LoveToKnow Cats:AllComments

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Hi Tracey,

I think there is hope that they'll get along. Most cats adjust after a few weeks of having the new animal in the household. However, right now your concern needs to be for the kitten, because she is so much smaller and you do not want any harm to come to the kitten during a fight. The good news is that both cats are fairly young and will likely adapt quickly.

You can certainly go in the room and pet the kitten and give her attention. I know it is painful to hear the kitten cry, but you are accomplishing a couple of things by putting the kitten in a separate room. Not only are you helping the older cat adjust to the kitten's presence, but you are training the kitten on where she needs to go to use the litter box.

If you follow the steps outlined above for introducing the cats, I think you'll eventually have better success. It is very normal for a current cat to hiss and carry on when a new pet enters the home. Most get over it with time.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I introduced a new female kitten (7 weeks) to our cat (9 months) and didn't realize we were supposed to keep them separate. We have had the kitten for 3 days our older cat is not happy. She hisses, hits, bites, etc. and when this happens we separate them but in general the kitten has been roaming in a large space. Now that I have read your responses above I noted that they should be in different rooms. I have done this today but the kitten continues to cry and the older cat sits by the door all day long. Will these two ever get along and if so what do I need to do in order to make this happen?

-- Contributed by: Tracey

Hi Lorrain,

It's important to introduce the older cats to the new cat slowly. You should keep the kitten isolated in his own room with a separate litter box, food and water. After a week or two, put him in a cage and take that cage into the main living area where you spend most of your time. Leave him inside that cage for an hour at a time for a few days and then take him back to his room.

After a few days, go ahead and bring him out for an hour, but after that hour don't take him back to his room but open the cage door and allow him to come out. Watch the other cats carefully and see how they react. At any sign of aggression, the kitten goes back to his room until the next time you try. You can try this several times in a day, if you want.

You may have to repeat this for several weeks before the other cats tolerate his presence. Some cats are more resistant than others.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi Andrea,

If all the cats are neutered, then they should adjust with time. They may never be best friends, but your goal is for them to all live in peace and happily. The situation is still new, so I'd give it a few more weeks and see what happens. Try to let them interact as much as possible without putting the kittens in harm's way. I wouldn't leave them together without supervision at this point. Wait until the kittens are big enough to defend themselves. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

hi, i have bought a 6 week old male kitten home. i have two older cats one male one female, both of the older cats growl and hiss at him. the cats are not coming near me and won't let me pet them. i have a small house so i can't keep them separt. if this goes on i will have to take kitten back to pound

-- Contributed by: lorrain

I have two male neuter cats, one is about 6 years old (Tigre), the other one is about 4 years old (Smoky), they started to wander my back yard 3 years ago and finally became mine, so they go outside sometimes. About 4 weeks ago, I brought home 2 kittens (1 male Charlie and 1 female Dora), when they came home, they had their own room set up with food and their own little box. I was rubbing them with a towel and then letting the resident cats smell it, but it did not seem to work. The kittens are now exploring the entire house and they are so curious about the older cats, but Smoky and Tigre are still very upset. Tigre has been disappearing for a couple of days and when he comes home he does not want to come upstairs( that is where his food is) so I put some food downstairs and he is coming once in a while and staying for a day or so, but he does not dare to come upstairs. Smoky on the other hand, wasnt eating because I had his food in the kitchen and from there he was able to see the door where the kitties are and I guess that was making him nervous , so I moved his food to his safe room and he is now eating, the problem is that when he comes in he goes directly into his room, he does not want to lay on the couch or walk around the house like he used to. Ive tried to let the little ones meet face to face with him, but he still hisses a lot. What else can I do??? I want to have my happy cats back and I dont want to have to take back Dora and Charlie, they are very attached to us now. Please help! Thank You.

-- Contributed by: Andrea

Hi Natasha,

Siamese are small and lean typically. You may also want to look at Munchkins for a smaller and unique breed. How affectionate the cat is will depend on several factors, such as personality and how much you socialize the cat as a kitten. Look to the personality of the parents as an indicator. If choosing a kitten, try to pick one that enjoys being held.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

can any1 please tell me some shot haired breeds that are friendly, affectionative and don't grow too big.

-- Contributed by: Natasha

Hi Jaimie,

Some cats have a really hard time with change and Siamese as a breed seem to not like change at all. I would just watch them for a few days and separate if necessary. More than likely they will adjust once they get used to the kitten's presence in your home.

Make sure that you introduce them slowly to the kitten, especially until he is old enough to protect himself from any attacks.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi, I live in a fairly small two bedroom apartment with a roommate and my boyfriend we have two female siamese cats that are sisters and are about a year and a half old, they have always gotten along very well together but just tonight my roomate brought home a 4 or 5 month old male kitten all animals have been spayed and neutered and we are keeping the male away from them for right now but the strange thing is that the two girls just started being very aggresive toward eachother hissong and growling and it seems likely they may even be willing to fight, this seems very unusual and i was wondering if and what i can do to stop this behavior.

