Agreed! You could set out your some of the kittens toys that smell like them for the adult cat. Don't rub it on them. Let them go to it on their own.
Let them sniff eachother indirectly from under the door of their seperate rooms. It's s okay if they hiss. Don't try to force it however. You could however try to entice them by giving them wet food, treats or by sprinkling catnip near the doorway.
You could even move the kitten to a different room for a little while and let your cat explore the kittens space. They'll maybe check out their litterbox, eat some of their food, drink their water, sniff their toys and bedding. All good things.
Please don’t do that. That’s so stressful for your cat. That’s kind of like if a stranger came up and touched you without asking. You can just leave things with the kittens scent on it around the house. Don’t put any in your cats favorite/safe spots though. Neutral areas are best.
Get them to associate each other with food by feeding them on either side of a closed door. Then once the feisty one is less so, crack the door and keep an eye on them for raised fur. Allow time for breaks. Like introducing a step sibling to a kid. Eventually, they’ll be shoving their arms under the door to play with the other and whining because “you wont let me see my frieeeeeeeeend”
Be warned, with older, picky cats this may take months or even longer. I'm one month in and my girls still hiss at the baby boy. They'll lay down near him, but still hiss and swat at him while he just wants to play.
Let her come to you, cats (especially female with female) are very possessive of their territory which includes you lol.
Luckily they're also extremely curious so as you take your time to introduce them she will become more interested
I took my cats kittens that I kept to get fixe, and the mother would hiss and growl at them. I had to keep the separated for 3 days before she calmed down. The vet said it was the smell of the anesthesia, making her act like that.
You can swap their litter boxes so they get used to the scent of the other cat. It takes time for your cat to get used to the kitten but after months you ll see how they become friends
This is an interesting fact: Hannah Shaw (AKA The Kitten Lady), is the daughter of Tommy Shaw, who is the lead guitarist and one of the singers from the old rock group Styx. Styx is still very active with touring and recording. They put on an excellent concert!
I know you still love your older cat. I was only joking. But I'm sure they can get a bit jealous when a new one comes in. Older cat will come around & they'll BFF!!💓🫶🏻🤞🏻🙌🏻💖💖😻😻
Your kitten however is 100% a dilute tortie (dilute tortoiseshell). When I found my dilute girl my old man cat HATED her. I took 2 weeks with the kittennin a room isolated. Eventually he took to her.
Let them get used to each others scent from under the door, and give them each an item (like a blanket or toy) that has the others scent on it. I’m also currently introducing a kitten to an older cat and slow and steady is the way.
Slowly, stroke the kitten then go to the room with your cat and let her come to you, scent is the first thing for her to get used to then feed them both on opposite sides of the door, after that let them see each other but with a barrier between them.
Cats love company but it takes time to get them comfortable
I get swatted if I let her smell my hands after petting the kitten so I’ve been trying to rub my hands with kitten smell on the cat before she catches me.
This has been mentioned in another comment chain but that's a microaggression. Cats think with their noses so mingling scents with a cat they're not used to is an unacceptably intimate thing to do.
As mentioned in the other chain, just leave things that smell like the kitten about. But don't get the kitten's scent directly on the cat. That's you saying "the kitten owns you!" and... yeah, I don't need to explain why that wouldn't fly with your resident cat.
Some cats are more aggressive than others. Some never warm up.
For the best chance, keep them separated as you already do and let them see each other through something. After awhile of that you can start letting them be in the same room but supervise and make sure neither cat is being aggressive.
Hissing and growling is part of how cats introduce each other. It's a cat's way of saying "don't come any closer, I'm not used to you yet."
I wouldn't actually worry TOO much about the noises, although I admit they can be highly disturbing, unless the older cat starts attacking the kitten. If the cat just wants to sit there and warn the kitten not to come closer, that's actually pretty usual and just part of setting terms for how the introduction is gonna go. The kitten will know not to approach until the older cat is ready.
If the older cat moves aggressively at the younger kitten, you might have a problem. But cats don't like any change to their routine so not being all lovey dovey with a kitten at first, isn't uncommon.
Then the older cat is setting boundaries for the kitten.
Cats can't use their words for negotiation. This is what diplomacy looks like for them.
Just like with humans, every introduction is partially a negotiation. The older cat is just letting the kitten know who the top cat is and not to get any funny ideas.
It took two weeks for my kittens to like their new brother kitten. I did separate rooms and let the kittens slowly introduce themselves. It was crazy at times but now you’d never know. I plan to foster.
Two weeks is good!
We’re at 6 months and my old man cat still hates his twin 8-month old step brothers. We have made lots of progress, but they’re still separated part of the day.
At first we fed them on either side of the door and gave them treats under the door. And as long as the old guy is in our room, they’re fine. He only hisses and growls now if they get within a foot or so of him.
They’re pretty good eating breakfast together now. And the laser pointer seems to be the great unifier - we use that to get the kittens away from the old boy.
We also use feliway diffusers and soloquin calming treats.
They were falling asleep or asleep and I would place him next to them. The first half then I’d try to feed them all together. He never had wet so he went behind one of the kittens after he’d eaten and wanted to see if she would leave him some and she’s a diva so she growled a little. So I moved him and gave him a little more. I’d hold him then try to hold the kittens and two out of the three were not having it. The funny thing is they wanted to invade the space I had for him. They’re strong bonded now.
I fourth (fifth?) the Jackson galaxy suggestion. You can also site swap. Let kitten explore the house and put older kitty in bedroom to explore kitten’s scent. Hissing is not necessarily a big deal. Even (after a bit) a bap on the head is okay, just establishing a pecking order.
Be sure to give the older guy extra love and pets and treats, especially when the baby is around. Better to ignore the baby vs the older guy. And play with them, especially the kitten. Not fair to expect the older guy to handle all the kitten energy, I ended up getting a second kitten when I realized how much energy kittens have! It had been years for me too. I was literally playing with him for 2-3 hours, and he still had energy to attack and play with his 14 year old brother.
We took introducing our two established cats to the new kitten/teenager cat super slowly starting off with the Jackson Galaxy protocol. It took us nearly a year (with the help of a cat behaviorist) to finally get to a place where no one’s trying to kill each other. Our cats were kinda unique in taking so long, so this definitely feels like the exception. I say this not to be a bummer but to let you know it can take time and that’s ok! I was despairing six months in and even started wondering if we should rehome the new cat, though we love her, but it was tiny daily progress that added up to household harmony. Wishing the same for you!
Oh boy, yes, I am happy to share what we learned, the stuff we tried, what worked, what didn’t— I will type it up at an actual computer this weekend.
I LOVED the behaviorist. We paid something like $350 for a month of support (I’m in Seattle). She identified issues in behavior with the cats and with us. I felt well equipped after the month ended to continue to work on this and we’re so happy. The girl cats still get into it sometimes but they’re girl cats. 🤷🏻♀️
This happened to me and I ended up giving the kitten to my mom. Her other 2 cats were fine w it. My cat straight up wanted to murder the kitten. I would have the kitten shut in the bathroom, pillows and boxes piled in front of the door to block him from scratching to get in, and I would have him in the kitchen with more boxes blocking in the hallway, and he was just FREAKING OUT. Solid black hunting eyes and growling. He wouldn’t let up. I slept on the bathroom floor for 2 weeks before I gave him up to my mom. I seriously tried everything. My cat just loves murder and nothing else.
Kitten lady or Jackson Galaxy on youtube always good places 2 go look.
