My cat wants to kill my kitten!

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Hi everyone, I'm having a massive problem with my 2-year-old male cat. Just to be clear, he's not been neutered yet (I've got him booked in for the end of July).\/p>

The issue is with a male kitten I've just rescued from the street, he's about 6 weeks old.\/p>

My older cat, TCHOUPI, had been off hunting for 8 days and came back yesterday. We've had the kitten, NEMO, for 5 days now.\/p>

So, this morning the big one came back and fell asleep with me. Then I decided to introduce him to his ‘new mate’ briefly, just so he could have a sniff before heading back outside as usual. (No, I didn't mess about waiting a week for their scents to mingle – I only waited a day, swapped some saliva and that was it. I've always done it this way and it's always gone fine with my cats! I didn't think for a second there'd be an exception... anyway...)\/p>

My older cat sniffed the kitten and started getting agitated, sniffing everything around him, and I could tell he was reacting strangely! He got more and more worked up, then suddenly lunged at the kitten and bit him! The kitten screamed, I scooped him up, and my cat tried to grab him. I put the kitten in a carrier and my cat was practically throwing himself at it, poking his paws through the bars like a maniac! He went mental, meowing and running around the house for me to give him the kitten back.\/p>

Later in the day, I tried again once they'd calmed down, and it was the same story. He grabbed the kitten's leg and wouldn't let go, even though I was holding him and the kitten was screaming!! I'm really, really scared and I don't know what to do...\/p>

In his temper, my cat even scratched my two Chihuahuas.\/p>

He usually heads straight back out, but now he's lurking outside the house, waiting for a door to open.\/p>

So, would getting my cat neutered stop this aggression?\/p>

He didn't seem himself when he came back; it's like those last 8 days of hunting really took it out of him... but does anyone have a solution, or has anyone been through something similar?? I'm already really attached to the kitten and I can't imagine rehoming him. And I love cats, so it really upsets me to think I won't be able to adopt any more because of Tchoupi!...\/p>

Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi everyone, first of all, thanks so much for your replies! I thought the idea of feeding the cats together was a good one, but unfortunately, it’s going to be tricky because my older cat hasn't been neutered yet. He only comes home about once a week, especially at this time of year with mating season in full swing. On top of that, he hunts, so he’s usually not even very hungry when he does show up! He isn’t prowling around the house at the moment, but it still means I can’t just leave the doors open as I please. I’ve always got to be on the lookout, but there we go... Keeping the kitten isolated isn't really a solution for me either for the same reason, so I only keep him separate at night and when the big cat pops in for an hour or so. Regarding what you mentioned about the ‘castration trial’, that could be a good idea if the price isn't too high; otherwise, I might as well just go ahead and get him snipped straight away 😊 I’ll definitely look into it! I’m still really nervous about putting them together again, but maybe once the kitten is all grown up, the older one won’t try to kill him. I realise it won't be easy, though, and there’ll probably be a few scraps. In any case, I won't be giving up on the little kitten no matter what. He’s part of the family now, so we’ll just have to find a way to make it work! I’ll keep all your tips in mind and give a few things a go 😉
    Translated from French
    ProvetoJuniorConseil
    Provetojuniorconseil Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    If it really is aggression, then neutering can indeed help reduce this behaviour. You could try a chemical neutering implant (which is temporary) before going for the actual surgery to see if the problem improves or if it gets worse. Just be aware that in the first few days after the implant, their behaviour often gets worse before it starts to calm down. You could also try diffusers like Feliway Friends, which work for some cats to soothe them and can help them get along better. If things don't improve, you could consult a veterinary behaviourist who should be able to give you some pointers to help you understand the situation and what to do. If your cat still can't stand the kitten despite your efforts, you might unfortunately have to think about rehoming the kitten for the wellbeing of both of them.

    That being said, I’d advise against letting them have contact so soon, especially since your cat goes outdoors. A 6-week-old kitten won't be properly protected against common feline infections yet. It's best to wait until they’ve been vaccinated and are fully protected to avoid any risk of illness.

    Have a good day,

    Anaïs

    Translated from French

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