How do I get my 2yr old cat to get along with my new 2 month old kitten?

Question

I have a wonderful sweet 2yr old cat. But he has become very aggressive ever since I got my new kitten (2 months old). I know that cats are territorial but he almost attacked the kitten. I think that if I wasnt there he would have killed the kitten. I realy want and need for them to get along but I don’t know how to do that please help me!

Answer 1

Give the 2 year old lots and lots of attention and treats--he is jealous, just like a child. Also keep an eye on them until the new baby is old enough to defend himself. It is a lot of work, but worth it. A can of tuna can go a long way toward helping your 2 yr old decide the interloper isn't all that bad.

Answer 2

While it might hurt you to watch them interact, you need to let the two of them figure it out for themselves. Your cat just wants to let the kitten know who's boss, and the kitten is probably provoking fights by being playful and annoying. You just need to give them time to figure out where they stand with each other.

Start my limiting the time they spend together. Give your kitten a safe room, and let them sniff at each other under the door. Then put the kitten in a cage and leave it in the middle of the room so your cat can watch and see the kitten and get used to the smell. Then let your kitten out under your supervision. You might want to just play with or brush your adult cat and ignore the kitten during these times so your cat will know who you side with. Make the time your cat spends with the kitten a positive and friendly one. Don't yell or shout if they get into a fight, just give both of them a chance to run out the room if they want to.

They just need some time to get used to the idea of each other. Once they settle into a routine that includes the other one, they'll be fine.

Answer 3

Put the kitten in another room and gradually bring him out in a carrier to visit with the other cat and after they smell each other a few times let the kitten out with you there watching them.

I did this with my cats years ago and it took about 2 weeks for them to tolerate each other.....unfortunately my older cat just had to be put down last week and I am still very sad about it. I can't make up my mind to get a kitten for this one or not.

Answer 4

Your 2 year old cat is an adult and you brought in a kitten he has become offended by the little kitten who has invaded his space!! Give this some time and this will resolve but in the meantime keep them seperated as much as possible and gradually omit the space soon they will realize how much fun the other can be!

Answer 5

He may not accept the kitten right away. Give him time. If it doesn't work out, you may have to make a choice between the cats. An agressive dog or cat will not change.

Answer 6

It's important to have realistic expectations when introducing a new pet to a resident pet. Some cats are more social than other cats. For example, an eight-year-old cat that has never been around other animals may never learn to share her territory (and her people) with other pets in the household. However, an eight-week-old kitten separated from her mom and littermates for the first time, might prefer to have a cat or dog companion. Cats are territorial and need to be introduced to other animals very slowly in order to give them time to get used to each other before there is a face-to-face confrontation. Slow introductions help prevent fearful and aggressive problems from developing. PLEASE NOTE: When you introduce pets to each other, one of them may send "play" signals which can be misinterpreted by the other pet. If those signals are interpreted as aggression by one animal, then you should handle the situation as "aggressive."

Confinement
Confine your new cat to one medium-sized room with her litter box, food, water and a bed. Feed your resident pets and the newcomer on each side of the door to this room. This will help all of them to associate something enjoyable (eating!) with each other's smells. Don't put the food so close to the door that the animals are too upset by each other's presence to eat. Gradually move the dishes closer to the door until your pets can eat calmly, directly on either side of the door. Next, use two doorstops to prop open the door just enough to allow the animals to see each other, and repeat the whole process.

Swap Scents
Switch sleeping blankets or beds between your new cat and your resident animals so they have a chance to become accustomed to each other's scent. Rub a towel on one animal and put it underneath the food dish of another animal. You should do this with each animal in the house.

Switch Living Areas
Once your new cat is using her litter box and eating regularly while confined, let her have free time in the house while confining your other animals to the new cat's room. This switch provides another way for the animals to experience each other's scents without a face-to-face meeting. It also allows the newcomer to become familiar with her new surroundings without being frightened by the other animals.

Avoid Fearful And Aggressive Meetings
Avoid any interactions between your pets that result in either fearful or aggressive behavior. If these responses are allowed to become a habit, they can be difficult to change. It's better to introduce your pets to each other so gradually that neither animal becomes afraid or aggressive. You can expect mild forms of these behaviors, but don't give them the opportunity to intensify. If either animal becomes fearful or aggressive, separate them, and start over with the introduction process in a series of very small, gradual steps, as outlined above.

Precautions
If one of your pets has a medical problem or is injured, this could stall the introduction process. Check with your veterinarian to be sure that all of your pets are healthy. You'll also want to have at least one litter box per cat, and you'll probably need to clean all of the litter boxes more frequently. Make sure that none of the cats are being "ambushed" by another while trying to use the litter box. Try to keep your resident pets' schedule as close as possible to what it was before the newcomer's appearance. Cats can make lots of noise, pull each other's hair, and roll around quite dramatically without either cat being injured. If small spats do occur between your cats, you shouldn't attempt to intervene directly to separate the cats. Instead, make a loud noise, throw a pillow, or use a squirt bottle with water and vinegar to separate the cats. Give them a chance to calm down before re-introducing them to each other. Be sure each cat has a safe hiding place.

Answer 7

rub a little honey on the kitten and the cat would lick it and break the ice. what can isay good luck..