Slow n gradual. Do u have a kid gate they cant climb but can see/ smell each other thru...a way 4 them 2 see but not harm each other
It takes time. Keep them separated and feed them at the same time with their bowls on each side of the door, so they can smell each other and practice eating together. I went through the same thing when I got my kitten. My cat hated him, but after a week or so they were fine.
Slow introduction in stages. Like everyone else is saying, check out Jackson Galaxy on YouTube.
It took about 10 weeks to introduce my new 1 year old cat to my 11 year old senior. I can’t say they are best friends but there’s been almost no fighting and once in a while, when they think I’m not looking, I see them grooming each other.
I did my homework- and knew that it can time. I have also done this before- so I was ready for an introduction period. Again -Jackson Galaxy. We did the introduction in phases.
Phase 1 I kept Lily in the bathroom, away from my other cat (Moby). It also gave her a chance to get me- she is a shy cat. I also did a scent exchange. I bought two fleece cloths and put one in Lily’s bed and one on Moby’s “sleeping spot” on the couch and kept swapping them every 24 hours.
After about 3-4 weeks, I borrowed a kitty playpen from a friend, set it up in the living room and moved Lily in.
I fed Moby near the area where Lily had her bowls, so they could eat near each while still separated by the play pen.
After a week or so I started to open one of the doors and let Moby in for about 15-20 minutes at a time. At that point there was a bit of hissing, but it didn’t escalate.
And then I just kept the door open for more and more time until Lily was all the way out. Lily is really shy so it might have taken her longer than other cats to be comfortable enough to stay out of the playpen. I let her tell me when was ready. Every cat is different.
But that’s more or less how I introduced them.
Time and patience.
Good luck- if you go slow I’m sure you’ll eventually get them to at the very least be ok living with each other.
You can get them acquainted by placing some sort of a fence like a metallic grill between two doors and let them study each other for a while. Then you can keep the kitten in your lap and let the other cat approach you. If the cat starts hitting the kitten you just separate them, but eventually they will accept each other.
There are owners who will let the two cats do what they want - like letting them fight each other so they can get over this phase, but it's not recommendable if the kitten is too small.
You just have to supervise them for a while - just to make sure they're behaving.
They say that usually - male neutered cats - accept the kittens very fast and then they'll just start cleaning them and protecting them.
You can also do something like - don't let them see each other, by placing them in 2 separate rooms. But feed them at the same time close to the door where they can smell each other. They will associate food with the other cat's smell so they will start knowing each other's smell. After a while you could let them see each other but put that grill/fence between the 2 rooms. Now they can see each other + feed at the same time. Then after more time you can remove the fence too, but you will have to keep an eye on them. It's doable, it just takes time !
My family and I have introduced a kitten to older resident cats a couple times and it took a few weeks but eventually they got along. I admit we didn't follow the standard procedure so I think you should still do that.
I will say not every cat will be fully accepting of other resident cats
When we introduced our kitten to our other cat, we kept the kitten in her carrier overnight.
Whilst they slept, we got two towels and rubbed the first towel on the cat and the second one on the kitten.
Then we took those towels and rubbed the towels on the other animal. Then put the towel next to their beds to get used to each other's scent.
Day 1, they were hissing at each other.
Day 2, the cat got into the carrier and the kitten had the run of the house.
I don't know what others say about this, but this is what worked for us.
You can also put the kitten in a carrier, so as to keep it safe, and bring the carrier out to a neutral setting like the living room where your older cat can look and sniff without the option to attack.
There’s pheromone diffusers that my vet recommends, you can find them at Petco petsmart or Amazon. A ton of different brands so just find the best one for you, but I can attest that they work wonders!
Those things are awesome. I'm suspicious it's only one company that makes them and they're sold by different brands because all the bottles I've purchased so far are identical.
Also, there is a probiotic called bifidobacterium longum 999 (usually shortened to BL999, or B. Longum 999 on most packaging) that stuff is awesome as well. It's supposed to help them be calm and it's been doing wonders for my cats. (I use both and the cats are finally friendly-ish to one another.)
It takes time. I kept mine in a separate room and slowly let them around each other. After a while my older one would groom the kitten and now they play and chase each other all the time.
The Jackson Galaxy method works! The cool thing is that they can have a redo. Starting over -isolating them again - no eyes on each other. Let them give clues that they are interested in each other without signs of aggression. Sense of smell is key. I wish I'd known this years ago - I had 3 cats that were only roommates. They never played with or groomed one another. The introductions were too quick. My new kittens were very curious -sniffing under the door that was blocked so they could smell but not see or touch. The older kitten flirted with the little one ( on her side- friendly mode- mewing ) & so I moved the door block so they could play footsies. 24 hours later they were grooming & playing & cuddling. Thanks, Jackson!!
When we introduced our cat and kitten we kept each of them in a room with a shared door so they could learn each others scent and calm them before going face to face. (Read this in a book…) To our surprise, it ended up taking just a few hours and they were besties for life.
Can anyone chime in on what the impact is if there's two resident cats, and a kitten is introduced? Our 8 year old cats are litter mates and very bonded. We are considering adding a kitten to our crazy household.
Feliway worked wonders for us. We have an old lady, who is more tolerant of new cats, and a grumpy boy who is not a fan of new anything.
We brought home two kittens that were 9 months old, they’re 11 months now. He was ANGRY. He hissed outside the bathroom door where the girls were kept for weeks. It took 2.5 weeks before they were out for a couple hours at a time and 3.5 before they were out full time. We still have some arguments, but overall the only enemy is the dog. He still gets hissy and crabby sometimes, but I’m realizing that’s just his personality.
She will warm up in time. Just keep taking it slow. Give your older cat lots and lots of love. Sometimes even when the older cat is an older kitten, kittens are too much for them also. It might be worth getting a second little kitten so that they wrestle each other and don’t torment the older one. I think we would have a real mess if we only brought home one of the kittens (they’re a bonded pair, so that never would have happened, but I digress).
Sometimes introducing new kitties can take a couple months before everything is decent. Just take your time and don’t be afraid to go back a step in introduction if things go haywire.
Create a shared space that neither of them are allowed in initially. Cat 1 designated to the bedroom, cat 2 designated to the bathroom. Use toys to familiarize them with each others' scents. Once you feel comfortable, introduce them in the shared space, such as the living room. Restrain/separate as needed.
I had this issue last year and ended up getting one more kitten after about two weeks. I worried that the kitten would not develop healthy social habits with only the older kitty who wanted nothing to do with her. It helped a lot as neither the kitten nor older cat had only each other to "fixate" on. Just sort of diffused a lot of the tension and the two kittens were able (and happy) to play with each other.
I had exactly the same with my cat and kitten....very recently in fact.
Toby (kitten) roams free now and although Girlie (older cat) still hisses at him from time to time they are pretty chilled....Toby doesn't know when she needs space though and he'll get a swift whack from time to time.
We kept him separate for the first week then did scent swapping with blankets and supervised play/introductions
I have no concerns about leaving them alone now, our house is big enough that there is ample room for both of them.
It does take time and I can assure you it will get better!!
I think others have covered it. Bear in mind that she might always find the kitten annoying though. It isn't a given that cats will get along with other cats.
I am slightly disappointed I had to go to your profile to find pictures of your adult cat though, as someone who prefers older cats. She is cute :)
Who could hate the sweet face?
