How do you get a little kitten and a mean cat to get along?

Question

We brought a kitten home that is only about 8 weeks old. When we tried to introduce the kitten to my sister's cat, they didn't get along at all. My sister's cat hissed at the 8 week old kitten and we want them to get along so we wont have to get rid of the kitten. Please help me to get these two along.

Answer 1

Cats usually fight when they first meet each other, to establish which one is more 'dominant' in the household. After they're done with this, they won't fight anymore. So let them hiss at each other for a while. If your kitten gets badly hurt, however, I wouldn't reccommend letting that kitten getting near your cat anymore.

Answer 2

In households where there is only one cat, this is often a problem. Partly, it is because the older cat does not always realize that she is a cat and that the kitten is also. In the wild, older cats would not hiss at a kitten. Many of the recommendations already listed will work. Just make sure you allow the older cat to become accustomed to the kitten for a while before putting them together. Always supervise them when they interact at least until the kitten gains some size.

Normal cats will sort this out pretty quickly. But you never know if either cat is normal or not. Look for signs of abnormal behavior. Rough play is one thing, outright hostility is something else again. They should get the pecking order figured out pretty quick and then things should run smoothly.

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Answer 3

You can't make you sister's cat get along with the kitten. That will be up to your sister's cat.

Your sisters cat is most likely confused. Because your sister's cat hissed at the kitten, doesn't mean they will never get along. Just let your sister's cat alone to go about it's business and don't pay too much attention to the older cat. Just make sure the kitten is safe. Your sister's cat will probably want to sniff the kitten just to find out "what it is." All your sister's cat knows is there's a stranger in the house.
Hissing is a sign of defense. Sis's cat is defending it's territory which is understandable.

Don't force the issue or try to speed up the process because it won't work. Your sis's cat will either except or not except the kitten.

My daughter brought her kitten to our house because she could no longer take care of it. The first thing my own cat did when seeing the kitten, was she flipped the kitten into the air like a stuffed toy. It's something I'll never forget. It sure took me by surprise. The kitten wasn't hurt and the scene made me laugh. My cat then went about her business and that was that.

Sure hope your kitten has it's own litter box and separate food bowl. Either that or separate them at feeding time for awhile.

That's about it from this end. I wish you luck and that you get to keep the kitten.

Answer 4

The older cat isn't mean it's just jealous.Cats are very territorial and at the moment the kitten is where the older cat wants to be all the time because cats are like that! We've been through this scenario many times and eventually the hissing and spitting stops, I promise. You don't say how old your sister's cat is but all cats like to play, try the dangling string on a twig game over the two of them or ping pong balls whizzed up the hall, anything that will get them playing together. Good luck with your kitten. This phase won't last forever lol

Answer 5

The best way is to keep them in different rooms for about a week. They will smell each other under the door and get used to each other under the door. After a couple of days get a couple of towels and rub the kitten with it and git it to the older cat to smell and rub the older cat and give it to the kitten. In a couple of more days open the door (maybe put a baby gate up) and let them look at each other several times throughout the day. After that let them have very short visits, they will still hiss some but that is normal. It takes time to get used to each other. I foster kittens and never let the kittens around my cats for at least 7-10 days. You never know what the kitten may have (especially found kittens or shelter kittens.
Tammy

Answer 6

How kind of you to help this kitten! Yes, you can adopt the kitten and eventually build a cohesive relationship between him/her and your resident cat. It will take lots of time and lots of patience, though. You'll have to keep the kitten isolated to a single room with food, water, toys and a litter box. S/he isn't going to trust you so you'll have to work to earn it. Start by going into the kitten's room several times a day and just sitting in the middle of the floor. Don't move a muscle or try to handle/touch the kitten. Just sit there. Eventually kitty will become comfortable with the idea that you're not going to make any moves and will begin to come to you to sniff and check you out. Let him/her sniff away, but don't budge. Keep doing this for several days... just letting the kitten sniff you out. After a few days, do the same but hold out a hand for the kitten to sniff. No moving, just hold out your hand. Once kitty is comfortable with this and coming to you routinely it will be time to try and pet him/her. Don't approach toward the kitten's face. Approach from behind the kitten's neck and stroke down the back. Keep doing this as long as the kitten tolerates it. When s/he indicates it's been enough, stop. Keep doing this and at some point the kitten will begin to seek you out for pets and play. Once this is happening consistently it will be okay to begin gradually introducing the kitten to your resident cat. Start by letting the kitten out for short visits, increasing the amount of time each day. When they're able to be together for 6-8 hours without major incident it will be okay to leave them together full time. There's no way to say how long this process will take. I've had ferals come around within a couple of weeks and others that have taken months. Generally speaking, the younger they are the easier it is to socialize them... but there's still no magic number. Time and patience is all it takes, though.

Answer 7

I am sorry to tell you that cats are territorial. The older cat instinctively must train the kitten to respect her/him. I have cats from the same litter and they still have the occasional warning hiss just to keep the other cats in line. Make sure that you don't leave the kitten vulnerable, when you are not around keep the kitten safe in another room. Eventually the kitten will learn to respect the older cat and they will be fine. It just nature. Just a note, never discipline the older cat for doing what it natural, she/he will resent you and perhaps the kitten. Be kind to the older cat and give him/her attention too during this period, it will make the process go faster.

Answer 8

Give the older cat a lot of attention while introducing them. Don't tell him off for hissing at the other kitten, just reassure him that you still love him the most. Quite often it is about jealousy, so if they don't feel threatened they will usually come around. A cat does not want to feel it is being replaced be another cat.

Answer 9

The same thing happened with my cat Sandy when she was 8 weeks. When Pickket first saw her, she immedietly crouched down and started growling. Sandy arched her tiny back up and tried to look as big as possible and did her own high pitched growl(she was freaked out) since then, Pickket reacts to Sandy by hissing but she dosen't attack. Now that Pickket is about 17 and Sandy is around 3, when they meet each other Pickket hisses and suprisingly Sandy hisses too (her hisses need work)
Pickket pretty much tolerates Sandy now, (it helps that she's is an outdoor cat and Sandy's an indoor) whenever Pickket wants to either go outside or come in we grab Sandy as Pickket walks either way. They never really got along but at least when they meet they don't kill each other

Answer 10

I know this feeling well... here goes.

1. keep the kitten in the carrier for a while till big cat gets use to the smell (its his/her territory he/she is the boss). You can even leave them in separate rooms next to each other they will still get the scent.

2. Separate litter trays.

3. Don't leave bowls of food down. Wait till they are both hungry and feed them at the same time. They will bond eating together at meal times.

4. Make sure they both have toys to play with (like children they will fight over 1). Play with them both.

5. Give them both the same amount of attention, the big cat will be feeling left out.

6. Be patient these things can take some time anything from
5 days till 6 weeks (sorry... 6 weeks is the extreme).

7. Don't over worry, it will settle..I promise.

8. Don't worry about hissing, the big cat is just letting the kitten know he/she is boss.

Good luck, i can reassure you that I have recently been through this myself, listening to my partner telling me the kitten has to go.

Now the kitten and cat wont be apart!