Evening everyone, I adopted a 2/3 month old kitten yesterday from a lady who was giving them away, so I brought him home yesterday. He's behaving really well, he's very sweet etc., no problems with him at all. However, the problem is that I have a 2-year-old female cat and she’s just not accepting the new arrival; as soon as she sees him, she hisses and growls at him, and sometimes even at me. Since yesterday, whenever she spots him, she runs to the window and meows to be let out, which I've let her do yesterday and today. What should I do? Does anyone have any advice on how to get my cat to get along with the kitten? Should I keep her inside tomorrow so she can socialise with the kitten?
Thanks for your help.
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
Don't worry, it's a normal reaction. I've always left the newcomer with my first cat. At the start, the resident cat will hiss at the little one, but things always sort themselves out in the end. If you separate them, the adjustment period will just take longer. If your cat is hissing at the little one, it's your cat you need to reassure, not the kitten. Don't tell her off; on the contrary, comfort her with some strokes even if it feels a bit counter-intuitive. To start with, keep their food bowls far apart and move them slightly closer each day until they're side by side. When doing this, I'd give them some nice wet food so they associate being close together with something they enjoy. By the end, the bowls were so close they were touching while eating without any signs of aggression.
Evening, it’s been 2 weeks now and there’s still no improvement. My cat doesn't think twice about attacking the kitten, running towards him, hissing and swiping at him, even though he isn't aggressive at all. What should I do? Thanks.
Hi. Has the situation between your cats improved at all? Thanks in advance.
Don't worry, it's a perfectly normal reaction. I've always let the newcomer stay with my resident cat. At first, the older cat hisses at the little one, but it always sorts itself out in the end. If you keep them separate, the adjustment period will only take longer. However, if your cat is hissing at the little one, it’s her you need to reassure, not the kitten. Don’t tell her off; instead, give her plenty of strokes to comfort her, even if it feels a bit counter-intuitive. To begin with, keep their food bowls far apart and move them a little closer each day until they're side by side. When doing this, I used to give them some nice wet food so they’d associate being close with a positive treat. Eventually, the bowls were so close they were touching while they ate, without any signs of aggression.
Hi there, it’s been 2 weeks now and there’s still no improvement. My cat doesn't hesitate to attack the kitten, charging at him while hissing and giving him a swipe, even though he isn’t being aggressive at all. What should I do?
Hi, This situation isn't surprising, but generally you have to let them get on with it so they can both find their feet. Obviously, if you see things getting out of hand, you need to separate them – the goal isn't for the kitten to be terrified of the older one – but otherwise, it's best to let them work it out in their own way. Best regards, Vincent
Hi, I’m checking back in to give you an update: it’s been 5 days now since we adopted the little kitten, and my cat is still hissing and growling at him, though a bit less than before. At first, she was hiding away a lot, but now she’s coming out to be with us a bit more. However, my cat has been eating very little since the kitten arrived (she only eats a small portion of dry food once a day). What should I do?
Hi,
The idea is to keep the kitten in a separate room for now so your adult cat doesn’t feel like she’s being pushed out of her own home. Cats are territorial, and your resident cat is clearly reacting badly to the new setup. You should take things slowly and let her see the kitten gradually, while leaving a piece of bedding with the kitten’s scent on it for her to get used to.
The theory that you should just ‘let nature take its course’ has led to many adult cats running away, sometimes for good, after the arrival of a new kitten. It’s your adult cat who is under a lot of stress right now, so make sure you prioritise her in everything.
Hi,
This is a pretty common situation, but generally, you just need to let them get on with it so they can both find their feet. Obviously, if you see things getting out of hand, you'll need to separate them – you don't want the kitten to end up being terrified of the older one – but otherwise, it's best to let them sort things out in their own way.
Best regards,
Vincent
