengals. Both need their own territory and space in your home. The fact that you can feed them with no problems is great. You should start seeing that the aggression lessens with time. Are you playing with the two of them together? Redirect their attention toward each other with toys. You're still new at this and, unfortunately, you have to work to get these two little ones to get along. It takes time and lots of patience. Right now, this is completely a territorial thing. Once they learn how to share that territory, things will be fine. But, I truly feel for you. I would pull my hair out having to deal with this.

Grace and Blondie have been fighting for the past 3 days. Hissing, spitting, growling, chasing, tumbling, etc. The are going crazy in the house. One of my screens ripped ( I think from a weed wackier) and the repair man will be here this afternoon. I could never keep those two cats happy indoors exclusively. They are jumping up on the walls and sliding down with their nails screeching along the way! Mine are sisters and still go through love/hate episodes. Good luck.

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The little monsters 3

It might be an idea to go on YouTube and view some of the videos on there of Bengals playing/fighting. I still wince sometimes when our two are playing - it takes some getting used to!

It will give you more idea of whether they really do hate each other - but the fact they eat together is a massive positive and would indicate a good outcome.

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Thanks for all the advice guys. Amazingly I came in from work today and the change was unbelievable. They were laid within 10 inch of each other and even licked each other. I left them to it and they were fine for a good few hours. The hissing started from the younger one and at this point the older one took it upon himself to go behind the TV and pee almost immediately. They are now separated again for the night and I think they will be fine. Just got to stop him peeing outside the tray now :)

As long as you have more than one litter box for them! You should have three of them. You'll go through some good days and bad days with this, but it looks like this is a good start where they aren't always hissing around each other. Time will heal everything. But there will be steps backwards in the meantime. Bengals who hate each other don't come near each other and certainly don't lick each other, so progress is being made.