Cat Owners... I need your help!

[Kelsie]

<b>I have a problem and need some advice. I have a cat that is about 10 months old. Yesterday, a friend found out that someone was going to kill 8 adorable kittens and rescued them. Well, I don't have to tell you that I now have a new 4-week-old kitten.

The problem is my other cat is totally out of control. He HATES the new kitten and is even attacking me when I pet him. I can't let this go on much longer but my DD was heartbroken when I told her we would have to get rid of the new kitten if our older one won't accept him.

My question is will this get any better? How long should I wait? What if anything can I do to help?

I fell so bad that my older kitten is acting like this, he is usually such a sweetheart and now you can’t walk past him without him growling at you. </b>

 

[hockeymom7691]

Hopefully your older kitty will get use to the kitten. I brought a stray into my house and my old cat (he was about 4 then) hated that new kitty. He would hiss, etc.

One day I came home to find them both cuddling on my bed. I'm not so sure that my older kitty was thrilled with the idea, more like he tolerated it.

I did end up getting rid of the stray though because he was spraying on everything.

 

[minnie56]

That happened to us when we added a new kitty as a companion for ours. He went on a hunger strike and was beside himself. He even started vomiting and that necessitated 2 emergency visits to an animal hospital.

I kept the new kitty 'sequestered' in a bedroom all the time and myself and daughters would go in and play with her all the time. After a few days...we started to bring her out for short periods of time gradually extending the time.Eventually, except for when we were not at home and at night...we could leave her out all the time. Basically we did this until kitty was large enough to defend herself if the need arose.My original cat started eating again after a week..I guess he thought she wasn't worth dying over!

It takes patience, lots of extra hugs to kitty number 1 and sooner or later...it likely will all work out.Since then..I have added yet another cat to the home and all is fine! Good Luck!

 

[JKanownik]

Everyone has offered such great advice already, I don't have much to add, but good luck!

 

[FroggyinArk]

the seperate room thing workswell,, we also added acat or 2 and that the wauy we do it, we let the oldest lear nt the new ones through a dor or window till she want s to let them inside her space.

 

[ginna74]

we have an older cat and hubby resqued a kitten...well she hated her!!!! and she was fixed too! well a few years later...and they still hate each other... always hissing... I was so hoping for the cudling I have seen in the past with other cats. I hate to see them fighting.. but now the little one isn't so little lol and can defend herself

 

[Disfan1]

Give more attention to Kitty #1. He must consider himself to be the dominant cat in the house so he thinks he deserved more petting, first dibs on food, etc... I used this strategy with 2 cats we adopted about a month apart & everybody was happy.

 

[emmagata]

Get a cage! (one that's large enough of course) Keep all of their stuff in there. Litter pan, water, food and a toy or two.

Put the kitten in the cage for about 2 weeks or so. This will let the old cat slowly get used to the idea that the kitten isn't leaving. Don't put the cage in the middle of the action but don't seclude them off in a room somewhere either. Be sure to spend a little time with them in the morning and in the evening.

We got a new cat (a few years ago) and this was the best way to introduce the new cat to the old cat. They get along pretty well now.

 

[yodasdabomb]

This happened with my dog when we first brought the Kitten home, to solve the problem we did the same thing. We kept the kitten in the garage or in another room when the dog was in the house. Also we put the dog on a leash every now and then and let the cat have free reign so that the dog would see the cat was welcome in the house and in the yard too. Now they play together all the time and sometime I even find them sharing a bed! So don't worry they animals will hopefully get along in time, it is basic jealousy. Imagine it from you 10month old cat's perspective! He/She is used to being the center of attention and waited on hand and foot, and now there is someone else getting cuddled waited on and paid attention too. Take it one step at a time and it will most likely get better. You may also want to look online at the various pet websites. I know I have seen some out there that discuss and give advice for this very same issue. Good Luck!

 

[Danauk]

I agree with the seperate room idea. We did this when we got a new cat. Then we let the kitten into the room where the other cat could see it from behind a glass door so he could get used to him. Then we finally allowed them in together. My two have never been jealous of one another and are now inseperable.
Good luck.