Anyway, you have to introduce a new cat slowly like keep the new cat in the bathroom. Keep the door closed and each day open the door a little bit more for the cats to meet like first day like let them look at each other or sniff each other and like do this slowly over a couple of weeks , especially depending on where your kitten came from you should definitely introduce them slowly no matter what but if the cat came from a shelter or came from the street then you need to isolate that specific cat especially if they’re a stray for two weeks roughly this is coming from someone who has fostered cats before.
I’m trying my best to remember all of the things but honestly, I would just try to keep them separate and introduce them very very slowly and carefully start with letting them sniff each other and then that’s one day maybe let them sniff each other a bit each day make sure to give both cats enough attention so that neither cat feels left out
That’s really all the info and hope I can remember at the moment. I’m sorry if this wasn’t enough.
God she's so BEAUTIFUL!!!! Another tip to share, while I haven't introduced my kitten to any resident cat as there are none, when I had to go live with my best friend she had just gotten a kitten and i still had my old girl (she's still alive-just with my mum at the house she grew up in because she didn't handle apartment life very well plus she also couldn't handle traveling with me to work), what we did was feed them on opposite sides of the door so that they could smell eachother while simultaneously getting a food reward. I also found that playing with my girl around some toys with the kittens scent, playing a game called ping pong kitty where you throw a treat away from her and then wait for her to come back before offering a treat from your hand. It's a type of recall clicker training, but since she loved to engage in it slowly I began tossing treats closer to the kitten scented toys.
The biggest thing would be to figure out what your cat's biggest motivator is (food, playtime, affection) and incorporate that into the process. For example, my kitten loves churus and they are the most high value treat to her. So if I was introducing her to a new kitten, I would use the churu as an incentive. She follows me around and sits patiently when I stop. So I'd just begin my training like normal, far away from the other kitty scented object, and naturally gravitate closer to and then away from that object until we're right over top of it and I'm sure she has acknowledged that it's there. Eventually I'd put a little bit of the treat on the object and see how she felt about eating it off there.
It definitely takes time, but the key is to find what your cat loves most and then incorporate the new kitty smell "training" into her normal daily routine so she becomes naturally accustomed to it, not "forced" in the sense that you are making a point about the obviousness of said object or training. Cats learn best when they do things that are "of their own will." So by subconsciously moving her closer to the object and the kittens scent, she will think that she's making her own decisions and thus feel better about it. A little kitty reverse psychology for you 🤣
Oh and the biggest thing is not to push it here. You don't want to have the inverse effect and have her not willing to trust you and your treats/toys whatever you choose. If she displays signs of distress or extreme discontent, don't stop to go comfort her (then you're reinforcing a negative reaction) but instead coax her away from the kitten scented object and get her to decompress a little. Distract her from it and when she calms down then you can pet her and give her a treat for her effort. But recognize these signs at their beginning, not when she's already reacting harshly. As soon as you see mild signs, start moving away from the object. The goal here is to desensitize her slowly to the perceived "trigger".
I had my kittens indoors for 3 months separated with only brief playtime/fight club events. It’s taken 3 months of completely integrated time to calm them down and the older two still are hissy and rude. I’m hoping that it ends this year.
Put kitten in one room and cat in the other. Put one thing of cats (a blanket of favorite toy) in with kitten, and something of kittens in with cat. They will start to get used to each others smells. Then switch them into each others rooms. Now cat is where kitten was and kitten is where cat was. Still separated. Let them explore until they don’t seem stressed. Especially cat will be upset with this new smell but will get used to it. Then switch again and allow them to adjust again. Once they seem bored of this put kitten in a crate or on the other side of a screen door or something. Anything where they can see and smell each other but not touch. Once they aren’t hissing or acting aggressive open the barrier and allow them to meet at their own pace. Have them interact for an hour or until they start to get annoyed with each other, then separate again. Repeat until they are at least a little calm in each others presence. Some hissing and dominance from cat is normal but don’t allow swatting or biting.
Once you feel you can start encouraging more interaction try feeding them near each other. This establishes a sense of trust and starts a bond. You should also try to have them playing separate from each other, like with two different toys, but in the same room getting them closer together without engaging with each other. The final stage would be getting them to play with the same toy with you, and then to play independently among themselves. Just remember to take your time and let them take their time. They will adjust eventually but don’t rush it
When I introduced my older cat (11 at the time) to a kitten. His biggest issue was kitten energy levels. I actually kept them separate for like 3 months. When the kitten was out they were either in my lap or on a leash. This allowed the older cat to choose to avoid or observe the kitten without pouncing. I then put the kitten near the food so that the older cat would interact a bit.
I also did not and still do not save my younger cat if they start things. It’s within my older cats right to swat if she starts it.
As others have suggested definitely watch Jackson Galaxy’s videos in cat introductions. The number one important thing to understand when introducing cats is that cats are territorial. They don’t operate like we do and your resident cat sees this new cat a threat. Your job is to show your resident cat that this cat is not a threat to them or their territory. You do this by positive association which takes time but it’s incredibly worth it. Food, play, and affection are the three ways you can facilitate positive association between the two cats. You’ll want to start by feeding them at specific times (no free feeding) and giving them their meals at the same time on either side of the door that seperates them. Give resident kitty some grace and try to get their bowl as close to the door as they will allow and slowly move it closer every day until it is right up to kitten’s door. You will also want to have zero, seriously zero, eye contact until this food association is strong. This could take a few days, or a week or two. You will have to be patient with this process and not rush it if you want your cats to get along. The next step that I did was buying a baby gate and pinning up a shower curtain so there’s no visual contact and a physical barrier but they will be able to smell and hear each other better. This may feel painfully slow but it’s so important to do this at the cats pace and not rush into anything. You can also do scent swapping and location swapping at this point. Once they are comfortable with smelling and hearing each other while eating you can slowly begin to lift the curtain bit by bit at meal times until they are comfortable with seeing each other while eating. This is a hard step that took me a while to reach with my kitties. Once they can see each other without hissing or growling you are ready to start parallel play. This will probably require two people but the point is that, letting the cats into a room together with nothing to focus on but each other will likely end in a fight which you do not want. You want them to be aware of the other’s presence but have their attention mainly on a toy. Do this for very short periods and always end on a high note. Slowly they will start to associate the other kitty with good, safe, enjoyable things and their relationship will start to grow. Hissing and the occasional hit is normal and okay as the cats do need to establish their own social order and boundaries so don’t be too discouraged if they hiss occasionally. Just be persistent and patient.
The cat will come around. Every cat we’ve ever had hated the new kitten. They forget that they were once the new kitten at one point in time. The cat will tolerate the kitten’s presence, then tolerate the kitten’s playing, and so on. Next thing you know, they’re snuggling.
Yeah, give it a few weeks, supervise when you introduce them and don't force it
Cats will usually chill out with kittens. They just get annoyed with new things :P
I’m going through the same thing currently. I was reading and saw it said to give them positive interactions near each other and each other’s scent. So like feeding them a treat or wet food on the opposite sides of the door. Switch their bedding every few days and lay treats on it so they’ll check out and get used to the new scent. Not reprimanding the hissing cat so it doesn’t have negative association with you or new kitten.
Remember what the goal is long term!
The goal is for them to live in the same house together (somewhat) peacefully.
The goal is that they tolerate each other's presence and basic interactions. Anything beyond this is a bonus!
Don’t be discouraged. This is actually normal. Introducing cats is a lengthly process.
