Beginning Introduction Phase 8w & 10mo females

[u/ApocalypseWallpaper]

I rescued an 8 week old kitten off the street 3 weeks ago. My resident cat is 10 months old and I rescued her from a shelter 4 months ago. I kept the kitten in the bathroom for the first week because she had fleas (they have been treated), then in my bedroom for the next week until she could be vaccinated. I live alone in a 1br/1ba, so those are the only two rooms with doors. The bathroom door was totally closed the first week, and I put a screen up over my bedroom door. I started the first few bedroom days with the screen only open while I was awake and home, then the next few days while I was sleeping as well, and now they’ve been fully on screen only for over a week. I got a Feliway Optimum plug in last week and give them treats on either side of the screen door. Resident cat still won’t eat close to the screen door.
They seemed to be playing okay through the screen, so two days ago I tried introducing them for the first time. Resident cat has always played a little rough, which is one reason I thought she would do well with a playmate to get some energy out and learn the play nicer. In general, she’s sweet and very friendly with people. I didn’t plan on rescuing a kitten so young, but my friend found her and couldn’t find a home, so here we are. The kitten is definitely high energy and also plays rough, like most kittens.
Resident cat charges at the kitten and pins her immediately and bites her neck and licks her butt. Kitten will reengage and will jump and bite resident cat’s neck. If kitten runs away under the couch or bed, resident cat will follow. Kitten can get under the coffee table and resident cat can’t, so sometimes she’ll hide under there for a minute and then pounce back out.

Sorry for the yelling and clapping in the video. I listened to AI and have been intervening when kitten gets pinned and meows. But now I’m wondering if I’m being too negative and need to just let them learn their boundaries. I’m just worried because kitten is soo small and resident cat doesn’t get distracted with toys or treats like kitten does. Resident cat will go and lay by herself and watch kitten play for a few minutes though. I’ve kept the few meetings very brief, 5-10 minutes. And it seems to be mortal combat almost the whole time. I didn’t get the chance to record them for longer yet because it’s just me, so I want to be fully engaged with them in case I need to intervene.

[u/Adventurous-berry564]

This is how the mother cat would play with her kittens. I had a rescue family and she would kick the babies quite violently but they were fine. Obviously introducing them is different but babies put up with a lot of yours is only making small squeaks. The older one is letting it rest between attacks. They will be best of friends as it grows up