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

New kitten bullying older cat

7 replies

byronsbrain · 01/06/2025 22:12

I’ve recently bought a kitten - she’s now 11 weeks old. We’ve done everything we were told to do when introducing her to the home and our existing cat who is around 4. Both are females.
The older cat was an RSPCA rescue who isn’t very sociable at all. When we first introduced them the older cat would growl and the kitten seemed to respect this boundary and move away. However as the weeks have progressed the kitten is now ruling the roost and chasing the older cat all around the house until the older cat hides.
The older cat is now reluctant to come inside, hides under the tv, tries to bite her own tail and has begun growling incessantly at everyone. She won’t stick up for herself at all and I feel I have done her a huge disservice by introducing a new kitten to her life and am feeling so guilty.
I am feeding them separately and they are in separate rooms at night - but during the day they are generally alone together.
Will it get better? Any advice? Thank you.

OP posts:
byronsbrain · 01/06/2025 22:13

This is the closest they will ever be amicably! Through a window!

New kitten bullying older cat
OP posts:
GlutesthatSalute · 01/06/2025 22:14

Persist. Be patient and loving. They'll get through.

AliceM456 · 01/06/2025 22:22

We did this recently and we found the tension eased off once the kitten could go outside. I think all the while the older cat is out and about the kitten has more time to establish indoors as her territory even though the older one was there first. I imagine you haven't had the kitten long, the kitten is probably just playing and trying to socialise. If you see them start to wash in eachother's company, that is a good sign. Older one for us was definitely avoiding and stressed for a while but then one day she gave a big sigh and I think she just kind of realised she couldn't keep up the adrenaline forever. Hopefully she will get used to her but it might be a case of taking things slow and making sure older one has nice places to be where kitten isn't.

Messycoo · 01/06/2025 22:26

You need to keep them separated and start the progress of reintroducing again.
your older cat needs to feel secure and that maybe putting the kitten in another room. It can take months for them to feel ok with one another.
most cats are solitary by nature.
I’m going through this process myself, all be it they are not kittens.
its now 2 months down the line and they are starting to accept one another and still have spats.
i feed them in separate rooms and try to make play time and down time with each of the cats again in separate rooms.

maybe ask CP for more advise, I’m sure they will be helpful .

byronsbrain · 02/06/2025 11:47

Thank you everyone. I’m hoping it alleviates with time and attention - I just feel so sorry for my older cat!

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 02/06/2025 11:50

Kittens are a PITA. Your older cat isn’t “sociable” so I’m not sure why you thought this was a good idea. Keep them separate for now.

faerietales · 03/06/2025 15:39

It won’t necessarily get better - and two females are notoriously hard to introduce, unfortunately.

I would separate them again completely and start over from scratch.

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