 

[Virgo10]

Originally posted by minnie56
That happened to us when we added a new kitty as a companion for ours. He went on a hunger strike and was beside himself. He even started vomiting and that necessitated 2 emergency visits to an animal hospital.

I kept the new kitty 'sequestered' in a bedroom all the time and myself and daughters would go in and play with her all the time. After a few days...we started to bring her out for short periods of time gradually extending the time.Eventually, except for when we were not at home and at night...we could leave her out all the time. Basically we did this until kitty was large enough to defend herself if the need arose.My original cat started eating again after a week..I guess he thought she wasn't worth dying over!

It takes patience, lots of extra hugs to kitty number 1 and sooner or later...it likely will all work out.Since then..I have added yet another cat to the home and all is fine! Good Luck!

What minnie56 said. Separate for at least 4 to 7 days. Bring out for only short periods of time with supervision. Give LOTS of extra attention to Kitty #1.

After a while the smell of the new kitten will be in the house and kitty #1 won't look at it as such a threat.

Just curious... did anyone make a report to the animal control people on the monster who was going to kill these babies??

Roberta

 

[#1 DOUG Live Fan]

Absolutely! Do the separate rooms thing. Don't get rid of the kitty! There's no need for that.

We've been through this scenario three times. The first time we brought home a kitten, our cat became a crazed feline that we had never seen before. We took the kitten back immediately. So sorry we didn't know how to handle it, and we regret that we didn't do the separate room plan.

The next time we knew better because we had done some reading on the subject. You should keep the kitten separated for a good 4 days at the least. You should be able to get a sense of when it will be comfortable to let the kitten out all the time.

Don't leave them alone together until you are sure everything is peaceable between them.

Good luck!

Liz

 

[Kelsie]

<b>Thank you! I received some great suggestions here and in PM. I have to admit my first reaction was to get rid of the new kitten. I just hate seeing what this has done to my older kitten. But, my DD is already attached to her and it makes it all the more difficult. The new kitten is so young and needs so much attention and I am making a special effort to pay a lot of attention to the older cat but he is making it very difficult.

The kitten is separated from the cat most of the time. He is in a large cage in my DD's room. The older kitten is not allowed in there (due to a Hamster he was determined to eat lol). We are letting the kitten out off and on (she sure can scream ).

I am going to give it more time.

Also, yes we did call Animal Control. They took the remaining Kittens and the information on the previous owner. I am not worried about the others, they are so cute and I am sure someone will adopt them.

Thanks again!!</b>

 

[cynsaun]

Just keep your chin up! When we got our younger cat, the older cat went bonkers. I would lay in bed at night during that first week thinking that I had made a HUGE mistake. But, after about 2 weeks, they would actually walk around eachother, with no more hissing. After about a month, they were playing together and getting along great! You'll see, it will all work out ok! Good luck!

 

[jinxed]

When my 2 cats (sisters) were a year old, I brought a kitten home and at first the sister's would hiss and fight with the kitten. Eventually, they did start to get along. I think it took about two weeks. They are now 5 and 4 yrs old.

I wouldn't worry especially since the older cat is still a kitten too and will adapt easier than if it was a few years old. They will probably end up good friends.

Think of it like children. When a baby is brought home, the older child needs time to adapt.

 

[Roxter79]

Like other people have said. Seperate them for a week or a bit less. Love on the older cat often. Let thekitten walk around the house seperate. Soon the older cat will get used to his scent and hopefully like him.


Hope I could help

 

[Virgo10]

Originally posted by WebmasterKelsie
<b>
Also, yes we did call Animal Control. They took the remaining Kittens and the information on the previous owner. I am not worried about the others, they are so cute and I am sure someone will adopt them.


</b>

YAY! Good for you. :thewave:

Roberta

 

[katerkat]

I agree with separation - it worked perfectly for my two boys. Let them get to know each other's scents, and slowly bring them together.

It also could be a shock to the older cat to learn he's a cat. When my sister got a kitten, my parents' cat learned that he was not a People. That upset him more than Janey did!

 

[disfountainofyouth]

What sex is the Kitten? Usally an established male cat will accept a female
before another male.