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Any tips for introducing kitten to older cat?



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 2nd 03, 09:01 PM
blkcatgal
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Default Any tips for introducing kitten to older cat?

Two days ago I adopted a 6 week old kitten. Does anyone have any good
advice on how to introduce and acclimate the kitten to my older cat? Right
now, I am keeping the kitten is confined to a bedroom. I have let him out a
couple of times to explore the house. I tried to keep the kitten away from
the older cat but that's easier said than done. When my older cat saw the
kitten he obviously got upset, hissed and growled. Right now, he's just
seems a little p*ssed off. How do you spend time with the kitten while
letting the older cat know that he is still loved? The kitten is so darn
needy and wants to be around people! A friend suggested that I try putting
the kitten in a large dog cage and let the older cat sniff him, etc. I
tried this but the poor kitten does not want to be in the cage and cries and
cries. Is it okay to leave the kitten in the bedroom alone for hours at at
time?

I know that it will take time for the older cat to get use to the kitten,
but any good tips in making this introduction successful would be greatly
appreciated!

Sue




  #2  
Old August 3rd 03, 09:42 AM
MacCandace
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I know that it will take time for the older cat to get use to the kitten,
but any good tips in making this introduction successful would be greatly
appreciated!

Sue

Congrats on your new kitty, Sue. I don't really have any tips. I've never had
too much of a problem introducing new cats to existing cats. I just kept them
separate for a few days and let them sniff each other's things and it worked
out okay when I finally released the new one into the house. I imagine I've
just been lucky. You never know, it depends on the cats. Some take more
quickly to other cats than others do. Just give the older kitty lots of
attention and treats so he won't feel ignored or usurped. It's sad to have to
leave the baby cat alone in its room but I guess it's necessary for now. Have
fun with them both.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace
  #3  
Old August 3rd 03, 09:42 AM
MacCandace
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Posts: n/a
Default

I know that it will take time for the older cat to get use to the kitten,
but any good tips in making this introduction successful would be greatly
appreciated!

Sue

Congrats on your new kitty, Sue. I don't really have any tips. I've never had
too much of a problem introducing new cats to existing cats. I just kept them
separate for a few days and let them sniff each other's things and it worked
out okay when I finally released the new one into the house. I imagine I've
just been lucky. You never know, it depends on the cats. Some take more
quickly to other cats than others do. Just give the older kitty lots of
attention and treats so he won't feel ignored or usurped. It's sad to have to
leave the baby cat alone in its room but I guess it's necessary for now. Have
fun with them both.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace
  #4  
Old August 3rd 03, 06:07 PM
Arjun Ray
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Default

In , "blkcatgal"
wrote:

| Two days ago I adopted a 6 week old kitten.

I'm sorry, but this was probably a mistake, and I'm more than a little
dismayed that someone would adopt out a kitten that young. At 6 weeks,
a kitten is still a baby - barely weaned, unlikely to be properly
litterbox trained or to have learned claw control. The kitten still
needs playmates of its own age and tolerant adult cats to supervise its
"education" in being a cat.

That isn't to say that humans can't provide the needed parenting, but
this *is* a parenting situation much more than it's an introduction
situation. A google search like this one may help, except most of the
information is obviously for the even younger:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...oogle+ Search

One thing you'll find is that kittens are almost always spoken of in the
plural (hint, hint.) Adult cats can be substitutes in the socialization
process if they're tolerant.

| The kitten is so darn needy and wants to be around people!

*And* other kittens and cats.

| Is it okay to leave the kitten in the bedroom alone for hours at at
| time?

No.

| I know that it will take time for the older cat to get use to the kitten,

Please think about the *kitten's* needs.
  #5  
Old August 3rd 03, 06:07 PM
Arjun Ray
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In , "blkcatgal"
wrote:

| Two days ago I adopted a 6 week old kitten.

I'm sorry, but this was probably a mistake, and I'm more than a little
dismayed that someone would adopt out a kitten that young. At 6 weeks,
a kitten is still a baby - barely weaned, unlikely to be properly
litterbox trained or to have learned claw control. The kitten still
needs playmates of its own age and tolerant adult cats to supervise its
"education" in being a cat.

That isn't to say that humans can't provide the needed parenting, but
this *is* a parenting situation much more than it's an introduction
situation. A google search like this one may help, except most of the
information is obviously for the even younger:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...oogle+ Search

One thing you'll find is that kittens are almost always spoken of in the
plural (hint, hint.) Adult cats can be substitutes in the socialization
process if they're tolerant.

| The kitten is so darn needy and wants to be around people!

*And* other kittens and cats.

| Is it okay to leave the kitten in the bedroom alone for hours at at
| time?

No.

| I know that it will take time for the older cat to get use to the kitten,

Please think about the *kitten's* needs.
  #6  
Old August 3rd 03, 09:17 PM
Barb 1
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Default

I introduced an 8 week old kitten to my 12 and 13 year old cats. I let the
kitten have the run of the house right away. She ran up and down the stairs
a dozen times, found a place under the sofa where none of us can get at her,
stayed there for around 10 minutes and then came out. There was a lot of
growling and hissing at first but the older cats never laid a paw on her
until she started jumping on them. That they cannot take. I make her do a
time out in the bathroom when she does that. Otherwise they have some lovely
moments, sitting on the deck chairs in the early evening and occasionally
kissing one another. The hissing and growling is dying down but it does
take a while.

Good luck!
Barb


  #7  
Old August 3rd 03, 09:17 PM
Barb 1
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I introduced an 8 week old kitten to my 12 and 13 year old cats. I let the
kitten have the run of the house right away. She ran up and down the stairs
a dozen times, found a place under the sofa where none of us can get at her,
stayed there for around 10 minutes and then came out. There was a lot of
growling and hissing at first but the older cats never laid a paw on her
until she started jumping on them. That they cannot take. I make her do a
time out in the bathroom when she does that. Otherwise they have some lovely
moments, sitting on the deck chairs in the early evening and occasionally
kissing one another. The hissing and growling is dying down but it does
take a while.

Good luck!
Barb


 




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