advice about a cat and new kitten

[susia]

I'm sorry I really would like some advice. I don't know if anyone can help? I have a 2 year old cat from a rescue home and just got a new kitten. My old cat is so miserable about it that even though the kitten is shut in one room most of the time (vet's advice) she will barely come in the house now.

I'm so sad I got the kitten for my son's birthday and may have to get rid of him again even though my son adores him.

My older cat now hardly comes in the house. I have just shut the catflap with both of them in the house in the hope that they sort it out eventually.

has your older cat been neutered? are they both male?

my older cat is a neutered female, the kitten is male

are you feeding the older cat first?
all i can suggest is that she has had her nose put out of joint at hte arrival of a competitor. i suggest leaving them to sort it out but if there is a chance that the kitten is in danger i would consider rehoming the kittne but doubt it will come to that. make sure that the older cat gets fed first and attention first.

As someone who has had cats since... well since I was born, and whos mum has 4 cats I would say that I'm 99% certain that it will sort itself out.

DC(cat)1 will probably remain in the huff for some time, but she isnt that old - infact at 2 is still very young. Just try and give her attention, feed her first, make a fuss of her.

Try and have some time with you and them locked in the same room - even if its just for a short period at first - persevere. There will probably be lots of hissing and growling and back arching but no harm will come.

Over the years my mum has introduced lots of "new" cats into the home - the eldest one that she still has is 23.. it will take a while - it might be the case that they remain wary of each other - one of mums cats hates one of the others with a passion but they dont fight, she growls if he comes too close, he'll take a swipe at her if he can get away with it.

Honestly though, it'll most probably be fine - it will just take a bit of time and paitence. Make sure DC1 has some where she can go to get away from the kitten. The kitten isnt in danger from what you have said.

Good luck.

How long have you had the kitten? These situations almost always sort themselves out. Generally the older cat 'sulks' for a while, maybe several weeks, and then gets used to the new kitten. Just make sure you give the older cat space and attention and don't make any hasty decisions about the kitten.

thanks, the older cat has got used to having food out most of the time - a habit I am trying to break btw. So I don't it's that.

I think the older cat is just really shocked and jealous. She was 1 year when we got her about 18 months ago.

The problem is older cat now is out of the house all the time, and I'm worried she'll not see this as her home anymore.

I am trying locking them both in the house so they meet now and there is a lot of hissing etc from the older cat. I have just bought some cat pheromene plug ins from the vet that are meant to help.

I'm also worried about the days I work (mon, tues, weds) as unless I lock the kitten in one room, he will be loose with the older cat and I'm not sure what she will do and I can't let him go out so it means either locking both in the house all day, or locking older cat out and him in or locking him in one room.

I wouldnt worry about having food outall day - its up to you.

She's had her nose put out, she'll come in evenually - probably the next time it rains!

You can get some stuff called Kookamonga (sp) from pet shops - its like weed for cats - they love the smell of it, mongs them out - and is a lot cheaper than vet stuff!!

You have to do what you feel is best re work - they might have sorted their differences by then - on the other hand a few days locked up together might help

I would suggest you get a collapsible crate (available from Argos etc) for the kitten. Then you can leave both cats in the same rooms, allow your older one access to outdoors and be sure that neither can come to any harm. The kitten will soon see the crate as his bed.

well they've both been locked in the house for about half an hour now. Older cat is hissing at him, he's not really frightened at all. Now she wants to go out and I think she won't come back tonight and I've shut him away again.

should I let her out or open the door for him again?

Any update?

no - no improvement. I have been shutting the cat in the kitchen in the day so that she has access to the garden and the kitten the rest of the house. Then in the evening, I open up the kitchen and shut them both in the house for a bit to try to get them used to each other while I am there.

But my cat just hisses and growls at the kitten and wants to be in the garden unless he's shut in an upstairs room. The kitten seems oblivious to her anger and tries to sit beside her. I have tried the scent sharing but my cat hisses at me when I try to rub her with a cloth with his scent on it.

my mum took in a stray cat once who was a very very dominant cat. her cat stayed away. we only planned on keeping the cat untill she had her kittens. we kept one of the kittens.

locked in the house together it took my mums cat a fortnight to get used to the new kitten.

do you think I should lock them in together in the evenings then like I have been doing? its the only way I can get the older cat to stay in the house.

i don't think it can always work out ok. i once had a lovely cat, and he was the king pin! We got another kitten, who he hated ( he was about 2 yrs old by then) and they never got on.

We ended up giving the 2nd cat to a realtive, then very sadly lost the original cat to road accident.