Introducing a new kitten to your cat

[karyn674]

Hello everyone,

I need some help with regards to how to introduce a kitten to my 2yr old cat. This persian kitten i found on my door step was so badly treated, with multiple infections in eyes and anal area. The vet couldn't tell if she was a male or a female! Now after 3 weeks we descovered that its a SHE. At the moment I'm keeping her at my mom's house next door to mine, but eventually I would like to move her to my house, and this is my problem.


Lulu, my 2yr old cat (was also a stray) does not like the idea, my vet suggested that I leave around the kitten's towels for Lulu to smell and prepare for a new arrival and so i did,
but yesterday she attacked the kitten with the hissing and grouling in the background. This was the third try and I'm getting pretty worried on what I should do. On the other hand Lulu is not too tame, she does not like to be held or in confined spaces, infact my husband calls her 1 meter pet! I thought that if I get her someone to play with it would help her to develop her charachter even more.

On the other hand I don't wish to make her unhappy, she was the first one in and there she'll stay even though she's not that cuddly as I would like her to be.

Please help.

[AbbyMom]

Bless you for taking care of the kitten and giving her a good home.

I don't have any specific advice for you because I adopted my cats together. However, here's a site that may do you some good:

http://www.pacthumanesociety.org/lib...roductions.htm

Introducing cats into the same home requires a lot of patience. Good luck to you!

[jenluckenbach]

Keep them separate for as long as you have to. A resident cat will almost always take exception to a new cat no matter the age. And even though people always seem to think that a kitten will make the introduction easy (vs. an adult to an adult) but MANY adults do NOT like kittens. They are too bold and pesty. As your kitten matures, she will have more in common with your older cat and they should tolerate each other much better.

Keep swapping smells and only let them meet under supervised wisits and always pamper your old cat. Let her know she comes first.

Good luck.

[dragonchilde]

Also, give the older cat lots of love any time the new kitten is around. If you can associate the new cat with pettins and love, it may make the transition easier.

I was very concerned about my 16 year old neutered male when I got Mozart, but Tinkerbell stunned me beyond my wildest imagination. He still gets cranky when the kitten attacks, but he actually seems to like the new baby! I've caught him licking the kitten before, and then, well, nothing but to show you.



Good luck. It'll take time, and don't force them together. Don't get onto your older cat when they get angry, just talk gently, and pet, show them that good things happen when the new one is around.

[Jordan]

I find this issue very interesting and i think that can help you too:


"Two Cat Are Better Than One
by
Steve Duno
...
A perfectly good way of keeping a cat happy while you are gone is to have another feline friend around, preferably right from the start. They will play together, chase each other, or even sleep together in a ball. Both will burn pent-up energy and stimulate their minds while waiting for you to come home.

If at all possible, try to acquire two cats of the same age, right from the start, to insure happy times. Siblings are the best bet, but any two kittens of the same age should do nicely. Cats of opposite gender will generally have fewer incidents of territorial or food aggression, but same-sex cats will usually learn to work out their pecking order without much fanfare.

If you already have an adult cat, you can successfully introduce a new cat into the home, provided you do so gradually. Try not to bring in another fully grown cat, as the two may fight and posture for months before finding common ground. Instead, adopt a juvenile of the opposite sex; it will be seen as less of a threat to the established, dominant cat.
When you bring the newbie home, do not give it free reign. Instead, keep it in a separate room for several days, without direct access to the established animal. Let them smell each other through the door, and communicate vocally. Be sure to provide the new cat with its own litter box, and its own food and water dishes.
After three or four days, place the new cat into a cat carrier, then let the established cat greet it through the mesh door. Don’t worry if a little hissing goes on, especially on the part of the caged cat; this is normal. Leave the new cat in the carrier for an hour or so, then release it back into its room and close the door. Repeat this two or three times each day, for two or three days.

After this, open the door and let the cats interact. Unless they display dangerous aggression (biting or severe scratching), let them work it out. If the new cat is young, odds are it will submit to the older cat’s dominance. Soon they should begin to tolerate each other nicely. Within a month or two, expect them to be buddies.
With two cats in the home, you should use two litter boxes, two food dishes, and two water dishes. Doing so will minimize the chances of food aggression or house-soiling. Also, be sure to add a few more toys and into the mix, to reduce the chance of competitive hostilities. Always pay attention to both, and try not to play favourites!

One caveat: if possible, avoid having more than two cats. Owners with two felines in the home invariably begin having aggression problems when a third pet is brought in. Seen as a “third wheel,” the third cat often gets picked on and ostracized for many months, and often never gets completely accepted by the two established “snobs.” Two can be a satisfying experience, while three often upsets the social dynamic. Though exceptions abound, try sticking with two cats for now.

Two cats are nearly as easy to care for as one. Additional food costs will be minimal, as will be the price of the new litter box, extra litter, and dishes. Beyond that, one extra visit to the veterinarian is the only other fee you will pay for having two happy, socially active felines in the home. "

I hope that this advices help!