Introducing kitten to my existing cat

9 replies

Ladygooga · 28/07/2009 15:26

I am having a new kitten later on today and I'm wondering how best to introduce new kitten to my other cat.

I have had my cat for about 4yrs and she is lovely, very friendly and loving cat. I'm sure will get jealous of new kitten in one way or another.

Just wondered what I can do to make it easier for both of them....

OP posts:

Chevre · 28/07/2009 15:27

have you contacted heat magazine to sell your story?

Original poster

Ladygooga · 28/07/2009 16:14

anybody have any advice???

OP posts:

jimblejambles · 28/07/2009 16:54

When my mum got 2 kittens she kept them in one room when her other cat was in the house then whenever he was out she let the kittens explore.
After a couple of days she let them in the same room together and the older cat sniffed them then ignored them.
There was no fights or anything. I don't know if he knew they were babies so no threat.

MikeStand · 29/07/2009 15:45

My older female cat is still hissing at my two kittens (nearly 5 months). Do not expect them to be best friends. Be happy if they tolerate each other. My vet clearly thinks I am a prat for thinking the older cat wouldn't mind. Good luck!

Original poster

Ladygooga · 29/07/2009 15:47

Thanks for thar, she has been hissing at him this morning although she is quite happy to give him a wide berth esp as kitten cannot reach her fav snoozing spot on the back of an armchair

OP posts:

wannaBe · 29/07/2009 15:52

it is unlikely they will ever be friends tbh.

Cats are teratorial and you bringing another cat into her teratory is bound to upset her.

I know at least two people whose older cats left home when new kittens were brought in.

lazydog · 30/07/2009 05:32

Just to add a more positive spin to the thread, we introduced 2 kittens to our umpteen year old cat last August (we know he's getting on, but came with the house (a farm cat who loves the indoors and can't catch mice!) and so we've no idea of his true age.)

Yes, he did hiss and swat at them both like crazy to begin with. One of them was scared of him - and because she reacts he still can't stand her - but the other one was more hard-faced and just ignored his moodiness until he seemed to forget to dislike her, and now they're good pals

bella21 · 30/07/2009 09:50

Ladygooga - I've brought in lots of new cats and kittens over the years and they have always ended up friends, with the exception of only one cat who prefers people to cats. Even she is warming to my other cats now ( 1 year on).

The most spectacular displays of hissing and spitting were between an 18 month old boy and a 6 month old boy. After 2 weeks they were inseparable and spent all their time curled up together, grooming each other.

Am sure it will work out well

trellism · 02/08/2009 20:13

I introduced my old lady to a new kitten a couple of years ago. We basically divided the house for a couple of weeks so they each knew the other was there.

In the end DH left a door open and we found them staring at each other, and it went from there. The older cat was a good disciplinarian, hissing and occasionally swatting the kitten if she was too annoying, but they have never actually hurt each other.

They get on beautifully now: they curl up and sleep together and eat from the same bowl, as well as having spectacular running fights that go from the bottom of the garden to the top of the house and back again.

Flip