Introducing 15 month old cat to kitten

KKkitty

So yesterday I got a new kitten and my older cat is not taking it well. I know they're not going to get on straight away but has anyone got any advice or tips?

Ms Doubtfire1

Keep them in separate rooms for a while until the kitten has taken on the general smell of the house. Once you re-unite them, make sure both have enough space to get away and / or keep their distance.Time will do the rest. :P

morgana

You are introducing an intruder to a settled cat - she is not going to be thrilled about it. Keep them separated for now and only introduce the kitten to the resident cat slowly.
Rub the kitten with a cloth and let the resident cat sniff it. Let them see each other but not too close.
Make sure the resident cat has her own space and usual routine. Give her lots of attention. Kitten most likely is boisterous and does not understand catiquette yet.
Let them see each other for a few minutes each time, then take the kitten away again - increase face time slowly.

KKkitty

Thanks for the advice. I have been keeping them apart and feeding separately too. My older cat's routine isn't greatly upset but she seems a bit out of sorts.

Shivi111

I'd imagine she is out of sorts because she knows there is an intruder in the building!

Do some scent swapping, let kitten sleep on a blanket/ tee-shirt and swap this with cats bedding - this will help with getting used to the kittens scent.

While its good to keep them separated they do also need to meet to work out how to interact, we've always been very lucky and after a day or two of hissing and complaining they figure it out.

When they do meet, expect some hissing & spitting ( & our big cats always 'bop' the kittens on the head). Don't panic too much about this, or raucous games of chasing, you will know very quickly if its a real fight!
Supervise their interactions for the first while & until you are sure they are more or less getting along don't leave them alone together.

Also, if you haven't yet make sure you have enough litter trays - one per cat plus one.

Ms Doubtfire1

I've got 23 cats here so done a lot of introduction - in the end it always works out, they are either friends or ignore each other.Don'#t worry too much.:D

intheclouds

Sometimes it just doesnt work.

We tried for 18 months to introduce 2 cats. One of them would have been ok with it but the other was actually getting sick from the stress. We followed all of the instructions to the letter, scent swaps, site swaps, being able to see each other through a crack in the door, eating near each other. Basically one cat would just shut down and scream until we removed the other one. Even with site swapping, she screamed until we let her out of the other cats room (and the other cat wasnt in it!).

The vet advised that sometimes it just doesnt work out.

Our one who refused to co-operate is a bit of an odd cat though and she may have been treated badly as a kitten. She kind of hates everyone and everything, people, other cats, strange items in the house etc...

Anyway, best of luck with it!