My cat hates our new kitten!

[Katiebaby]

Hey all!

 

Today our new kitten came home. He's 7 weeks old, TINY, black with white socks, belly and nose. Blue eyes. Beautiful. Our other cat 'Spaz' who is 7 months old seems to almost be afraid of the new fella! She runs away from him and when he gets close to her to say hello she hisses. I've never heard her hiss and I've had her since she was a baby as we rescued her too.

 

They have lots of toys, separate litter trays etc etc and we've set the kitty up in a separate room. It's his first night here at home as we got him this afternoon. They will be put away to bed tonight in their rooms, but tomorrow when I go to work in the afternoon should I let them be together? I mean they have to get acquainted sooner or later? I'm staying up to watch them tonight. I don't think she'd hurt him but it's sad to see him so scared - shaking in the corner cuz she's being bully!

 

[jengh]

It's completely normal for cats to be terretorial at first. When I got Cairo, I was living with my old roommate who had a 1 year old cat (Paris). Paris hated Cairo at first, the hissing, the being dominant... it takes time. Be sure to give the 7 month old LOTS of extra attention. You don't want her feeling like she's been replaced. Cairo was terrified at first of Paris (the shaking, hiding), but now she's the most social cat I've ever had and LOVES other animsl.

 

Just give it some time. After about a week, Pay-pay and Cai-cai (hah, nerdy) were snuggling together and loved each other sooo much.

 

I think it's good you got the little one while the 7 month old was still a kitten. They say that helps.

[MyheartorHis]

I would keep them separated unless you're around to supervise. Just in case they get in a little fight you can watch if that happens. I just would hate to hear that you came home and the little one was scratch bad or something. I don't know how territorial cats are but when I brought my 3rd dog in... the oldest one was trying to beat it up. I had to separate them when I wasn't around!!!

[Katiebaby]

I'm so glad you're online! Yeah the kitten is hiding in the corner or anywhere he possibly can - poor thing. been doting heaps on Spazzy but she's really shirty, giving me the cold shoulder - I think she's cracked the sh!ts with me haha. Sooky. I'm stressed about leaving them at home together when I go to work tomorrow, I went to put the laundry in the drier earlier and i hears a hiss and a growl, and I think she had a go at him.

I'm a bit stressed!

[jengh]

Hmm, I might keep them separated while you're at work. Try to socialize them as much as you can while you're home. Usually when it comes to cats getting along, there's one certain breaking point. Like, you'll be sitting on the couch with the kitten and spazzy will get lonely and decide to join you... that seems to be what's always happened with me.

 

With Cairo and my parents' dog, I was laying on the bed with Comet (the dog) and Cairo got SUPER jealous... She jumped up and was really timid of Comet but eventually, they were sleeping together!! I have a picture somewhere but I'm on dial up right now and it gets on my nerves!

 

By the way, new kitten sounds SO cute. What's his name? Picture? You said he's black with blue eyes? That's adorable!!!

[Katiebaby]

Haha well we named him Gizmo - i'll upload a piccie now just gimmie a minute or two. He's a spunk!

 

Yeah she's totally got the sh!ts up. She just lays there and stares him down. Dagger eyes.

[jengh]

Awwww, she's probably thinking, "What IS this thing and when is it leaving!?" Give her time and they'll be the best of friends!!!

 

Where's catdancer? She'd know what to do!!!

[jengh]

AWWWWWWW!!!! They are both SO cute!!!!!!!!!

Spazzy looks SO much like a cat my ex and I got together (whose name is Niblet)

Gizmo is such an adorable ball of fluff!!! His "socks" really crack me up!!! awwwww.. kittttiesssss. I want another so badly.

[shes2smart]

link removed

[Katiebaby]

Yeah he has 2 anklets and two stockings hehe

 

shes-2-smart - thank you very much for that helpful site, reading it right now!

[Katiebaby]

Hmm after reading that site, Gizmo might be better left in his bedroom while I'm not home and overnight...

That site was great, thank you so much! Spazzy's been a bit territorial since the new fella came home, might be wise to stress them as less as possible.

[DN]

I didn't read the site but when a similar situation arose for my daughter she kept them separated but put their food dishes either side of the closed door between them - that way they got to associate the pleasure of the food with the scent of the other cat.

 

Also swap them over sometimes so the scent of each cat gets into both spaces and they get used to it that way.

