I have had a dog (female, 3 years old) and two cats (male and female, year and a half years old,) for some time now. They all get along fine for the most part. If there is a little quarrel between them it's no big deal. However, I just got a new cat from my father--who's cat just had kittens. He is 7 weeks, and won't get along with the other animals at this house. Our older male cat doesn't seem to mind him at all, and the dog is happy to see another animal (it won't attack the kitten, but it will not leave the poor thing alone!), and the female older cat is rather mean to everybody, especially the new kitten. Even though most of these older animals are rather nice, the kitten is either terrified, or seems to just not like the other pets.
Is there any way I can get this new kitten to warm up to the other pets in the house?
2006-10-01 19:44:49 · 12 answers · asked by dsosileon 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
it will take awhile, they need to redetermine the hierarchy in the house. I have 4 cats all gotten seperately, and it took about a month after we got each one till the settled down and accepted the fact that they were sharing once again, now we are all a big happy family.
2006-10-01 19:48:25 · answer #1 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Congratulations on your new furry family member!! A happy and welcoming purrrrrrr to the newbie!
Kittens know how to do a few things .... explore.... purrr.... hiss.... growl..... play .... sleep..... poop..... and climb up your leg as if you were a human cat tree. What kittens DON'T know how to do is tell if other living creatures in front of them are (1) nice; (2) mean; or (3) likely to eat them.... so their first result is to poof up and hiss and growl ... and if that doesn't work, sometimes they hide behind the couch.
Eventually, your kitten's curiosity will take over, and your kitten will get bolder and braver, and will explore more, break more things, and get used to your other two cats and that GIANT dog that keeps trying to lick it! It takes a combination of time, gentle encouragement on your part, and a reasonable amount of supervision when your new little one is being drooled upon by a happy dog.
If your older cats aren't warming up to your kitten, we've found that covering a kitten with tuna water (the water from a tuna can... NOT THE OIL!) is a great way to get the older cats to come on over and LICK the kitten 'til the cows come home. The kitten will be a bit overwhelmed at first, but ends up settling down, and falling asleep -- purring. (We usually share the tuna with the kitties after we are done.)
I think I would do this with the dog OUT of the house ... I would hate to have her think your kitten is a snack.
Happy purrs to your kitten .... give the new little guy a nice head scritchety-scratch from me!
2006-10-02 03:36:10 · answer #2 · answered by Harvie Ruth 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A seven week old kitten is a tiny little critter. It undoubtedly feels displaced and like it's on enemy territory without a safe spot of its own.
It's an adjustment being away from Mom and siblings, too.
I'd give it a safe place where it could find some peace without intrusion by the other older animals.
You know the next problem, don't you? It will reach an age where it is fully confident that it is in charge and will stalk and pounce everyone else, so get some rest while you can. Healthy kittens are creative little fiends with endless energy to expend on whatever is in their environment.
Don't be afraid to confine the kitten in a safe, comfortable place so it can rest. I've had kittens find their own safe places, and they have scared me half to death! If there is an unknown hole into a wall, a kitten will be the first to find it! And, if you're fortunate, you'll hear the faint mew.
2006-10-02 03:04:42 · answer #3 · answered by Susan M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I went through this not too long ago. Just let it play out. They all need to determine their pecking order and it will get better. Just don't get in the middle of it. Cat's that are the first to growl or hiss are most often the one the that feels threatened. It's just they're way of making themselves appear dominant.
My 2 year old cat was brought into a home with cats ages 16 and 18 year. I forgot how active kittens can be, but all is now well in the world!
Congratulations on you new addition!!
2006-10-02 02:55:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Haha...our female cat had a litter of kittens a couple years ago...seven of them. Six died, but the runt lived, amazingly. So we kept him. Brought him in the house with our other cat, who really wanted nothing to do with the new little furball. The older cat would attack the kitten and bat him around like a hockey puck. That only lasted so long....they eventually became the best of friends and would chase each other all over the house like a herd of elephants.
Now, the adult cat lives with my sister and I, and I got a new cat not too long ago from the animal shelter. She is two years older than our cat, and she cannot seem to get along with him. She hisses and growls and bats at him when he comes near. He doesn't seem to mind her...he's just curious, and hasn't shown any aggression towards her.
I think it just takes time. Hopefully. I don't want to get rid of my cat!
2006-10-02 12:09:40 · answer #5 · answered by SassySours 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know how long you've had this kitten but from my experience it takes a few days for the new kitten to get used to the other animals. I just introduced a new kitten to my other 3 cats last week. He hid under the couch for two days and finally came out and they are all getting along just fine.
2006-10-02 02:52:50 · answer #6 · answered by jrsygrl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the older cat will be mean to the younger kitten causing the younger kitten to feel uncomfortable.. I used to have a roomate with an older cat.. and after my baby kitten warmed up to her cat and tried to cuddle with it and stuff like that the older cat would hiss at her just because she was jealous of all the attention the baby was getting.. Make sure you pay enough attention to your older cat so that it doesn't get a complex and that will probably settle the score a bit.. and remember the rule of a seperate litter box for each cat.. Cat's don't share toilets very well.. they'll pee on your stuff..
2006-10-02 03:40:51 · answer #7 · answered by The ugly duckling 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The kitten is new to the world,used to the smell of it`s mother and siblings, now all of a sudden put into a whole new environment of different pets, attitudes,smells, Just think of your first day at school, and the insecure mixed emotions and stress it probably caused, well kitty is probably a bit insecure without moms protection etc.ask Dad to give you something with moma cats scent on it, and put it in an area where kitty can retreat to it whenever she feels insecure of the other pets, and just give it a little time to warm upto the older crew members.
2006-10-02 03:06:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did the same thing had the same problem but now all 3 adults cats take turns cleaning the kitten you really need to give it time
2006-10-02 04:36:55 · answer #9 · answered by bub s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
take the kitten and one at a time place one of the older cats in the restroom together and leave them there for most part of the day.they will get to know each other faster than if they have room to run away and hide from each other.
2006-10-02 02:59:21 · answer #10 · answered by tedstruluv 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