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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

How long did older take to adapt to kitten?

27 replies

TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 10:27

We have a 7yo male cat and have just gotten a kitten (yesterday). Kitten is currently living in spare room, we've been doing flannel scent swaps. Cat hasn't reacted at all to the flannels. The kitten has been meowing since yesterday (not continuously or anything) and I'm certain older cat was able to hear but no reaction. Then he seemed to suddenly understand that there was another cat in the room, I think that he caught sight of paws or movement under the door. He hissed a few times and growled once then wandered off downstairs. From what I've read this is to be expected but just wondering how other peoples introductions went and roughly how long they tool until the cats reached a tolerance?

OP posts:
Original poster
TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 10:34

Picture of kitten if that helps Grin

How long did older take to adapt to kitten?
OP posts:
newtb · 05/06/2023 10:34

Never did, and the younger cat tried to claw the older cat's eyes. Eventually the only solution was a 1-way trip to the local rescue. Cost us 90€ in about 2010.

Jomummy1013 · 05/06/2023 10:35

I recently got two kittens who are now 9 weeks old. I have an older cat who is 3. I've had the kittens for around 2 weeks now and although my cat still will meow at them in an irritable way if they get too close (I mean right up against her) she doesn't try to swat at them anymore and will only growl if they try to pounce on her. It won't take too long 🥰

Jomummy1013 · 05/06/2023 10:35

TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 10:34

Picture of kitten if that helps Grin

Gorgeous kitten..I love grey cats x

Original poster
TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 10:48

newtb · 05/06/2023 10:34

Never did, and the younger cat tried to claw the older cat's eyes. Eventually the only solution was a 1-way trip to the local rescue. Cost us 90€ in about 2010.

Hmm, hadn't even really considered the kitten might be the one to not get along with the older cat.

OP posts:
Original poster
TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 10:49

Jomummy1013 · 05/06/2023 10:35

I recently got two kittens who are now 9 weeks old. I have an older cat who is 3. I've had the kittens for around 2 weeks now and although my cat still will meow at them in an irritable way if they get too close (I mean right up against her) she doesn't try to swat at them anymore and will only growl if they try to pounce on her. It won't take too long 🥰

Hope so. The kitten is already desperate to explore but can only let him out in short bursts at the moment when older cat isn't around.

OP posts:
BlueKaftan · 05/06/2023 11:13

My dad fashioned a shoelace with knots on either end and then ran it under the door. The cats both played with it on their side of the door. We also fed them at the same time on either side of the door.

BlueKaftan · 05/06/2023 11:14

Baby gates also come in handy

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 05/06/2023 11:17

Older cat hates younger cat; has done since the day he arrived. DH feels very guilty for imposing them on each other.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 05/06/2023 11:23

About three days in our case. 6yo male, 4yo female and male kitten.

Our girl cat sadly died a few weeks ago but the boys are still as thick as y
thieves.

Original poster
TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 11:27

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 05/06/2023 11:17

Older cat hates younger cat; has done since the day he arrived. DH feels very guilty for imposing them on each other.

This is my fear.

OP posts:
DemonicCaveMaggot · 05/06/2023 11:32

It took about 3 days for our female cat to accept a male cat a similar age to her. We put him in a bedroom and let her smell under the door and get used to him being in the house. On the third day we let him out to explore and I found her trying to drag him out from under a wardrobe while he pulled faces at her which wasn't too hopeful but after that they chased each other around the house and got on well.

We adopted his brother about a year later and as we had baby twins to look after and things were a bit hectic his introduction was more along the lines of 'Here's Cortez, deal with it'. He went under a bed for a day and after that was usually found sleeping with his head resting on the female cat while she sat there with a look that seemed to say 'Get this fat, smelly, thing OFF ME'.

I don't know if it is because female cats have the territory and are used to male cats wandering through.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 05/06/2023 11:34

First and second times I did this was more or less instant, with the incumbent (male) cat on each occasion taking the kittens under his wing.
Third time one of our incumbent cats really struggled for 3 months, but then suddenly just seemed to accept the new setup.
Last time took no more than a couple of weeks.

Original poster
TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 17:58

Thank you. Some of you have been successful. I just feel a bit worried now but I suppose it's only been a day and it would be a bit much to expect acceptance straight away.