-- Contributed by: Jaimie

Hi Donna,

I'm sorry you're going through this. It is possible he ran away, wandered to far, or was taken in by another family that hasn't seen your signs. I don't think he'd leave a comfortable home because of the new kitten. Cats can be pretty territorial. He'd likely just put the kitten in its place, instead.

One of the dangers with letting your cats outside is that there are a lot of dangers. There are coyotes, roaming dogs, cars, hawks and other cats. My hope is that your cat is actually in a safe environment and will make his way home to you. I once had a cat come home after a year.

My advice with the new kitten, and something I've done with my own cats in recent years, is to keep indoors if at all possible. Outside honestly is very dangerous for cats. If they aren't hurt or killed, then they can get in fights with cats and contract diseases for which there are no vaccines. Please keep us posted and let us know if he comes back. I hope he does!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi, I was wondering if is possible that by bringing home a new kitten, an older cat would run away? We had our cat for 6 years, he was so friendly and good natured. My daughter found him when he was about 4 weeks old inside the hood of our neighbors car. He was neutered and declawed. He loved to go outside and visit with our neighbors but always came inside to do his business. Well a few weeks ago my daughter found another lil new born kitten out back. A stray had a litter and this one must have been left behind, well she brought him inside and we put him the powder room and took him to the vet, after a clean bill of health we introduced him to our older cat who wanted no parts at all. all of a sudden our older cat started to act aloof and different he still went out for his daily walks but after a week he didnt come home. This has never happened in the 6 years he had him. We looked everywhere, asked everyone, posted signs contacted the spca it is like he just vanished. We live in an area that has a wooded area behind us. I am baffled as what happend him and can only think he ran away. but every one says no. any thoughts?

-- Contributed by: Donna

Hi Laurie,

Oh my! It sounds like you have your hands full. The good news is that the kitten is young enough to overcome some of these behaviors. Also, he may settle down later on after being neutered. Much of his reaction is likely playful in nature or based upon fear. Eight weeks is a little young to be taken from the mother cat, so he is likely scared to pieces.

You are absolutely right to isolate him and should actually do so for about a week before loosing him in the rest of the house. If he begins to attack or bite/scratch, return him to his room or large caged area immediately. Repeat, repeat and repeat until he learns.

Also, the positive reinforcement with the other cats is great. Do the same with him, when he finally shows the behavior you'd like. You are correct that cats respond best to praise.

Don't worry. Most of these situations work themselves out with a little time. If not, there are some other tools you can use. Just let us know. We'll be happy to help you brainstorm more ideas.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have 2-2 year old spayed female cats and I recently adopted an 8 week old male kitten who has his first set of shots(The same day) from my local vets office. When the vet tec put him into my arms he was very sweet and loving until I got him home. He became aggressive toward my other cats and me(Biting, Scratching and Hissing) When is comes to the kitten biting and scratching me I sternly tell him No! and put him in a smaller cat carrier for afew minutes as a time out! And I go and put some Hydrogen Peroxide on the scratches to prevent Cat Scratch Fever. One of my females(Grey coloured) is fine with the kitten! She just hisses @ the kitten and walks away and the other one(Calico)is alittle more aggressive toward the little guy, She hisses and growls and swats at the kitten! I have put the kitten in a cat carrier that is large enough to accomidate a small little box,bed and bowl of dry food. What I have done is give my 2 older cats praise,hugs and kisses and treats everytime they go up to the carrier without hissing and growling at the kitten even when he lungges at them. My question is am I doing the right things to teach the kitten that certain behaviors are not tolerated and introducing him to my other cats?

-- Contributed by: Laurie

Hi Sarah,

Boo had likely just adjusted to being in your household, when you bring another cat in. Even if she and Belle remember one another, it might take a while for them to warm back up and get used to the newness of the situation. The first thing I would do is to isolate them. Put Belle in a separate room. Each cat should have their own litter and food and water bowls anyway. Leave her there for about a week while Boo gets used to the scent of another cat in the home.

After a week, try letting her out see how they interact. Monitor them as they adjust to one another, isolating them when you are not at home to supervise. It can take quite a while for cats to adjust.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Hi there I have recently gotten a kitten from a family friend. her name is boo. We have had her alone for about a month and a half . We have decided to take her sister belle from the friend as well. Boo does not seemed to thrilled to have her in the house. She seems interested in playing but every time she gets close to belle she hisses at her then runs. She will also paw at her. They are from the same litter and they are about 5 months old. Is it to late for them to warm up to each other?? If not how do we get Boo to be friendlier?

-- Contributed by: Sarah

Hi Don,

Sometimes male cats can have health issues as they age with crystals forming in their urine. This will result in the cat urinating. Male cats will mark their territory, but since he has been neutered at such a young age, you may not have any problems at all.