[Katiebaby]

Hey DN That's what the site suggested - guess we're gana have to take it slow with the babies... The kitten is so curious and unafraid, but Spazzy's like "Nup- I don't think so... get this THING away from me!"

 

 

[BeStrongBeHappy]

Definitely don't give the kitten free run with the older cat until they are not longer fighting or growling with one another. Keep the kitty in a separate room when you are sleeping or not around to supervise.

 

Cats by nature are solitary and not pack animals, so introducing a new cat into their realm is perceived as a threat. They can learn to happily live together, but your older cat has to accept that this is 'family' as opposed to an intruder, and that just takes a little time.

 

Some cats do never totally like each other, but usually they do learn to get along quite well. It is good they are both young and that helps them bond a little better.

[DN]

Well, with my daughter's cats the same thing happened. But once they were integrated the kitten got very playful and eventually the older cat got used to it and just walked away when she's had enough. Now they will sometimes sleep curled up together.

[itsallgrand]

Omigod they are such cute little puffers.

 

I went through this about 6 months ago with my kitten, Gremlin, and my cat Meepers who is about 2 years old.

 

At first, I never let them alone together unless I was around. Grem was put in the bathroom to learn the litterbox, and I'd take her out to let the two of them get used to each other.

 

At first Meepers was downright hissy and hidey about it. But she had always had my bedroom and her scratching posts as her "safe places" where, if she ran away to, I would not touch her or let anyone follow her around.

 

So I'd spend some time with both of them, and Grem would go mostly into the living room to play. I wouldn't let her chase Meepers, though the kitten has and had the way more aggressive personality.

 

Within the first week of the kitten living here, they had made a stable peace and were grooming each other. They still each have their spots in the house that are just theirs that they defend - but they are two girls.

 

Two girl cats can be a whole lot harder than if I had got a boy!

[redhearts]

Kitties!!! So cute!!! Aww I want one, too bad I'm allergic. I read somewhere when introducing an animal to another it has to be on neutral terriotory. That way the older cat won't get upset of the new comer in his area.

[shes2smart]

We did the separate rooms/feed by the door thing described on the humane society site.

 

My boy cat was about 5 years old when this almost-year-old stray tiger cat adopted us. My boy cat *hates* other cats, but we went slowly and used canned food when we fed them together. (canned food is a treat....I can't stand the look/smell of most canned cat food so they mostly get dry....he thinks canned food is a the best. stuff. ever.)

 

There were a lot of little territorial spats at our old townhouse. The boy cat had been there with us for about a year and a half when the tiger cat entered the picture, so the whole place was "his." When we bought a house and moved, the whole place was neutral and they were on equal ground. They now have definite rooms that are "his" and "hers."

 

They are not best buddies, and I doubt they ever will be and I don't force them to be. They maintain a physical distance from each other at all times, they do not mutually groom, and they sleep at opposite ends of the house. But they do tolerate each other, and sometimes, if they think we're not paying attention, they'll actually sorta/kinda playfully mess with each other....or share the area in front of the sliding glass door when I have the screen in.

[Gracelove]

You're not supposed to let them interact for a few weeks.

 

You should take a damp cloth, and rub it on your first cat's neck. That's where their scent glands are.

Then you should put that damp cloth under the food bowl of your kitten.

 

And vise versa.

 

This way they get used to each other's scent.

 

Then you switch rooms. You place your first cat, in the new cat's room, so she can get used to the smell of the new cat.

 

Then you place the new cat in her environment.

 

Allow them to explore each other's territories and scents (without the other being present).

 

Your first cat needs to feel safe. She needs to feel that her environment isn't being threatened.

 

This is why you shouldn't introduce them for a while.

 

She needs to think, " There's a new smell around here, and I know there's something else in that room, but I'm OK. No one pounces on me during my normal nap time. No one is playing with my toys or eating out of my food bowl. No one has been in my poop box, I'm safe. I guess things are fine"

 

After a week or two has passed, and your first cat doesn't seem on edge, you can try to introduce them.

 

Just by cracking the door and allowing them to get a glimpse of each other. Or play with each other's paws.

 

If either one of them hisses. Continue separtion for another week and try it again.

 

I know it sounds like a HUGE pain, but if you want them to get along decently, it's best to do it that way.

 

I know a guy who didn't do it the right way, and it took 5 YEARS before the first cat warmed up to the new addition.

 

Quite sad if you ask me.

 

Also, you might want to invest in Feliway. It helps calm cats down, keeps stress levels low.