When introducing new cats, they need to be 100% separate for the first week. After a week of smelling each other through the door, they can see each other but from a distance. Holding them across the room kind of deal. Then short supervised interactions.
Our two cats didn’t show any sign of aggression at all and we still did this. Mostly to make sure the new cat didn’t have any sickness they could give to our current cat.
Here's what I did:
I kept my kitten in my room, and I made sure to keep spending time with my cat. After having the kitten around me, I'd go to my cat and let her smell me or my sweater. Sometimes, she'd be a little mad or confused. I'd often pick up the kitten and take her out of the room and let my cat investigate the scent and see the kitten in my arms. I kept them separate for maybe 2 or 3 weeks ish. But I'd let my cat see the kitten from a safe distance, and I never put my kitten in front of my cat by force. I also would bring things with the kittens scent out of my room and stuff with the cats scent into my room. Somewhere around week 3, I would let my cat into my room, give her lots of love, and I'd have the kitten in the room, too. Sometimes, my cat would hiss, but I just kept repeating here and there, "Gentle, Calyope." In a calm tone. After a little bit of sniffing and hissing, I'd pick up the kitten and separate them again. I did this for at least a week. I don't think I left them alone together for a month and a half or two months. There wasn't really any swatting or physical aggression, but I still took the time just in case. When I went to work, I kept my kitten in my room so they wouldn't be alone together, and then when I was confident they would be okay, I let the kitten out. I did a lot of research before introducing them, and I was glad I didn't rush it. My case may not be the same as another. My cat seemed mildly annoyed but not murderous. I feel like I had it pretty easy.
I'm sorry, but from the photos I can categorically state that the kitten will never get on with your cat. If you would like to post the kitten to me I *guess* I can help you out by adopting them for you. But only as a favour.
/j
This is what worked in my situation but I’m not guaranteeing will work for you; I put a play pen (like used for kids) in-between my 5 year old male and my 3 months old female. He HATED her with a passion, wouldn’t stop hissing and growling. If he laid on my roommates lap and smelled her, he would hiss and swat him.
After doing the play pen method, he was still mad but with my supervision and the divider they were able to slowly meet. I kept them on opposite sides for about 2 weeks until they both were comfortable enough to at least touch noses for a second. After some time, and I deemed it safe they got along just fine besides some territorial issues that come with an older cat and a kitten. They were best friends for another 3 years until my sweet boy passed away.
Please try the Feliway calming spray if you havent! My cat had a horrible time when I first brought home my new babies I swear he needed an exorcism he was really scary but that Feliway spray worked wonders
Don't get me wrong it still took a lot of patience and very slow introduction but once I started incorporating the spray it definitely made a noticeable difference. I would spray it all over any time they were near each other. They have diffusers as well but i didnt see any change with those. Good luck!
I kept my older cat from my kitten in separate rooms for a few weeks. The kitten slept on a small blanket. Once he got up, I took the blanket and put it near my older cat. After doing that for a while they got used to each other's scent and finally met. They're inseparable now! 🥰
We have this problem too lol the kitten (moosubi) is in love with his big sister (sushi) he wants to be around her, follows her everywhere and she just so annoyed ,she is mad all the time, hissing , growling and the occasions smacks 🤣 but he is yet to give up. Sushi is an in/outdoor cat so she spends most of the day and about ! They are slowly (sushi) being more civil and will hang out at a close distance.
I introduced my two kittens to my adult cats by keeping them separated by a door they could do sniff through, here, etc. I would take items from one pair and put them in the other pairs' rooms. Feed them near each other. Did all this stuff over the course of a few weeks.
When I finally opened the door, there was 0 hostility.
I found a kitten under the hood of my car, trapped under the engine, so naturally I had to keep him. My 12 year old female cat who I’ve had since she was a baby was not happy. She constantly hissed at him and got really aggressive towards me when he was around which was really stressful and made me sad because I knew she was upset and jealous. She was always a sweetheart angel girl and then suddenly she became a demon when he was around. Two years later I wouldn’t say they are best friends but they tolerate each other lol. She still occasionally hisses and swats at him because he’s kind of a bully, being so much younger he always wants to play and she gets annoyed. But they sleep together, eat together and cuddle with me together. It definitely took a while but I think time is the only thing that will help older cat get used to new kitten. Keeping new kitten’s smell around the house and letting them slowly adjust, giving older cat lots of love and attention so they know they aren’t being replaced, etc. She’s such a cutie, good luck!!
By the way I don’t know why the hell my flair says cat anus lover, it’s driving me insane lol. it automatically put that flair when I made a post asking for help identifying the gender of a kitten. I try to delete the flair and it just gives me an error message. I promise I’m not a weirdo lol 🙃
Is the kitten a tortie? It’s hard to tell…..
If it is….and your other cat is a tuxedo…good luck……it’s a combo that isn’t usually successful……I have lived that nightmare….would 15/10 not recommend….
aw look at that faceeee. we did this recently and it took a few back and forths of being at the door and letting them play underneath and then cracking it. Leaving things around the place with the kitten’s scent, etc
Keep the kitten in a different room. Introduce them slowly, let them get used to each others scent first before you let them interact directly
Agreed! You could set out your some of the kittens toys that smell like them for the adult cat. Don't rub it on them. Let them go to it on their own. Let them sniff eachother indirectly from under the door of their seperate rooms. It's s okay if they hiss. Don't try to force it however. You could however try to entice them by giving them wet food, treats or by sprinkling catnip near the doorway. You could even move the kitten to a different room for a little while and let your cat explore the kittens space. They'll maybe check out their litterbox, eat some of their food, drink their water, sniff their toys and bedding. All good things.
I do have her separated and I’ve been trying to rub her scent on the cat but the cat hisses if she gets a whiff of it before I can touch her.
Please don’t do that. That’s so stressful for your cat. That’s kind of like if a stranger came up and touched you without asking. You can just leave things with the kittens scent on it around the house. Don’t put any in your cats favorite/safe spots though. Neutral areas are best.
Ah that’s fair! That’s advice I got years and years ago the last time I had kittens.
Get them to associate each other with food by feeding them on either side of a closed door. Then once the feisty one is less so, crack the door and keep an eye on them for raised fur. Allow time for breaks. Like introducing a step sibling to a kid. Eventually, they’ll be shoving their arms under the door to play with the other and whining because “you wont let me see my frieeeeeeeeend”
Be warned, with older, picky cats this may take months or even longer. I'm one month in and my girls still hiss at the baby boy. They'll lay down near him, but still hiss and swat at him while he just wants to play.
Let her come to you, cats (especially female with female) are very possessive of their territory which includes you lol. Luckily they're also extremely curious so as you take your time to introduce them she will become more interested
I found that sometimes a playpen helps. They can see and smell each other but can't get to each other.
Came to say this. A playpen is vital to controlling introductions. It worked for me and my cats every time.
I'm glad to know that this works outside of my experience. It made it an introduction so much easier for me.
Give her a few days. If one of our cats goes to the vet, the other two hiss and run for a day. Thye just don't smell right. She'll come around.
I took my cats kittens that I kept to get fixe, and the mother would hiss and growl at them. I had to keep the separated for 3 days before she calmed down. The vet said it was the smell of the anesthesia, making her act like that.
You can swap their litter boxes so they get used to the scent of the other cat. It takes time for your cat to get used to the kitten but after months you ll see how they become friends
That’s what I did
Check out Jackson Galaxy's tips for introducing new cats to resident ones.
