Introducing my young cats to eachother..

Ive just adopted another kitty, shes 5 months old and she only came home yesterday.

My other kitty is 6 months. Shes finding it very stressful. Both are girls and both are not spayed. I currently have the new cat shut into the spare/unused room with everything she needs, she hates this and is very noisy scratching at the door and mewing loads, she isnt shy and as soon as she got here she was running around exploring, coming to people for strokes etc. So really the only reason she is in the spare room is for Pixie to get used to her without too much stress. Pixie has been stalking her when ive let her out, hissing and growling and trying to go for her, and theyve both been chasing eachother around although i can see that Pixie is doing that as a hunter, new cat is doing that playfully.

So, how can i introduce them safely and calmly?

Also, when new cat comes out she is still affectionate with me, Pixie is not, but as soon as new cat goes back into the spare room then Pixie gets affectionate again. So originally i was going to give Pixie lots of attention infront of new cat but that backfired. Ive never introduced kittens before, only kitten to older cat or older cat to older cat.. Pixie met 3 older cats and was fine..

 

Just to add - Pixie sits outside the spare room door, like shes waiting. I dont want them to fight (obviously) but ive got an 18month old toddler who chases them too and I dont want her getting hurt, we dont have a big house so its easy to get in the way. Usually just me walking from living room to bedroom i trip over on a cat lol

 

The cats will need to work that out by themselves... "Pecking order in the pride" and all that stuff. So they have to interact. Of course you don't want big fights, you can intervene for that, but there's going to be spats. Especially with 2 females.

Also you need to "ignore" the new cat and pay attention to those that have already been there (Pixie) That way Pixie doesn't blame you for bringing in a competitor.

 

I haven't ever tried this but they say It's better to put the new kitty in a carrier and leave them there for a while so the other house cats and/ or dogs can get used to them.

 

Cheers guys. New cat is roaming the house right now whilst Pixie sleeps (she naps with my toddler lol), so when they are up Ill let them out together.

Ty, would it be safe to leave them out together when no one is here? Im out this evening for a few hours and tomorrow almost all day.. i worry about big fights..

 

If you won't be there you may want them to be separated but only if they actually seem to want a big fight. Most cats don't resort to big fights though. They may sound like they are killing each other but they will rarely do so... It's posturing and quick spats, maybe a little fur flies and then they retreat to their safe spots. One will eventually accept it's place as subservient to the other and then typically become best friends. Cat's are weird.

 

:2thumbsup:

 

And Thats The Reason We Love Them...



Cheers Glen.

 

Lol...I have a male that's neutured and he can't manage to get along with the two spayed females. One of the females is inside the house. The other is outdoors. The female in the house growls if he walks in a room yet she hides from him. He is run down by and hides from the outside female.

It's all about dominance and who can threaten who.

 

She must be the queen of the territory. :2thumbsup:

 

Pixie is winning.. 'new cat' just wants to play, no hissing or growling on her part. As im watching them now, Pixie is sat behind a door poking her head round with pupils the size of pennies, waiting... New cat is playing in another room enjoying herself

Last night was strange, I thought I'd let new cat out so they could get used to eachother over night, but instead they both ended up on my bed, one on either side of me and babyp, Pixie growling at new cat and new cat jumping on and off the bed at every growl. I soon realised that sleep wasnt going to work so put new cat back in the spare room with one of the blankets from the bed. When I came back to bed Pixie was lying on my pillow purring, cheeky bugger. Lets see how tonight goes..

 

Cats 1, MamaPeace 0...



Cheers Glen.

 

Well now its like Cats - 5, Mamapeace - 0.
But thats the joys of kitties, little buggers that also double as hot water bottles for your feet in bed

They have made their hierachy. Pixie is dominant, New cat is submissive, as pixie goes to attack new cat rolls onto her back with one paw in the air, and Pixie smacks the floor next to her a few times then runs off. Although new cat is still pushing the limits, brave thing started eating out of pixies bowl after she had finished hers... Ive never heard a cat growl so loud, pixie was not impressed!

Nicknamed them. Pixie is two face, new cat is black heart.
Two face because shes literally got two different coloured sides of her face
Black heart because new cat has a black heart shape on the back of her leg (which is white).

Cool coloured cats :2thumbsup:

 

The best results I've had introducing "new" cats to those already in residence came from placing them in some neutral territory such as a room they're not allowed access to -- we us a basement space that's generally off limits to all cats (we have both "inside" and "outside" cats). We've rescued untold numbers of both dogs and cats and currently care for about 16 cats including a few ferals that come and go. Some just never get friendly with each other -- the difference in personalities, I guess.