Old cat still hates new kitten (4 months on)

We've had our 6-yr-old cat (neutered male) since he was kitten - he has
always been the most easy-going, placid and affectionate cat you could
hope to come across. Last December we got a 3-month old kitten (a
female, spayed at 6 months), and not unsurprisingly, the older one was
not at all impressed. We'd hoped things would settle down, but 4 months
on, it's really no better and I'm wondering what we can do to help the
situation.

Most times when they come within a few feet of each other, the old one
hisses and growls, and quite often will attack the kitten - it's
particularly nasty when he runs across a room and corners her. She once
had a severe abscess on her nose as a result of one scratch wound.

We put them in separate rooms at night - the older with the catflap as
usual, and the kitten elsewhere with a litter tray. They are fed
separately as they are on different food and each wants to eat the
other's... bizarrely though, the old cat has no problem at all with the
kitten diving into his food bowl alongside him.

We've definitely made huge efforts to pay lots of attention to the old
cat to try to avoid jealousy, but to no avail.

Just to complete the picture we also have a 6-yr-old spaniel, who gets
on perfectly well with both cats. Go figure!

Is there anything else we can do here to sort this out?

Thanks
David

Doesn't the collective global wisdom of this group have any thoughts? ;-)

Actually, things have progressed a bit since my post (or rather,
regressed...?) The other day I was very surprised to hear a helluva row
from the cats in another room, followed by the older one high-tailing it
outside into the garden with the kitten (well - young adult now, TBH) in
hot pursuit! Seems the worm has finally turned...

Anyway, Older Cat made his thoughts on the matter very clear this
morning, by openly peeing in a corner (on a carpet).

Does anyone reckon it's likely the situation may still settle?

David


Lobster wrote:
We've had our 6-yr-old cat (neutered male) since he was kitten - he has
always been the most easy-going, placid and affectionate cat you could
hope to come across. Last December we got a 3-month old kitten (a
female, spayed at 6 months), and not unsurprisingly, the older one was
not at all impressed. We'd hoped things would settle down, but 4 months
on, it's really no better and I'm wondering what we can do to help the
situation.

Most times when they come within a few feet of each other, the old one
hisses and growls, and quite often will attack the kitten - it's
particularly nasty when he runs across a room and corners her. She once
had a severe abscess on her nose as a result of one scratch wound.

We put them in separate rooms at night - the older with the catflap as
usual, and the kitten elsewhere with a litter tray. They are fed
separately as they are on different food and each wants to eat the
other's... bizarrely though, the old cat has no problem at all with the
kitten diving into his food bowl alongside him.

We've definitely made huge efforts to pay lots of attention to the old
cat to try to avoid jealousy, but to no avail.

Just to complete the picture we also have a 6-yr-old spaniel, who gets
on perfectly well with both cats. Go figure!

Is there anything else we can do here to sort this out?

Thanks
David

"Lobster" wrote in message
...
Doesn't the collective global wisdom of this group have any thoughts? ;-)

Actually, things have progressed a bit since my post (or rather,
regressed...?) The other day I was very surprised to hear a helluva row
from the cats in another room, followed by the older one high-tailing it
outside into the garden with the kitten (well - young adult now, TBH) in
hot pursuit! Seems the worm has finally turned...

Anyway, Older Cat made his thoughts on the matter very clear this morning,
by openly peeing in a corner (on a carpet).

Does anyone reckon it's likely the situation may still settle?

David

It took a long while (6 mos) for our older cat to completley accept the new
kitten. We had a month of him hissing at her and generally beating the crap
out of her, then a month or two of ignoring kitty and his people (wouldn't
let us pet him, gave us the minimum contact required). The last three were
his last ditch attempt at convincing us that he was much cuter and cooler
than the kitty. He finally gave up, and 4 years on they still aren't best of
buddies, but she lets him bathe her and he allows her to bury his #1s and
2s.

Ryan

On 30 Apr, 22:50, Lobster wrote:
We've had our 6-yr-old cat (neutered male) since he was kitten - he has
always been the most easy-going, placid and affectionate cat you could
hope to come across. Last December we got a 3-month old kitten (a
female, spayed at 6 months), and not unsurprisingly, the older one was
not at all impressed. We'd hoped things would settle down, but 4 months
on, it's really no better and I'm wondering what we can do to help the
situation.

Most times when they come within a few feet of each other, the old one
hisses and growls, and quite often will attack the kitten - it's
particularly nasty when he runs across a room and corners her. She once
had a severe abscess on her nose as a result of one scratch wound.

We put them in separate rooms at night - the older with the catflap as
usual, and the kitten elsewhere with a litter tray. They are fed
separately as they are on different food and each wants to eat the
other's... bizarrely though, the old cat has no problem at all with the
kitten diving into his food bowl alongside him.

We've definitely made huge efforts to pay lots of attention to the old
cat to try to avoid jealousy, but to no avail.

Just to complete the picture we also have a 6-yr-old spaniel, who gets
on perfectly well with both cats. Go figure!

Is there anything else we can do here to sort this out?

Thanks
David

Feliway, time, love and attention as well as reintroducing them as
calmly as you possibly can. This does not sound so bad as it seems to
feel for you. I have faith that you can remedy this one with those few
ingredients.
Best Wishes to you!
K.