Today there was a bit of a setback. Daisy woke up too early from a nap and was wanting her birth momma. She was squawking and following Rocky around trying to nurse him, getting underneath his chest.
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Apparently, he took this as a physical threat, because he started attacking her and trying to bite her hard in the throat!
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So I think we went a bit too fast and he had too much of her the past couple of days. We're going to go easy for the next couple of days and give him a break. I think he was getting too tired, missing his lap time (from DH) and spending too much time following little Daisy around and getting scratched on the nose when she played with him.

It appears that Rocky is basically only reacting to Daisy.

This is a good sign. He just needs some experience with her. And she is missing nursing and cuddling from her Mom.

My son's oldest cat, also a rescue, who has had at least 2 litters, before he adopted her (finally spayed), does "correct" the newest member of the household (the tabby). I've seen her do it. So some amount of "correction" is to be expected from Rocky. I call it teaching cat manners! LOL

Do you think he could kill her? She's such a tiny thing and she does play rough with him. Maybe I could trim her claws a bit? I don't mind if he corrects her but he has big teeth and a strong jaw. Would he try to kill her? Or am I overreacting? He did it once and she hid under a footstool for awhile until he calmed down. He has a very bad temper and occasionally tries to bite me too but I spray him with the water bottle when he does it to me. Now I only have to pick up the water bottle though, usually.

He weighs ten pounds and is very strong, she weighs one lb.
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She's getting strong too but is still a little waif of a kitten. If she were a bit bigger I'd just let them settle things on their own terms.

Long ago when we were first married, we had a gray maine coon type cat. She was over a year old, when we introduced the second as a kitten. They would play really roughly....I thought it was horrible. I mentioned to the vet, and he said cats do this.
That they have thick skin and what hurts us does not hurt them.

But given that Daisy is soooo little, still, I'd be careful too.
I don't think she will try to nurse off him now either! She has probably learned that!. I'd stick around when they are together for a little while yet, until you see some improvement.
She is so small you could step on her, or she could get injured in the kitchen, etc. Doors... always a risk with doors.
I'd get down on the floor with them, if you can now and then. Showing them YOU are boss, and watching. This always worked for me.

A couple of suggestions. For the sharp little claws you can use nail clippers and just nip the ends about once a week. That will dull them a bit and also get her used to handling her paws for future nail work. To help for her still needing nursing and mom cuddles give her a stuffed animal. It may sound strange but it can work. I found a small kitten that was too young to be away from its mom. It needed something to cuddle so I gave it a stuffed bunny. It cuddled it and suckled on it. Of course that bunny had to be around for the rest of the kitty's life. It looked old and ratty but when I tried to get rid of it kitty would go in the trash and retrieve it. Thats the only time kitty would get into the trash. I just resigned myself to having this ratty bunny around.

Thanks for the great advice everybody!
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On Saturday morning I was really worried so I called the vet's office and got the emergency vet in the neighboring county.

She called me back and gave me lots of good advice so they've had only "supervised playtimes" since then. She said that if he tackles her and starts to bite, he needs to be removed immediately and it's ok to yell or scold him so he knows that it's wrong. She's getting scolded if she goes after his tail/food dishes/tummy or tail, too.
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They're doing much better and they like to play "cat and mouse" a lot.
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She's the mouse of course.

She goes from one hiding spot to the next and bounces around the house like a monkey. It's just so adorable I can hardly stand it.
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She isn't doing the sucking anymore so that's a good thing. When she's shut in DS's room, she'll cry to get out, and Rocky will cry too if we let it go on too long.
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They're slowly but surely becoming good buddies and we're going to try to make sure nobody bullies the other, especially while she's so tiny. When they get older they can fight it out if necessary.

My heat mats came today... speedy delivery! Tippy is sitting on hers right now... a little hesitant at first, but she just settled in!

We call that game "rabbit". But given the size difference she will be the "mouse" for a while. All that leaping around...my son's Tortie did that...flying thru the air! LOLOL When she gets older, they will probably do hide and seek. Tippy and Oreo do this one alot!

Don't miss the video I put up of the tiny kitten..it is cute and worth seeing.

My heat mats came today too!
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Rocky is laying next to his right now, just on the edge, I'm hoping he'll start laying on top so he can get the benefit of the warmth.

Well, Oreo accepted her heat mat that we put in her bed right away. She sleeps in my studio window facing the Southern sun exposure. We just put the mat in her bed, and she seems happy.

Tippy who is currently in my photos/avatar/siggie, was a bit rattled by it yesterday. She would sit on it for a few minutes.
Today, she is sleeping on it (next to my monitor) and has forgotten to beg for food during my breakfast, in fact! Success.

I might get two more, at this rate!

Here she is zonked out:

Say Wiz....did you read some of the comments on that Amazon link?
One guy said he uses them for himself instead of a heating pad, for his back! They work on people too! and SAFER than an electrical heating type.

edit-- I just ordered two more. Only one is left from that seller at that good price with free shipping. I am going to give one to my son for Xmas and put the other on the chair that Sheba sleeps on in the living room (and take that one upNorth in the summer).

Oh that's just adorable!!
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So far, no naps on the pads here, so I suspect it will take awhile.
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We have so much drama going on here though I'm just glad for them to nap at all.
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Maybe I should take one and keep it on my chair, then somebody will want it for sure.
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