How do I introduce a new kitten to a yr old cat?

Chelsea B: How do I introduce a new kitten to a yr old cat?
Everthing I’ve read has said that a good way for them to get used to eachother is by first giving them their own space. Seperate room, separate food. my boyfriend and I live in a small one bedroom apartment, so we don’t really have the room to seperate two cats and keep things under control. Theyve already seen eachother today when we brought the kitten home, and Phoebe(old cat) is not happy. And as I’ve mentioned, we live in a small space, so its pretty obvious to the old cat when we show any attention to the kitten, which i know is bad. So, since I’ve sabotages the proper introduction between cats that everything suggests, is there anywhere I can start now to help our two little friends become friends? Any advice would help greatly.

Answers and Views:

Answer by skittle_muffin
Here is what I did, I left the kitten in his little crate and let my older cat loose in the house… after a while of being pissy sniffing, and getting to know it he just got used to the kitten

Answer by footballboi
very carefuly hold on to the kitten and then u hold its paws back so it doesn’t scratch the older cat and have someone else hold the other cat

Answer by plagam_extremam_infligere
i have 3 cats 2 are ferals I got gifted with my daughters kitten and had to introduce him into our family when the 2 ferals were about 2 and 1 and hadn’t really been with me all that long either don’t force anything an older cat usually can recognize a kitten as pretty harmless if they hiss its all good its just establishing a boundary and if they never get to be good friends at least there shoud be an acceptable coexistence pay attention to BOTH equally maybe a little more to the older one for awhile after all hasn’t she shown her love for you over time, now its your turn to be there for her DO NOT USE A SQUIRT GUN THAT IS IGNORANT AND IT IS CRUELTY AND NOT FAIR TO THE CAT WHO HAS BEEN USED TO HER OWN SPACE ALL THIS TIME UP TIL NOW

Answer by naebaberzzz
watch them very carefully. put them in different rooms when you leave the room/house. get that squirt gun ready. your older cat will eventually get used to your new baby.

Answer by briebrie93
It will take many weeks or months for your cat to stop hissing and growling. What I did was I put the kitten in a room (with food and a litterbox) and let the year old cat go loose around the house, he will get curious and sniff around the door and hiss of course, but it will get used to the cat’s smell and eventually they will either get along or ignore each other. Just don’t force them to do anything like meet or look at each other, let them do that on their own.

Answer by Fireant
Put the kitten in the bathroom with the door closed. Keep food and water in there. Your old cat will probably sniff under the door to get the scent of the kitten. But this will keep the old cat from “stomping” on the kitten. When you hold the kitten, let old cat sniff the kitten, but pet the old cat while you are holding the kitten. I’ve done this before, and it took our old cat about 1 week to get used to the new arrival. She still doesn’t have anything to do with the younger cat, but she doesn’t attack it either. Also, if the older cat sniffs of the kitten without trying to slap at it, then praise her, and give her a treat, she’ll get the idea.

Answer by hockeytowngurl20
i was in the same situation. just leave them both wander around and sooner or later just like my cats did they will get along. just give them some time.

Answer by ncaachamp
I’ve gone through this with my cats in the past. I know your place is small, but there must be some room (even a bathroom) where you can isolate the new cat. For me it has usually taken about 3 days. Remember not only are the two cats getting used to each other but the new kitten is also getting used to a new environment. You may have to get used to some meowing for a few days and even after a few days be ready for some serious hissing and growling when they do meet face to face. They may even wrestle or fight until the older cat has established dominance. Hopefully after that they will at least tolerate each other. By the way my two cats are brother and sister but were seperated from each other for two years. When they did live together again they hated each other. But now they play all the time and get along great.

Answer by Blaze
I have 2 older cats and I just got a new kitten.
The only way is to leave them be.. but of course keep an eye on them. Yes they will hiss, and growl, but cats are great and will best of friends before you know it. Both of mine hissed and growled the first day. The 2nd day my middle boy was playing like crazy with the baby and both were loving it! My oldest took a day extra, but after that was ok.

As for the person that locked the kitty in a cage……
The only time you put her/him in the crate is on the way to the vet, or for a car trip. They are NOT wild animals that need to be caged.,.. they are loving domesticated animals.. how’d you like it if you were put in a cage when you meet new people… SHAME ON YOU!!

Answer by Minina
That’s the million dollar question! It’s hard for the one with more seniority, since he/she was the king/queen and will have to share his/ her kingdom! I’d start by placing the new one in your arms by the other one. Observe your other cat’s reactions/signals: if he/she gowls, better wait a little longer. Give equal attention to both of them and it’ll be only a matter of time. Mine had a real hard one accepting a little female one that was abandoned and he would refuse to take her in, putting her through misery, to my surprise, one day I caught my cat grooming her! Remember that cats are like people: they have their own “personality” or ways. So, observe and good luck!

Answer by lovemycats0
A cat that is just a year old is pretty much still a juvenile and will be happy to have the company. He may react, initially, by spitting and/or swatting, but it shouldn’t be too serious.

You say you have a small apartment, so let me give you a suggestion. Just bring in the kitten in the carrier. Let it sit there for a while so that the older one can get a good sniff and vice versa. After a bit, you can open the door to the carrier and the kitten can chose to come out when it feels safe enough or run back if threatened. Just put the carrier in a corner near the litterbox and it should be fine by tomorrow evening.

They really don’t try to seriously injure one another in the usual course of geting acquainted. It more a show of force to let the little one know who is boss and the little one standing up for itself, so as not to appear weak and vulnerable.

They will be great friends really soon.

Enjoy your little family. The less you stress about it and the more relaxed you are, the more relaxed they will be. Do not use a water bottle on the older cat when he is near the kitten, or he will blame the kitten for it and they will never be friends. He will associate the kitten with something unpleasant, and that is the last thing you want.

Answer by K.B.
As you can see, people have different ideas based on different experiences. And cats have different personalities. Your two cats are closer in age than what I went through, so yes it will likely work out.

But I would still try putting the new one in the bathroom while your’e gone during the day, and if they don’t do too well while your’e trying to sleep.

You can let them “mix it up” while you are home watching them.

Do give your “older” cat a lot of attention.

Don’t have them share the same food bowl, water bowl or cat box. For cleanliness reasons, you should have at LEAST 2 cat boxes anyway.

Keep their nails trimmed to reduce injuries.

Temporary use of a crate or carrier, just for the first few days, and not all day long, is probably OK. Make sure you have 2 carriers in case you ever have to take them to the vet at the same time. Or in case you ever have to leave your place in an emergency.

Good luck -but it does usually work out.

Answer by Sherri C
Most experts will tell you to keep them in separate rooms. What I did when I brought my 5th cat home is put her in a cat playpen in the living room. That way she could see the others and they could see her and they could check each other out, still keeping the newcomer safe. On the third day, I would let Christabelle out of the pen, closely supervised and act like her being there was no big deal. Within four or five days, it was all good.

I know how it is with older cats and kittens..we rescued three ten-day old orphan kittens and our 20 year old female was NOT happy. She never really liked the boys, but she finally accepted the one female in the litter.