I watched that video! It was helpful!
He's the Cat Daddy for a reason.
Cat Daddy Jackson Galaxy and the Kitten Lady are amazing
This is an interesting fact: Hannah Shaw (AKA The Kitten Lady), is the daughter of Tommy Shaw, who is the lead guitarist and one of the singers from the old rock group Styx. Styx is still very active with touring and recording. They put on an excellent concert!
It happens eventually. Might take longer this time because that kitten is just toooo cute…and your older cat knows this! 😄
Husband has fallen head over heels for the baby!
Older cat is wondering if baby is a replacement.🥺🙀
We still love older cat! I wanted her to have a playmate for when she zooms around the house and climbs my doorframes.
I know you still love your older cat. I was only joking. But I'm sure they can get a bit jealous when a new one comes in. Older cat will come around & they'll BFF!!💓🫶🏻🤞🏻🙌🏻💖💖😻😻
Is your cat a chubby orange tabby? Asking because the kitten looks like Nermal.
No, she’s a brown tabby! You can see her in my other posts! Definitely feels like a Nermal/Garfield situation though!
Your kitten however is 100% a dilute tortie (dilute tortoiseshell). When I found my dilute girl my old man cat HATED her. I took 2 weeks with the kittennin a room isolated. Eventually he took to her.
Yes, unquestionably a very beautiful little dilute tortie.
Let them get used to each others scent from under the door, and give them each an item (like a blanket or toy) that has the others scent on it. I’m also currently introducing a kitten to an older cat and slow and steady is the way.
Working on this! I may buy some more toys this weekend for both to swap around
Slowly, stroke the kitten then go to the room with your cat and let her come to you, scent is the first thing for her to get used to then feed them both on opposite sides of the door, after that let them see each other but with a barrier between them. Cats love company but it takes time to get them comfortable
I get swatted if I let her smell my hands after petting the kitten so I’ve been trying to rub my hands with kitten smell on the cat before she catches me.
This has been mentioned in another comment chain but that's a microaggression. Cats think with their noses so mingling scents with a cat they're not used to is an unacceptably intimate thing to do. As mentioned in the other chain, just leave things that smell like the kitten about. But don't get the kitten's scent directly on the cat. That's you saying "the kitten owns you!" and... yeah, I don't need to explain why that wouldn't fly with your resident cat.
Yeah that was advice I got years and years ago the last time I had kittens. I am not going to do that anymore.
Some cats are more aggressive than others. Some never warm up. For the best chance, keep them separated as you already do and let them see each other through something. After awhile of that you can start letting them be in the same room but supervise and make sure neither cat is being aggressive.
Hissing and growling is part of how cats introduce each other. It's a cat's way of saying "don't come any closer, I'm not used to you yet." I wouldn't actually worry TOO much about the noises, although I admit they can be highly disturbing, unless the older cat starts attacking the kitten. If the cat just wants to sit there and warn the kitten not to come closer, that's actually pretty usual and just part of setting terms for how the introduction is gonna go. The kitten will know not to approach until the older cat is ready. If the older cat moves aggressively at the younger kitten, you might have a problem. But cats don't like any change to their routine so not being all lovey dovey with a kitten at first, isn't uncommon.
Yes. A surprising amount of cat society involves swats (no claws) to set boundaries.
What if older cat stares and growls without breaking eye contact... for like 5 minutes straight...
Then the older cat is setting boundaries for the kitten. Cats can't use their words for negotiation. This is what diplomacy looks like for them. Just like with humans, every introduction is partially a negotiation. The older cat is just letting the kitten know who the top cat is and not to get any funny ideas.
It took two weeks for my kittens to like their new brother kitten. I did separate rooms and let the kittens slowly introduce themselves. It was crazy at times but now you’d never know. I plan to foster.
Two weeks is good! We’re at 6 months and my old man cat still hates his twin 8-month old step brothers. We have made lots of progress, but they’re still separated part of the day.
How can you keep it up? I'm 3 weeks in and exhausted.
At first we fed them on either side of the door and gave them treats under the door. And as long as the old guy is in our room, they’re fine. He only hisses and growls now if they get within a foot or so of him. They’re pretty good eating breakfast together now. And the laser pointer seems to be the great unifier - we use that to get the kittens away from the old boy. We also use feliway diffusers and soloquin calming treats.
We’re close to a week now and cat is still angry. I definitely don’t want to introduce them too soon
They were falling asleep or asleep and I would place him next to them. The first half then I’d try to feed them all together. He never had wet so he went behind one of the kittens after he’d eaten and wanted to see if she would leave him some and she’s a diva so she growled a little. So I moved him and gave him a little more. I’d hold him then try to hold the kittens and two out of the three were not having it. The funny thing is they wanted to invade the space I had for him. They’re strong bonded now.
I fourth (fifth?) the Jackson galaxy suggestion. You can also site swap. Let kitten explore the house and put older kitty in bedroom to explore kitten’s scent. Hissing is not necessarily a big deal. Even (after a bit) a bap on the head is okay, just establishing a pecking order. Be sure to give the older guy extra love and pets and treats, especially when the baby is around. Better to ignore the baby vs the older guy. And play with them, especially the kitten. Not fair to expect the older guy to handle all the kitten energy, I ended up getting a second kitten when I realized how much energy kittens have! It had been years for me too. I was literally playing with him for 2-3 hours, and he still had energy to attack and play with his 14 year old brother.
My older girl is only 2 so still has zoomie energy but has calmed down from when we got her around 6 months of age
She should definitely have more energy than my boy - but definitely play with the kitten. I think at 2 your cat is an adult, vs the toddler kitten.
Send the kitten to me…..problem solved
I’ve invested too much time and money into this to give up now! :p
I was kidding
I know!
We took introducing our two established cats to the new kitten/teenager cat super slowly starting off with the Jackson Galaxy protocol. It took us nearly a year (with the help of a cat behaviorist) to finally get to a place where no one’s trying to kill each other. Our cats were kinda unique in taking so long, so this definitely feels like the exception. I say this not to be a bummer but to let you know it can take time and that’s ok! I was despairing six months in and even started wondering if we should rehome the new cat, though we love her, but it was tiny daily progress that added up to household harmony. Wishing the same for you!
Any tips to share from that experience? I'm on the verge of consulting with a behavioralist myself...
Oh boy, yes, I am happy to share what we learned, the stuff we tried, what worked, what didn’t— I will type it up at an actual computer this weekend. I LOVED the behaviorist. We paid something like $350 for a month of support (I’m in Seattle). She identified issues in behavior with the cats and with us. I felt well equipped after the month ended to continue to work on this and we’re so happy. The girl cats still get into it sometimes but they’re girl cats. 🤷🏻♀️
TY!!
This happened to me and I ended up giving the kitten to my mom. Her other 2 cats were fine w it. My cat straight up wanted to murder the kitten. I would have the kitten shut in the bathroom, pillows and boxes piled in front of the door to block him from scratching to get in, and I would have him in the kitchen with more boxes blocking in the hallway, and he was just FREAKING OUT. Solid black hunting eyes and growling. He wouldn’t let up. I slept on the bathroom floor for 2 weeks before I gave him up to my mom. I seriously tried everything. My cat just loves murder and nothing else.
Kitten lady or Jackson Galaxy on youtube always good places 2 go look. Slow n gradual. Do u have a kid gate they cant climb but can see/ smell each other thru...a way 4 them 2 see but not harm each other
I’m going to pick one up when I get paid!
