I have a ten year old Calico and i am going to get a kitten soon, my calico is de-clawed but doesn't much like anybody but me she is very mean to my dogs but never seriously hurt them, do you think she will hurt this new kitten i get?
2006-06-21 08:54:17 · 9 answers · asked by Rach 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
First and foremost, be prepared. Purchase the foods your kitten is used to eating, and the cat litter they are used to using, as well as any grooming stuff and a cat tree *before* you pick the kitten up. Your kitten will be stressed by a change in environment - the kindest way to introduce them into a new place is to have everything set up to receive them, and have things that are familiar to them. Don't stop at the pet store on the way home - it isn't fair to the kitten. Think ahead!
Dogs do not seem to have the same degree of difficulty adjusting to the addition of the kitten to their households. Follow these instructions anyway, for the kitten's sake. (My kittens are raised with 2 large dogs, but they will not recognize any other dogs as familiar.)
Cats on the other hand, are a different story. Some cats will be jealous of a new cat or kitten, some highly offended. They may display their displeasure by improper elimination (using the bathroom outside the litterpan), sulking, refusing to eat, etc. DO NOT JUST TURN YOUR NEW KITTEN LOOSE IN THE HOUSE WITH THE EXISTING CATS. Follow the procedure below
Immediately upon arrival home with the new cat/kitten, take the carrier into a room with a door that closes. This will become the new cat/kitten's home for the next several days to two weeks and will also be "base" if the new cat/kitten becomes spooked elsewhere in the house, so choose the room carefully. Our kittens sleep with us, if you will allow this, the room you choose should be your bedroom UNLESS THIS IS WHERE YOUR OTHER CATS SLEEP. If your other pets sleep with you please do not dethrone them. They will be highly offended. Instead, use a spare bedroom or an office for the newcomer.
You should have already set up food, water, and a litterpan. Leave the kitten in this room and go pay LOTS of attention to your other pets. Let them smell the new cat/kitten on your hands.
It is important that the new cat/kitten receives a great deal of attention from you during the first several weeks they are with you. This is so that they will bond with you and be reassured in their new environment. IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT that your existing cat(s) receive a great deal of attention from you so that they "forgive" you, and know that you still love them. Animal behaviorists swear that it helps the bonding process between existing and new cats if you refer to the new cat as the existing cat's cat or kitten.
Being curious by nature, your existing cat(s) will want to know what is on the other side of the door where the new cat/kitten is. Let them smell, and play footsies with the new cat/kitten. Your existing cat(s) may initially hiss at the door, they may not. Watch your existing cat(s) behavior and you will see when it is time to open the door and let them meet nose to nose.
When the behavior has gone from hissing and acting offended (if it even starts there) and they are playing under the door it is time. In general, this takes between 2 days and 2 weeks. There are cases when it takes 2 hours. It just depends on the existing cat(s). Be sure that someone is there to monitor the introduction. Initially, the cats (new one included) may hiss and spit at each other, it is rare that they would fight. Keep an eye on the cats until you feel that they are getting along well. Put the new cat/kitten up in their room when no one is there to watch them. Continue to lavish attention on the existing cat(s).
This is a tried and true method. The *only* time I have ever had a cat returned to us for failure to adapt to her new home, it was because the new owners disregarded these instructions. Even if you do not have other pets, please keep the new cat/kitten up in room as described for at least a day so that they can get used to their new surroundings. It is totally overwhelming to them to be given run of a whole house that they are unfamiliar with
2006-06-21 09:02:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes most defiantly . your calico will think the kitten is invading and might attack the first few months and you should just go with the flow sooner or later the calico will figure that the kitten is never going to leave and may give up. i have a black cat and a calico(no claws) i had the black one be for the calico and when i got my calico they used to fight all the time so i looked in to books on keeping peace when you have more then one cat and i found a chapter book called Cat Vs.Cat by Pam Johnson-bennett a feline behaviorist. (i would look in to that if i were you .) i read the book and a few months pasted and now my cats love each other they still fight from time to time but not as often as when they first met!
2006-06-21 09:37:43 · answer #2 · answered by smartymc123 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is always hard for an older cat to accept a new kitten into it home, expecially if the kitten wants to play with him/her and all the older cat wants to do is sleep. I have had cats all my life and have had the same problem. I introduce the older cat(s) to the kitten one at a time, tell the older cat that it is a baby and that we cannot hurt the baby, then give them a few minutes to get to know each other. This has never failed me, the older cat(s) either take time to get used to the kitten or ignore it completely.
2006-06-21 12:03:15 · answer #3 · answered by Little Flower 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
really there is no predicting. The best thing to do when you get your kitten is keep them in seperate rooms and let them smell each other under the door for a few days. Most likely your adult cat won't be to happy at first but after a week or two will probably warm up to the kitten
2006-06-21 09:04:07 · answer #4 · answered by deena001 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She will probably try, but won't succeed very well. I think you'll be ok with just keeping a close eye on them. It could get bad for your Cali if the kitten starts fighting back, because in 3-4 months it could do damage to your old cat who doesn't have much defense.
2006-06-21 09:10:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
she may its hard 2 tell sum times just keep an eye on the kitten it might annoy the calico b-cuz of how play full it is when its little
2006-06-21 09:08:53 · answer #6 · answered by Kaytlyn F 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes some cats get along with other animals and even cats. Sometimes they won't. You should watch your cat and it's good that it's declawed. Maybe spray it with water or disclipine it when it isn't hurting the kitten or train it.
2006-06-21 13:10:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
your cat will probably be angry at the kitten... my cat was, but he got over with time and now they are inseperable. They will work it out themselves.
2006-06-21 09:53:15 · answer #8 · answered by Sara K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my friend had two cats called freya and aztek, freya had kittens and aztek ran away because she felt put out
2006-06-21 10:31:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