Introducing a new kitten to my old cat

My lady and I have been considering adopting a kitten for months now. There are hundreds around here that need good homes and we're both cat lovers.

We currently live with one cat whom I took from a bad home about 7 years ago. And I think the previous deadbeats mentioned she was around a year old. So, we figure she's about eight.

I've never introduced a young kitten to an older cat, but we would badly like to take in a kitten. When I first got this one, I had two dwarf bunnies. She was kind of hostile towards them. Would swipe at them through the cage, etc. The bunnies later died as bunnies do.

She's always kind of been a crabby cat, as she wasn't treated well before I got her, and I don't really know what she'd be like around other animals. Of all the times I took her to a pet shop to have her nails trimmed she only once was crabby. A dog was being loud and aggressive by my feet and my cat, in her cat taxi I was holding up, sprayed the dog and the vet (who was trying to restrain the dog).

She has softened a lot with age and I like to think, or hope, that a fun young companion would give her a little new life and be fun for her. I've read it can.

Does anyone have any experience introducing a young kitten to an old cat who has always had the house to themselves? Thoughts and advice much appreciated.

Thanks for reading

 

Yes, I have.....They suggest isolating new kitten or cat for a few days, and let the other cat or cats get used to a new being this way, but I never did it this way. I just put the new comer into the fold and supervised. I only have one bully cat here, but he bullies all of them anyway, and is constantly getting scolded by me. I cannot change his nature, though, as hard as I try. They also suggest giving the one that is already living with you extra attention when introducing a new cat into the fold. Good luck with your decision, whatever it may be.

 

I have never introduced a small kitten to an older cat used to living alone. However I have introduced a pretty BIG 11 month old male cat (who I wasn't worried about being beat up too bad) to a cat that I'd had for 10 years (lazy, fat, female cat)-BUT she was still used to being by herself or w just one other cat that we used to have that we had gotten as a kitten (same as her)... in any case, so, yea, I wasn't worried about her beating up the big 11 month old male tabby that we brought in. But I was worried about them not getting along...fighting, etc.
So, we introduced them slowly-when we brought the new cat into the room that our other cat was in, we made sure to stay there w them while they sniffed/investigated each other and we only allowed them to stay together that initial time for about 5 to 10 mins. - then when they started to hiss and bat at each other we separated them.... brought the new cat into one room with doors shut and let him stay in there, get used to that room for a while, while both cats could sniff each other from under the door and get used to each other's smell/presence...

And. what we ended up doing was basically giving them just supervised visits, becoming longer and longer w time for just under a week... by that point, they were getting along basically and avoiding each other mostly instead of acting like they would fight.

I would do a similar thing if a cat and a kitten... only I would make the transition period a bit longer w a very small kitten for fear of the kitten being hurt if the cat does want to fight. I also would probably introduce the kitten in a cat carrier first... so they can sniff each other and check each other out w.out the kitten being hurt. And then I would just take as much time as necc. w. supervised visits between the two...prolly holding the kitten in my lap while the cat sniffed, etc.---and just play it by ear depending on how the cat acts. I def. wouldn't let them be alone together for a little while though. So, separate rooms w doors shut and sep. litter boxes/food/water for a little while.

Also, for the cat I would make sure, to ease the cat's transition that I gave the cat just as much attention and cuddles and stuff as the kitten to minimize any jealousy issues. That's important.

Good luck!

 

I suggest getting a medium sized burlap sack and putting both cats in there for a period of 23.75 minutes. Everything will be worked out by then.

But seriously.....I had one cat for years and she was pretty mean to most people. I never really intended on having another cat around her but it happened and she was fine. She just stayed to herself for a while. Every once in a while there would be an issue but it didn't last long.

Funny story about how we ended up with another cat. We came home one day and found a cat in our driveway. It didn't look like a stray but it had no collar. We took it around to the neighbors but it didn't belong to any of them. We decided to keep it in the house for a few days in case anyone came around asking about it. After the first night with this cat, I woke up and came downstairs and found a shitload of cats in my house. Kittens actually. I was stunned so I sat on the couch and looked around at all these cats. This was my thought process "Where the hell did all these cats come from? The doors are locked....maybe that cat had kittens overnight.....no....their eyes are open and they aren't newborns....gremlins?....no....practical joke?......damn....how many cats are there?" After a while I noticed that a window screen was torn. The mom must have torn it to get out and retrieve her kittens. I can only imagine her thinking "Sweet! I'm going to get to crash here. Better go get the family!" Wrong, kitty!! I had to call the animal shelter to come get them. No way could I keep all of those cats. But they said the kittens were old enough that they could be separated from the mom so we kept the smallest one of the bunch. While our older cat probably never really liked her, she did learn to tolerate the younger cat.

 

I've had many cats come and go into my life and so I have introduced many cats and never had any problem. Never with any technique, really. I just would sit the kitten in my lap or near me and let the older cat sniff the other. Usually then the older cats mouth opens and maybe hiss because it's a new smell in the house. I think it was always only a day or two for my cats to become good friends and just lay around and get along. Then again, I've never had any cats with any attitude problem beyond what you'd expect from any cat. My cats have always been pretty mellow.. but I guess you don't really know how your cat would react. Maybe (s)he just didn't like bunnies. Your cat may enjoy the company of another cat. Maybe some cats are loners just like some people are. If you really think an addition might stress or upset your cat then I would suggest not getting a kitten. But from my experience, you should be fine and the cats will eventually warm up to each other or at least learn to live together.

 

Whenever I get new fish I leave them in the bag but put them in the tank for 10 minutes.
My shark Stürm will swim up to them and be like 0.0 fuck you looking at?
And the new fish learn quickly who's boss xD

 

The main thing for me that sticks out about this post (the OP) is introducing a larger CAT (that is used to being the only cat) to a small KITTEN. That's why, for me, I would have concern that if the cat does attack the kitten...and face it, even the nicest cats fight when they don't know the other feline, that the kitten could get seriously injured or worse... so that's why I would def use caution in introducing them to each other slowly, like I suggested and something similar, til you see how they react to each other.

 

Cat psyche 101.

When introducing new cats to a household with existing cat(s)...

There will be spats, rarely serious but cats set their own hierarchy so expect it. The older cat will rarely cause actual harm to another, esp younger, cat... BUT it's gonna sound like it. Just keep an eye on them but try not to intervene.

Don't side with the new cat and treat the old cat the way you always have. You don't want to break the bond you have with it. It's best to have someone else bring the new cat or sneak it in so the old cat doesn't blame you... Seriously. Best to "ignore" the new cat other than the obvious food water litterbox until the cats are more comfortable together.

It really should only take a day, maybe two...


Some older cats will not accept another cat, no how, no way. Usually this would be seen as a constant traumatizing of the new cat, again not really damaging them other than a scratch or two.. but not letting the new cat alone at all. What you should do here is separate them and try to find a good new home for the kitten. Sad, but true.

Being independent like they are you can't force cats into situations they don't want. Most cats are actually very social and want to have another cat around. They get to plan your demise together ... "You trip them at the top of the stairs and I'll open the window on the landing... Then we'll raid the food bag."