How can I help my new kitten get used to the kitten we already have?

marjaney: How can I help my new kitten get used to the kitten we already have?
We have a 9 week old kitten, she’s really playful and cuddly. We just got a n 11 week old today. Our little girl we named Ella, and we named the new kitten Max. Max has hissed at Ella and he Ella then back. Is this normal behavior for kittens just meeting eachother. I have never owned a cat before, I’ve always had dogs, so I was half expecting them to start playing right away. Will they become friends eventually, or I am better off giving Max back?
I am planning on getting them both fixed, yes when they are old enough. Also, we have lots of family members who have cats, so we are not w/o advice, I was simply posting here to get some advice from others. Only positive comments please, I don’t deal with negative people. Thanks so much!
Now Max has started in with this low growl. I bought another litter box since I heard they don’t like to share. But he did not use it, he went poop on the floor, and it was diarrhea. Is this still going to work itself out?

Answers and Views:

Answer by talarlo
Cats just do that. They will stop eventually. Hope you were planning on getting them fixed as soon as they are ready.

Answer by Jennifer R
They will become best friends. Give it time Max was just making certain Ella wasn’t going to beat him up first! They were setting the rules a little bit for each other. They will not be able to resist playing and they will become the terrible two in no time. Wherever one goes the other will follow and vice versa. Ella will probably be the queen and Max her slave. Good luck and don’t give Max back Ella will come to love him.

Answer by samanthabohon
This is totally normal. I have 3 cats(one of them is max too) and I got them all at different times. Here is what you can do. Put one cat in a carrier and let the other cat smell around the carrier. Then, switch them, and repeat this as much as possible for the next few days. I promise you this works. Just make sure not to force the cats on each other, also, give them rewards/treats, the hissing will stop, and you will be so happy when they start playing together. If you need more tips or anything feel free to e-mail me.

Answer by Kendra G
i have 4 cats and i went through this with each one i introduced. eventually they all found their preferred place to hang out in the house and tend to leave each other alone. every once in a while a couple of them will sleep on the same bed next to each other and i don’t have a problem.

the worst is when they just decide to fight though, and they run through my house and yelp and hiss at each other, but it only happens like once a week, and they’re done in a minute.

Answer by old cat lady
They should have a ball together. The hissing and posturing wont’ last long. Kittens always decide it is much more fun to play (rough at times) than fight!

Answer by lbeyer5800
With animals, it’s all about smell. Keep them separate for a few days, bringing the new kitten out for short periods of time and let them explore each other under a door. When new kitten is around, make sure old kitten has treats and lots of love. It’s a good thing when new kitten is around. I wish you had done some research before doing this–it’s never good to bring a new animal into a home without a clue as to how to do it. They will get used to each other quickly because they are young. With older cats, it takes at least two weeks. Make sure you are on top of food, water and litter, because two eats and ****s more than one. Hissing is normal. You would not like a new person coming into your house and taking over, would you? Give them both time and plenty of love. They will be best buddies soon.

Answer by Jo
Oh, yes, that is perfectly normal. It would be a very special thing for your cats to have gotten along immediately. I ignored the behavior when my cats first met, except to listen out in case they started fighting (you never know). After a few weeks, it wasn’t constant hissing and growling at the sight of the other, but it still happened some. Now they’re friends that play together and sometimes even sleep cuddled next to each other. When I first brought Abbie home (our latest), I told both of them that they both lived in the house together and they didn’t have to be friends but I expected them to be nice. (No, I’m not crazy. Animals understand way more than most people give them credit. Treat them as if they’re intelligent because they are.) I really think our attitude helped more than anything else. Try not to favor one over the other, which can be hard even when you don’t mean to. Give them time to adjust and to set their boundaries with each other. Try not to make a big deal over the hissing because one or both of them may use that to get your attention (especially if you tell the hissing one to leave the other alone). If you had 2 males, I might say you’d have to give Max back, but since Ella’s a girl, you should be fine in time (days or even weeks).

Answer by GP
Perfectly normal! I had an older cat, my daughter ‘found’ one and her husband-to-be was moving and needed a temp. place for his 2 kitties. I was terrified – I was sure the little one (the one my daughter found) was going to be killed by the three adult ones (that did NOT like each other at first). Within a few days, all were playing (except my older one – too old for the kitten).

Answer by oh_shotdown
It’s just cats being cats. When they’re really young (like before 4 weeks) they’re more accepting of strange things, but once they get older and they get used to a certain situation, it’s hard for them to adjust. It just takes a little time. Since they’re so young you shouldn’t have a problem with them developing a friendship