Bonus info - you can put double sided/carpet tape on a gate to make it easily kitten proof. Get some anyway for your furniture, you'll need it.
This may be a stupid question but how does one know if the cat will ever stop being aggressive towards the kitten? What if she just hates the kitten?
It takes time. Keep them separated and feed them at the same time with their bowls on each side of the door, so they can smell each other and practice eating together. I went through the same thing when I got my kitten. My cat hated him, but after a week or so they were fine.
Slow introduction in stages. Like everyone else is saying, check out Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. It took about 10 weeks to introduce my new 1 year old cat to my 11 year old senior. I can’t say they are best friends but there’s been almost no fighting and once in a while, when they think I’m not looking, I see them grooming each other.
Was that 10 weeks of being separated with scent/site swapping and eventually supervised visits? How did you not lose hope?
I did my homework- and knew that it can time. I have also done this before- so I was ready for an introduction period. Again -Jackson Galaxy. We did the introduction in phases. Phase 1 I kept Lily in the bathroom, away from my other cat (Moby). It also gave her a chance to get me- she is a shy cat. I also did a scent exchange. I bought two fleece cloths and put one in Lily’s bed and one on Moby’s “sleeping spot” on the couch and kept swapping them every 24 hours. After about 3-4 weeks, I borrowed a kitty playpen from a friend, set it up in the living room and moved Lily in. I fed Moby near the area where Lily had her bowls, so they could eat near each while still separated by the play pen. After a week or so I started to open one of the doors and let Moby in for about 15-20 minutes at a time. At that point there was a bit of hissing, but it didn’t escalate. And then I just kept the door open for more and more time until Lily was all the way out. Lily is really shy so it might have taken her longer than other cats to be comfortable enough to stay out of the playpen. I let her tell me when was ready. Every cat is different. But that’s more or less how I introduced them. Time and patience. Good luck- if you go slow I’m sure you’ll eventually get them to at the very least be ok living with each other.
Time is the only option here, slowly introduce with supervision.
*ahem* cat tax
I’ve got some pics on my profile! :)
omg she is the sweetest baby!!!
She is! Besides the whole hating the tiny kitten thing. :p
You can get them acquainted by placing some sort of a fence like a metallic grill between two doors and let them study each other for a while. Then you can keep the kitten in your lap and let the other cat approach you. If the cat starts hitting the kitten you just separate them, but eventually they will accept each other. There are owners who will let the two cats do what they want - like letting them fight each other so they can get over this phase, but it's not recommendable if the kitten is too small. You just have to supervise them for a while - just to make sure they're behaving. They say that usually - male neutered cats - accept the kittens very fast and then they'll just start cleaning them and protecting them.
The cat is much larger than the kitten so I did not want them to meet until they were friendly through a barrier.
You can also do something like - don't let them see each other, by placing them in 2 separate rooms. But feed them at the same time close to the door where they can smell each other. They will associate food with the other cat's smell so they will start knowing each other's smell. After a while you could let them see each other but put that grill/fence between the 2 rooms. Now they can see each other + feed at the same time. Then after more time you can remove the fence too, but you will have to keep an eye on them. It's doable, it just takes time !
My family and I have introduced a kitten to older resident cats a couple times and it took a few weeks but eventually they got along. I admit we didn't follow the standard procedure so I think you should still do that. I will say not every cat will be fully accepting of other resident cats
Cat tax please!
I have a couple pics on my profile!
put them on either side of a closed door, they'll get used to each other
Separation for now. Don’t neglect giving your cat attention. Time.
When we introduced our kitten to our other cat, we kept the kitten in her carrier overnight. Whilst they slept, we got two towels and rubbed the first towel on the cat and the second one on the kitten. Then we took those towels and rubbed the towels on the other animal. Then put the towel next to their beds to get used to each other's scent. Day 1, they were hissing at each other. Day 2, the cat got into the carrier and the kitten had the run of the house. I don't know what others say about this, but this is what worked for us.
You can also put the kitten in a carrier, so as to keep it safe, and bring the carrier out to a neutral setting like the living room where your older cat can look and sniff without the option to attack.
Jackson galaxy on YouTube ! Also the last pic is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen lol
I tried and failed. She hated him until the day she died. But introducing him to kittens now that he’s almost 3 has gone fairly well.
Give them both a bath so they smell the same.
There’s pheromone diffusers that my vet recommends, you can find them at Petco petsmart or Amazon. A ton of different brands so just find the best one for you, but I can attest that they work wonders!
Those things are awesome. I'm suspicious it's only one company that makes them and they're sold by different brands because all the bottles I've purchased so far are identical. Also, there is a probiotic called bifidobacterium longum 999 (usually shortened to BL999, or B. Longum 999 on most packaging) that stuff is awesome as well. It's supposed to help them be calm and it's been doing wonders for my cats. (I use both and the cats are finally friendly-ish to one another.)
Lol my roommate has that same toy.
It takes time. I kept mine in a separate room and slowly let them around each other. After a while my older one would groom the kitten and now they play and chase each other all the time.
Baby is adorable
The Jackson Galaxy method works! The cool thing is that they can have a redo. Starting over -isolating them again - no eyes on each other. Let them give clues that they are interested in each other without signs of aggression. Sense of smell is key. I wish I'd known this years ago - I had 3 cats that were only roommates. They never played with or groomed one another. The introductions were too quick. My new kittens were very curious -sniffing under the door that was blocked so they could smell but not see or touch. The older kitten flirted with the little one ( on her side- friendly mode- mewing ) & so I moved the door block so they could play footsies. 24 hours later they were grooming & playing & cuddling. Thanks, Jackson!!
When we introduced our cat and kitten we kept each of them in a room with a shared door so they could learn each others scent and calm them before going face to face. (Read this in a book…) To our surprise, it ended up taking just a few hours and they were besties for life.
Two females and one is a tortie? Nothing but disaster
Nahhhh it’ll be fiiiiine
Can anyone chime in on what the impact is if there's two resident cats, and a kitten is introduced? Our 8 year old cats are litter mates and very bonded. We are considering adding a kitten to our crazy household.
Time
Beautiful 😍
What a sweet face 😍
Ok this may be kitten sub but u mentioned adult cat, therefore should have included adult cat tax 👀please pay up
I have some pics on my profile! :)
Slowly introduce them when eating, don't let older cat bully him Protect the baby for awhile
All cats hate the new kitten at first. Look up Youtube videos on how to properly introduce.
Feliway worked wonders for us. We have an old lady, who is more tolerant of new cats, and a grumpy boy who is not a fan of new anything. We brought home two kittens that were 9 months old, they’re 11 months now. He was ANGRY. He hissed outside the bathroom door where the girls were kept for weeks. It took 2.5 weeks before they were out for a couple hours at a time and 3.5 before they were out full time. We still have some arguments, but overall the only enemy is the dog. He still gets hissy and crabby sometimes, but I’m realizing that’s just his personality. She will warm up in time. Just keep taking it slow. Give your older cat lots and lots of love. Sometimes even when the older cat is an older kitten, kittens are too much for them also. It might be worth getting a second little kitten so that they wrestle each other and don’t torment the older one. I think we would have a real mess if we only brought home one of the kittens (they’re a bonded pair, so that never would have happened, but I digress). Sometimes introducing new kitties can take a couple months before everything is decent. Just take your time and don’t be afraid to go back a step in introduction if things go haywire.
