how do you get one cat to accept a new kitten?

Question

the cat is still a kitten itself at only 4 months old but a kitten was introduced to the house last night and hissing was the main game for the night - from both of them. what can we do to help them get along?

Answer 1

Yeah, yeah, yeah, separating them so they can only sniff each other under the door for a while is fine for some. But what if you're like us and simply don't HAVE an extra room to confine the new cat to? Our only option was putting the new cat (litterbox, food, and all) in our 6 year old son's room.....no.

So we let Blaze sniff Lotus through the pet carrier. Afterwards, he promptly went and hid under our bed while Lotus sniffed out the new place. After a while, Blaze came out. Eventually, my husband ended up shutting him out of our room for a while to ensure he spent some time out from under the bed....it wasn't for too long, though. We supervised the whole interaction, and let him back into our room after a bit to hide some more.

Point is, cats will work things out on their own. Just make sure they're not seriously hurting each other, and things will be fine. Your kittens are really too young to be too fiesty with each other for too long, so don't worry too much.

I keep reading that if separated for a week or more, cats will accept each other without a problem. I find this very hard to believe.....because eventually, the new cat is going to be in the old cat's space....and battles for territory will ensue. Hell, my cats get along fine now and they're STILL doing battle over spots. Blaze keeps stealing all the places Lotus likes to sleep. They're like squabbling siblings sometimes.

Answer 2

I just finished dealing with the issue of introducing a new cat; here's how I did it. I put the new kitten (four months of age) in a bedroom that I could close off, but that had enough space under the door that she and my older cat (age 15 years) could smell each other. After about a week, put the new kitten in her carrier, and then allowed the older cat into the room for a few minutes at a time. While they hissed at each other a few times, they were separated so that they couldn't harm each other, and toward the end of the week they were clearly a bit curious about each other, but still cautious. Next, I allowed my older cat into the room while the kitten was in there, with me in the room making sure nobody got hurt. Again, there was hissing and such, but no attacks. By this time, each of them was getting curious about the other, and would go to the door when they heard the other nearby. After a a week of "supervised visits" I simply left the door open, and they are getting along very nicely (curled up together sleeping as I type!). Good luck!

Answer 3

If you don't have a room to confine the new kitten in and wait for several weeks, take a hand towel and rub one kitten in it. Then take the same hand towel and rub the other kitten in it. Repeat this a few times until they both smell the same. Once you remove the barrier of different smells, they should become friends quite quickly.

I did this with my male cat and new female kitten after 3 days of hissing hell and they were curled up asleep together within an hour.

It might not work for all, but with kittens it should work quite well, as they haven't really developed their territorial instincts yet.

Answer 4

For the first week we kept our kitten in a room with a child gate in the doorway. The kitten was able to smell the house/people/the other cat/etc. and also have his own space.

Our older cat wanted NOTHING to do with the younger one for a day... then slowly they would both meet at the gate and sniff/hiss/check each other out. Finally the older cat jumped over the gate to check the kitten out. Again sniffing/hissing/more checking out. Then the KITTEN would jump over the gate into the rest of the house.

So by the end of the first week, they just had to learn to deal with each other... because we couldn't keep them away from each other! They weren't necessarily happy with each other, but they needed to see one another.

So 2-3 weeks later, they were starting to bathe and sleep together.

It all just takes time, really.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

My 2 years old cat Ginger was pretty confused when i put a travelling kennel with a 10 weeks old kitten in my living room.... i am not even sure he knew it was his own species. But my cat is very gentle, and there was no hissing or attacking at all. They got along fine from day one and if ever there is an issue that they feel needs to be solved, they really dont need any help... its best to not get involved. They need to establish who's boss.

Answer 6

Mine never got accepted ! it has been over a year now and we still have to keep two apart.... We have three cats, the old one gets along with the other two, the 2 year old and now the one year old will only fight. We keep them seperate because I DO NOT want an injured cat.

I have tried putting them in a room together to work it out,,, they just end up bloodier : ( I have tried "catnip" to get them drunk so-to-speak... (which many have recommended to me) it did not work. I just have to accept that I have two killers and neither one is backing down. I am fortunate enough to work at home so I can let one out one door and the other in another door.. it is a schedule I have worked out. If I die... those cats are history... for hubby will not put up with it. Best wishes with your kitties : )

Answer 7

Sprinkle some cat nip on the undesirable cat. Usually works.

Answer 8

Leave them alone . We had the same experience now they are inseparable . They will decide who is boss then start playing !

Answer 9

Time & Patience on all parties!

Answer 10

mix them up ,n give them equal attention