Kitten terrorizes older cat
I've adopted a kitten (6 months) and my older cat (6 years) is not having a good time.
I've done the gradual introduction exchanging smells and all for one month, and everything was going "fine". No outright rejection. My older cat was never aggressive, but she was a single cat and never had to interact much with her own species, so I expected her to be more distant and to occasionally hiss to signal territory, it went on like this for a while.
The real problem started around 1 month, the Kitten never stops jumping the other cat or chasing after her, this is met with a hiss or with raised paw, and then retreat. The older cat is now perching up in high places in the living room to get free of the attacks, she has almost stopped coming to my room (if the Kitten is there, if now she will sleep with me as usual).
I've tried to spray the kitten with water if she never stop chasing around the old one, and reinforce their positive interactions with food, but so far no progress. . The kitten never shows any aggression signs but she doesn't back down, I believe she is just playing around, if the older cat hisses aggressively, the Kitten usually throws herself belly up in the ground.
I've moved 2 months ago and I think this led the older cat to become less comfortable in the new house too.
I've read it takes 6-9 months to fully adapt a new cat in the house, is that correct? I feel for my older cat, I miss having her around more- I thought of donating the kitten if this situation never resolves, but I've grow attached to her too.
I'd appreciate any advice.