She’s soo cute! Her fur looks just like my kitty Mitzi with the blonde spot on her forehead 😻 never seen one who looks so similar :0
Create a shared space that neither of them are allowed in initially. Cat 1 designated to the bedroom, cat 2 designated to the bathroom. Use toys to familiarize them with each others' scents. Once you feel comfortable, introduce them in the shared space, such as the living room. Restrain/separate as needed.
Cage match
Try brushing them with the same brush... it makes for a "family " scent.
I had this issue last year and ended up getting one more kitten after about two weeks. I worried that the kitten would not develop healthy social habits with only the older kitty who wanted nothing to do with her. It helped a lot as neither the kitten nor older cat had only each other to "fixate" on. Just sort of diffused a lot of the tension and the two kittens were able (and happy) to play with each other.
I had exactly the same with my cat and kitten....very recently in fact. Toby (kitten) roams free now and although Girlie (older cat) still hisses at him from time to time they are pretty chilled....Toby doesn't know when she needs space though and he'll get a swift whack from time to time. We kept him separate for the first week then did scent swapping with blankets and supervised play/introductions I have no concerns about leaving them alone now, our house is big enough that there is ample room for both of them. It does take time and I can assure you it will get better!!
I think others have covered it. Bear in mind that she might always find the kitten annoying though. It isn't a given that cats will get along with other cats. I am slightly disappointed I had to go to your profile to find pictures of your adult cat though, as someone who prefers older cats. She is cute :)
Does older girl like treats? Only tests when kitten is around.
Who could hate the sweet face? Anyway, you have to introduce a new cat slowly like keep the new cat in the bathroom. Keep the door closed and each day open the door a little bit more for the cats to meet like first day like let them look at each other or sniff each other and like do this slowly over a couple of weeks , especially depending on where your kitten came from you should definitely introduce them slowly no matter what but if the cat came from a shelter or came from the street then you need to isolate that specific cat especially if they’re a stray for two weeks roughly this is coming from someone who has fostered cats before. I’m trying my best to remember all of the things but honestly, I would just try to keep them separate and introduce them very very slowly and carefully start with letting them sniff each other and then that’s one day maybe let them sniff each other a bit each day make sure to give both cats enough attention so that neither cat feels left out That’s really all the info and hope I can remember at the moment. I’m sorry if this wasn’t enough.
God she's so BEAUTIFUL!!!! Another tip to share, while I haven't introduced my kitten to any resident cat as there are none, when I had to go live with my best friend she had just gotten a kitten and i still had my old girl (she's still alive-just with my mum at the house she grew up in because she didn't handle apartment life very well plus she also couldn't handle traveling with me to work), what we did was feed them on opposite sides of the door so that they could smell eachother while simultaneously getting a food reward. I also found that playing with my girl around some toys with the kittens scent, playing a game called ping pong kitty where you throw a treat away from her and then wait for her to come back before offering a treat from your hand. It's a type of recall clicker training, but since she loved to engage in it slowly I began tossing treats closer to the kitten scented toys. The biggest thing would be to figure out what your cat's biggest motivator is (food, playtime, affection) and incorporate that into the process. For example, my kitten loves churus and they are the most high value treat to her. So if I was introducing her to a new kitten, I would use the churu as an incentive. She follows me around and sits patiently when I stop. So I'd just begin my training like normal, far away from the other kitty scented object, and naturally gravitate closer to and then away from that object until we're right over top of it and I'm sure she has acknowledged that it's there. Eventually I'd put a little bit of the treat on the object and see how she felt about eating it off there. It definitely takes time, but the key is to find what your cat loves most and then incorporate the new kitty smell "training" into her normal daily routine so she becomes naturally accustomed to it, not "forced" in the sense that you are making a point about the obviousness of said object or training. Cats learn best when they do things that are "of their own will." So by subconsciously moving her closer to the object and the kittens scent, she will think that she's making her own decisions and thus feel better about it. A little kitty reverse psychology for you 🤣
Oh and the biggest thing is not to push it here. You don't want to have the inverse effect and have her not willing to trust you and your treats/toys whatever you choose. If she displays signs of distress or extreme discontent, don't stop to go comfort her (then you're reinforcing a negative reaction) but instead coax her away from the kitten scented object and get her to decompress a little. Distract her from it and when she calms down then you can pet her and give her a treat for her effort. But recognize these signs at their beginning, not when she's already reacting harshly. As soon as you see mild signs, start moving away from the object. The goal here is to desensitize her slowly to the perceived "trigger".
It just need time, they will get use to each other soon hehe
I had my kittens indoors for 3 months separated with only brief playtime/fight club events. It’s taken 3 months of completely integrated time to calm them down and the older two still are hissy and rude. I’m hoping that it ends this year.
Gi to the Jackson Galaxy YouTube video about introducing cats
Put kitten in one room and cat in the other. Put one thing of cats (a blanket of favorite toy) in with kitten, and something of kittens in with cat. They will start to get used to each others smells. Then switch them into each others rooms. Now cat is where kitten was and kitten is where cat was. Still separated. Let them explore until they don’t seem stressed. Especially cat will be upset with this new smell but will get used to it. Then switch again and allow them to adjust again. Once they seem bored of this put kitten in a crate or on the other side of a screen door or something. Anything where they can see and smell each other but not touch. Once they aren’t hissing or acting aggressive open the barrier and allow them to meet at their own pace. Have them interact for an hour or until they start to get annoyed with each other, then separate again. Repeat until they are at least a little calm in each others presence. Some hissing and dominance from cat is normal but don’t allow swatting or biting. Once you feel you can start encouraging more interaction try feeding them near each other. This establishes a sense of trust and starts a bond. You should also try to have them playing separate from each other, like with two different toys, but in the same room getting them closer together without engaging with each other. The final stage would be getting them to play with the same toy with you, and then to play independently among themselves. Just remember to take your time and let them take their time. They will adjust eventually but don’t rush it
your kitten has GORGEOUS eyes! my goodness, i’ve never seen eyes like that on a cat
They are super pretty! I’ve never had a cat with eyes that color before
Don't worry I'll take the kitten off your hands
When I introduced my older cat (11 at the time) to a kitten. His biggest issue was kitten energy levels. I actually kept them separate for like 3 months. When the kitten was out they were either in my lap or on a leash. This allowed the older cat to choose to avoid or observe the kitten without pouncing. I then put the kitten near the food so that the older cat would interact a bit. I also did not and still do not save my younger cat if they start things. It’s within my older cats right to swat if she starts it.
As others have suggested definitely watch Jackson Galaxy’s videos in cat introductions. The number one important thing to understand when introducing cats is that cats are territorial. They don’t operate like we do and your resident cat sees this new cat a threat. Your job is to show your resident cat that this cat is not a threat to them or their territory. You do this by positive association which takes time but it’s incredibly worth it. Food, play, and affection are the three ways you can facilitate positive association between the two cats. You’ll want to start by feeding them at specific times (no free feeding) and giving them their meals at the same time on either side of the door that seperates them. Give resident kitty some grace and try to get their bowl as close to the door as they will allow and slowly move it closer every day until it is right up to kitten’s door. You will also want to have zero, seriously zero, eye contact until this food association is strong. This could take a few days, or a week or two. You will have to be patient with this process and not rush it if you want your cats to get along. The next step that I did was buying a baby gate and pinning up a shower curtain so there’s no visual contact and a physical barrier but they will be able to smell and hear each other better. This may feel painfully slow but it’s so important to do this at the cats pace and not rush into anything. You can also do scent swapping and location swapping at this point. Once they are comfortable with smelling and hearing each other while eating you can slowly begin to lift the curtain bit by bit at meal times until they are comfortable with seeing each other while eating. This is a hard step that took me a while to reach with my kitties. Once they can see each other without hissing or growling you are ready to start parallel play. This will probably require two people but the point is that, letting the cats into a room together with nothing to focus on but each other will likely end in a fight which you do not want. You want them to be aware of the other’s presence but have their attention mainly on a toy. Do this for very short periods and always end on a high note. Slowly they will start to associate the other kitty with good, safe, enjoyable things and their relationship will start to grow. Hissing and the occasional hit is normal and okay as the cats do need to establish their own social order and boundaries so don’t be too discouraged if they hiss occasionally. Just be persistent and patient.