OP posts:
Original poster
TimetravellingNarwhal · 05/06/2023 18:01

He's still quite happy to nuzzle my hands after playing with kitten, hopefully that counts for something.

OP posts:
Thesunwillcomeoutverysoon · 06/06/2023 17:11

Dcat slept in dd's room. Added an extra bowl. Extra tray. And extra dkitten. Left them to it tbh..
2 weeks in..
Dcat was 8...dkitten 8 weeks.

How long did older take to adapt to kitten?
Funkyslippers · 06/06/2023 17:18

Our older cat was 15 when we got 2 kittens. We were able to keep the kittens in a separate room and as they had each other it was ok. After about a week we brought them out for short introductions with older cat hissing and swiping at them but after about a month they tolerated each other and now they will occasionally cuddle up together or play fight so it's been fine for us

ilovesooty · 09/06/2023 13:52

My five year old cat lost his litter mate suddenly recently. I've recently adopted a rescue kitten. We've had scent swapping, feliway and gradual introduction and they now have access to each other in the evening under supervision.

After four days adult cat is still growling and swiping at the kitten when kitten wants to play but he generally looks disgusted and stalks off when he's had enough. Kitten then transfers his attention to me. Adult cat doesn't go to attack kitten - he just warns him off if kitten gets too much. At the end of the evening kitten gets tired out and settles down in his own room and big cat settles down with me.

It's a work in progress but I think he'll tolerate the baby in due course.

How long did older take to adapt to kitten?
Sameshitdifferentdayx · 15/10/2023 12:35

Any updates OP?
We introduced a 9 week old kitten to our 1 year old cat yesterday, slowly but surely (I think!) We will get there x

ilovesooty · 15/10/2023 14:39

Sameshitdifferentdayx · 15/10/2023 12:35

Any updates OP?
We introduced a 9 week old kitten to our 1 year old cat yesterday, slowly but surely (I think!) We will get there x

I'm sure you will. I've still got some growling going on when little cat is too playful but I've got real progress now.

How long did older take to adapt to kitten?
BlueKaftan · 15/10/2023 14:55

Awww how lovely 😊

Haveallthesongsbeenwritten · 15/10/2023 14:57

ilovesooty · 15/10/2023 14:39

I'm sure you will. I've still got some growling going on when little cat is too playful but I've got real progress now.

Show quote history

I am after updates too!! We are getting a kitten in about two weeks and already have a 6+ cat. Excited about it but also dreading if they dont get along

JessicaFletcherMSW · 15/10/2023 15:04

We’ve introduced many kittens as we live rurally and have got a local reputation for welcoming in all abandoned farm/feral kittens found… and once they cross our threshold, kittens are always here to stay!

My cats always take the longest to come round the first time a new kitten arrival happens. It can take 5 mins through to weeks and months to settle down depending on the personality of your cat - even the most cautious usually settle once the kitten can go out too, I find.

We fill the house with felloway defusers (I was sceptical but it does help… I’ve accidentally let them empty and the cats go from all choosing to sleep on our bed to bickering a little). We pop the kitten in a large dog crate (with a covered hidey-hole for them , food, water, litter tray and toys) when out or in bed to keep them safe and this means the older cats get loads of time to see them without the kitten being able to crowd them. When I’m in and can keep an eye, we just let the kitten wander round the house. Take it slowly and never tell your cat off for their response. Single kittens take longer to integrate than a pair or more who can play & sleep together.

Prehfoan49 · 15/10/2023 15:07

Really just depends on the cat

I have 2 adult males ( unrelated and got them both as adults from a rescue ) theyve always got on,groom, play, sleep together

I got 2 new kittens 5 weeks ago. Cat A accepted them the same day, he grooms them, plays with them, let's them nurse off him. Cat B hates them,has slapped them a few times and hisses at them constantly

He will tolerate them being near him briefly but if they try to engage with him he tells them off

I keep them separate too but he goes out of his way to seek them out to hiss at them😅🤦‍♀️

Prehfoan49 · 15/10/2023 15:09

JessicaFletcherMSW

I'm glad you've said that about the dog crate as that's what my kittens sleep in at night. When they were smaller they had a large playpen too but they can get out of that now 😅