Each cat should have a separate litter box. This will help prevent some of the issues your roommate is concerned with. Also, ask him to share some of his research with you because you aren't finding the same things and you just can't figure out where you're missing it. Tell him to email you links to sites or to print the articles out and show them to you. If he is just blowing smoke, he won't be able to come up with the information.

I think it will be fine if you keep the litter box clean and have more than one. Your other alternative is to get a new roommate :).

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have recently brought home a new 4-5 month old male kitten into a house with 2 adult females (1 is 3 years old the other 4). My roommate is insisting that even though they are all fixed he is going to urinate all over the house to mark his territory. Not only that, but that the females will do the same because of him being introduced into the house. He insists that his past experience and all the research he has done proves his view on the matter yet all the research i have done has said nothing of this.

The females have on occasion urinated on the landing where the most used litter box is but it is always when the litter box hasn't been cleaned in a timely manner. When it is cleaned every day they do not seem to do this.

I can understand the possibility of the the older cats urinated due to being stressed out from the new kitten but what he claims is far different than that. Am i just completely blind to what i'm finding in all my research or he he simply blowing smoke?

-- Contributed by: Don

Hi Suzanne,

It can take a while for cats to adjust to a new feline in the home, so be patient. You have made a good first step in giving them separate litter boxes and food bowls. This will cut down on the territorial issues quite a bit.

The other thing I would do is to isolate the new cat for one week. This will do a couple of things. First, it will teach him where his litter box and food bowls are located. However, it will also give your older cat time to get used to the new kitten.

You should then slowly introduce the new cat using the tips in the article Bringing a New Cat Home. Don't worry. Most cats take a little time but do adjust to one another. They may never be best buddies, but they can learn to co-exist peacefully. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have on on 9 mth girl who has been spayed i have just brought a 2 mth boy so she could have company. They are both house cats. They are constantely growlin and hissing at each other and on on coÃºple of Times she has gone to swipe him. The have separatÃ¨ food and litter trays but i just want them to get along!!

Suzanne

-- Contributed by: suzanne

Hi Alita,

There are several things you can do to ease the transition. First, you should contain the new pet to his/her own space for a minimum of one week. Make sure each cat has his/her own food bowls and litter boxes too. You can get even more tips in our article on bringing a new cat home.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

Recently A friend found 3 kittens in the wooded area near there house and now need to find homes for them. I would love to adopt a kitten, but the problem is that I have two 7-year-old cats at home. Neither of my current cats are at all mean, and we have other animals at home that they get along just fine with. I currently have a male, and female cat. The kittens that were found are a little over 2 months. I would like to adopt one of the 3. I have heard rumors that bringing a new kitten into a home with older cats is not a good idea because they might fight over dominence and space. Is this true? If so is it a good idea to bring a new kitten into the family? What could I do to prevent fighting between the cats and kittens? Also is there anything I could do to make them all feel comfortable together and get along without any fighting? Thank you!

-- Contributed by: Alita

Hi Emma,

I think it is probably better to do this while Harley is still young. Cats tend to get set in their ways, just like people. If you follow all the steps to ease the transition, the new additions to your household should integrate much more smoothly.

Please feel free to check back and let us know if you have any problems or need additional help.

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

We currently have a 6 month old neutered male cat named Harley. We recently adopted two kittens that will be ready to move into our home at the end of this month. We fully intend on introducing Harley to the two kittens slowly and follow all the steps given, such as seperate rooms and then placed into a plasitc crate etc........ However we are extremely concerned about the possible reaction we may get from Harley as he is still pretty young himself? Is is better to have him be younger rather then bring two new additions into our home when he is older????? I am also concerned about the fact we are not only adding one new addition to our family....we are adding two? Does adding two kittens make a huge difference, considering they are from the same litter and are coming into our home and meeting Harley at the same time? Thanks so much for any advice you can give me -Emma-

-- Contributed by: Emma

Hi, Paula,

You can find my answer on the page Ask the Cat Experts under "Cat Fights".

-- Contributed by: LoriSoard

I have a big problem that I sure hope you can help me with. My sister passed away last week and I agreed to take her cat "Prince" home to live with our family. He is very lovable to us and loves to talk, but he is very aggressive towards our other cats. I have brought two of our other cats home as strays and didn't have any problems, (just lucky?) the new cats were always kind of submissive but not Prince! I think he is really trying to live up to his name. He is attacking my other cats who all get along with each other. I know at first there is always the hissing back and forth but I never had trouble with the new cat attacking the cats that were already there. I have just started using the squirt gun but I was wondering if there was anything else I could do if this doesn't work? Im afraid it might change the behavior of my other cats who get along great with each other,but he was my sisters cat and I really want to keep him. My cats are all afraid of him and my kids are afraid he might hurt our other cats. I will be going back to work and Im afraid there might be a big fight while Im gone to work. Hope you can give me some advice. Thanks so much!

-- Contributed by: Paula
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