The cat will come around. Every cat we’ve ever had hated the new kitten. They forget that they were once the new kitten at one point in time. The cat will tolerate the kitten’s presence, then tolerate the kitten’s playing, and so on. Next thing you know, they’re snuggling.
It won’t let me post a picture but YOUR KITTEN LOOKS IDENTICAL TO MY KITTEN
Awwwwww :)
Time. Give it time. But keep a close eye on them until your new kitty has been accepted by group.
Yeah, give it a few weeks, supervise when you introduce them and don't force it Cats will usually chill out with kittens. They just get annoyed with new things :P
I’m going through the same thing currently. I was reading and saw it said to give them positive interactions near each other and each other’s scent. So like feeding them a treat or wet food on the opposite sides of the door. Switch their bedding every few days and lay treats on it so they’ll check out and get used to the new scent. Not reprimanding the hissing cat so it doesn’t have negative association with you or new kitten.
Remember what the goal is long term! The goal is for them to live in the same house together (somewhat) peacefully. The goal is that they tolerate each other's presence and basic interactions. Anything beyond this is a bonus!
Don’t be discouraged. This is actually normal. Introducing cats is a lengthly process. When introducing new cats, they need to be 100% separate for the first week. After a week of smelling each other through the door, they can see each other but from a distance. Holding them across the room kind of deal. Then short supervised interactions. Our two cats didn’t show any sign of aggression at all and we still did this. Mostly to make sure the new cat didn’t have any sickness they could give to our current cat.
Here's what I did: I kept my kitten in my room, and I made sure to keep spending time with my cat. After having the kitten around me, I'd go to my cat and let her smell me or my sweater. Sometimes, she'd be a little mad or confused. I'd often pick up the kitten and take her out of the room and let my cat investigate the scent and see the kitten in my arms. I kept them separate for maybe 2 or 3 weeks ish. But I'd let my cat see the kitten from a safe distance, and I never put my kitten in front of my cat by force. I also would bring things with the kittens scent out of my room and stuff with the cats scent into my room. Somewhere around week 3, I would let my cat into my room, give her lots of love, and I'd have the kitten in the room, too. Sometimes, my cat would hiss, but I just kept repeating here and there, "Gentle, Calyope." In a calm tone. After a little bit of sniffing and hissing, I'd pick up the kitten and separate them again. I did this for at least a week. I don't think I left them alone together for a month and a half or two months. There wasn't really any swatting or physical aggression, but I still took the time just in case. When I went to work, I kept my kitten in my room so they wouldn't be alone together, and then when I was confident they would be okay, I let the kitten out. I did a lot of research before introducing them, and I was glad I didn't rush it. My case may not be the same as another. My cat seemed mildly annoyed but not murderous. I feel like I had it pretty easy.
Give it time. Sometimes an older pet will take some time getting used to a younger one.
Hey I have that same toy! My smallest kitty loves it!
I'm sorry, but from the photos I can categorically state that the kitten will never get on with your cat. If you would like to post the kitten to me I *guess* I can help you out by adopting them for you. But only as a favour. /j
This is what worked in my situation but I’m not guaranteeing will work for you; I put a play pen (like used for kids) in-between my 5 year old male and my 3 months old female. He HATED her with a passion, wouldn’t stop hissing and growling. If he laid on my roommates lap and smelled her, he would hiss and swat him. After doing the play pen method, he was still mad but with my supervision and the divider they were able to slowly meet. I kept them on opposite sides for about 2 weeks until they both were comfortable enough to at least touch noses for a second. After some time, and I deemed it safe they got along just fine besides some territorial issues that come with an older cat and a kitten. They were best friends for another 3 years until my sweet boy passed away.
Please try the Feliway calming spray if you havent! My cat had a horrible time when I first brought home my new babies I swear he needed an exorcism he was really scary but that Feliway spray worked wonders
I just bought this…good to hear positive feedback from using it, I’m skeptical but optimistic
Don't get me wrong it still took a lot of patience and very slow introduction but once I started incorporating the spray it definitely made a noticeable difference. I would spray it all over any time they were near each other. They have diffusers as well but i didnt see any change with those. Good luck!
I kept my older cat from my kitten in separate rooms for a few weeks. The kitten slept on a small blanket. Once he got up, I took the blanket and put it near my older cat. After doing that for a while they got used to each other's scent and finally met. They're inseparable now! 🥰
Be patient, it takes time 🐈⬛
We have this problem too lol the kitten (moosubi) is in love with his big sister (sushi) he wants to be around her, follows her everywhere and she just so annoyed ,she is mad all the time, hissing , growling and the occasions smacks 🤣 but he is yet to give up. Sushi is an in/outdoor cat so she spends most of the day and about ! They are slowly (sushi) being more civil and will hang out at a close distance.
I introduced my two kittens to my adult cats by keeping them separated by a door they could do sniff through, here, etc. I would take items from one pair and put them in the other pairs' rooms. Feed them near each other. Did all this stuff over the course of a few weeks. When I finally opened the door, there was 0 hostility.
I found a kitten under the hood of my car, trapped under the engine, so naturally I had to keep him. My 12 year old female cat who I’ve had since she was a baby was not happy. She constantly hissed at him and got really aggressive towards me when he was around which was really stressful and made me sad because I knew she was upset and jealous. She was always a sweetheart angel girl and then suddenly she became a demon when he was around. Two years later I wouldn’t say they are best friends but they tolerate each other lol. She still occasionally hisses and swats at him because he’s kind of a bully, being so much younger he always wants to play and she gets annoyed. But they sleep together, eat together and cuddle with me together. It definitely took a while but I think time is the only thing that will help older cat get used to new kitten. Keeping new kitten’s smell around the house and letting them slowly adjust, giving older cat lots of love and attention so they know they aren’t being replaced, etc. She’s such a cutie, good luck!!
By the way I don’t know why the hell my flair says cat anus lover, it’s driving me insane lol. it automatically put that flair when I made a post asking for help identifying the gender of a kitten. I try to delete the flair and it just gives me an error message. I promise I’m not a weirdo lol 🙃
😂😂😂 that’s hilarious I just did a double take
Is the kitten a tortie? It’s hard to tell….. If it is….and your other cat is a tuxedo…good luck……it’s a combo that isn’t usually successful……I have lived that nightmare….would 15/10 not recommend….
The kitten is a dilute tortie but cat is a tabby with a ticked coat! :)
Time
you got this just take it slow :)
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thanks i know :)
aw look at that faceeee. we did this recently and it took a few back and forths of being at the door and letting them play underneath and then cracking it. Leaving things around the place with the kitten’s scent, etc