Introducing new kittens to 3 year old cat.

[Tanya]

Yesterday Oli was three. He had his birthday presents as well as siblings!! He hisses at them and his tail goes like a racoon! The kittens are 8 weeks old and Oli is one stone in weight. As you can imagine, there is a big difference in size.

Any suggestions how we could make them friends would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Tanya x

[MadCatLady]

Well the big thing they always tell you is don't force the issue however I have a tale to tell....

Sasha-Bella-Psycho-Hussey was just over 2 yrs old in October of last year when I was asked to go to a 'mans' house to assess & document 2 Sphynxs he was looking to rehome. The reason he gave us was he now had young children in the family and he didn't like having litter trays indoors and obviously being bald they couldn't go outside!(the cats not the children!!)
The older one was 5yrs & a purebreed (as much as any Sphynx can be!) and black in colouring & the other was cream coloured, just under 4yrs old and the son of the other, however mum had been a part Rex so the son wasn't completely bald (I will get round to posting piccis eventually don't worry!!).
The current owner said he had contacted the breeder who had refused to take them back (ummmm...) and that the father was very assertive but the son kept himself pretty much to himself (again ummm....). I agreed to foster them until suitable homes could be found (knowing I would probably keep one as I have a bit of a fetish for the baldies!) and arranged to collect them 2 days later, he did want me to take them straight away but I explained just releasing them in with my established Tribe would probably result in anarchy, still he didn't seem bothered! When I returned on the Monday he was waiting on the doorstep with the younger cat (ummmm....) and when I asked where the father was he said he had sorted for him to go to a permanent home but wouldn't tell me where (ummmmmmmmm.....!!!)
The long & the short being, the son was renamed Sexy-Sullivan-Funny-Wrinkles (Sullivan for short!) and came into the MadCatLadys home.....
He settled fairly well and soon came to realise RigbyBigBear was in charge and if he said jump you didn't even question how high!!? As to being shy, i don't think so! He sits on anyone who'll stay still long enough for him to settle on and sleeps tucked under my chin like a suede hot water bottle! The only issue we had was with Sasha... he was absolutely facinated by her and would constantly chase her and harass her until she took to hiding under the desk at ALL times! I still believe it was the simple fact that she is a domestic VERY long haired black hussey and he had never seen something with that much fur!!!
After waiting the longest 6 months of my life for this to settle and all return to normal I took the huge and highly unrecommended step of forcing the issue... now personally I think 6 months is the absolute minimum you need to wait to let newbies, whether kitten or rescue, sort their own pecking order out so don't go rushing it or expecting miracles... I took Sasha & Sullivan into the bedroom, as this was the room they both felt most comfortable in and when the bald thing fell asleep I picked Sasha up and got her to sniff his bottom... then let him have a look at her whilst I held her, keeping her safe & well.
Now i'm not saying they are best buddies but they do now tolerate each other and the hissing, hiding & wholly unnecessary upset has gone and My Feline Tribe are living happily ever after!

But good luck however you decide is best!!

[angieh]

That's a hugely informative story MCL!

I MAY be trying to introduce a kitten to my rescue girl sometime in the future and will remember that 6 months ......

Would you recommend the use of a crate?

[random]

Mine have always accepted new kitten with little trouble, the ones who kick up a fuss soon settle within a couple of weeks when they realise that the new cat is here to stay and the establish their place in the family. You have to remember that at first this new cat is technically invading on the old cat's territory and cats are very territorial creatures at the best of times.

[MadCatLady]

I usually find if the cat you are introducing is fairly young... it will settle a lot quicker... because it will 'learn' to work round the existing heirachy and finds it's place but it really could take months...so lots of patiance & lots of places for the newbie to retreat too if necessary!!!! Good Luck tho!!

As to a crate.... it is a good way to let them smell each other ... generally when I have to board/foster older cats I use a crate whilst I'm not around and then give them the option to wander whilst I am there to over see.

I am very lucky in the respect that my dominant male (RigbyBigBear with no willie there!) is pretty laid back and all the tribe knows if he has to get up to actually intervene then there is gonna be BIG trouble so in general they sort themselves out pretty quick!!?

I know this sounds really 'odd' but I always let Rigby choose those he wants to stay, whenever I have a hankering for another one or feel broodie, I ask Rigby... for example a friend at work didn't neuter her cat and lo & behold she got preggers a couple of months back... my personal fetish is for black cats as sooooooooooo many people think they are unlucky and jinx so they suit the MadCatLady a treat!! When 'Twinkle' (i know!) gave birth 5wks ago I took my Bear with me and said 'Which one do you want?' and he sat there looking his usual massive self and the fattest (funnily enough!) and only solid black boy in the litter wandered over to him and Bear gave him a sniff and then washed the bum, mum walked over to check and gave the thumbs up and then the kitten (now called Quinn..) laid down next to Rigby & fell asleep!

Bearing in mind Quinn will make number 8 in The Feline Tribe... I guess it must work!!

I collect Quinn in a few weeks and don't worry piccis will follow!!! I can't wait!!!!

[moonstone]

A very informative thread I am at present trying to "introduce" two new kittens to my already existing group of three 11 months old females (one disabled)and an 18 yr.old
So far new kits have been allowed out of the spare room (where they are staying for the moment) for about 30 mins.yesterday to be greeted with horror by Magick who fled down the stairs at a fast rate of knots they were quite nervous when they first arrived so i gave them space to "chill out" on their own and settle in next came Hetty (disabled kitty) who spat at them and firmly put the interlopers in their place
I am going to gradually let the new kits out for longer so that they will get used to the others and hopefully this will result in them all living happily together
Thanks for the info

[MadCatLady]

No probs ... hopefully get my newbie on Monday... however may not be the black Rigby choose.... OMG he could be a bit a annoyed!!! Maybe a black & white girl instead of black boy.... I need to think of a new name!!!!!

[FayRose]

This is all fascinating to read and I'm learning a lot.

In view of what's been said here, I may have gone about things the wrong way when we got Jenny. Polly had been the only cat for 7 years and I - foolishly as it turns out - thought she would accept a little kit with no problems. Not so, she hissed and spat so much she nearly choked She was utterly horrified. Maybe it was something to do with them both being torties?

Anyway Jenny decided BJ (labrador with bald patches on his elbows) was her mummy and used to climb up him when he lay on his side and suckle his elbow. I think this comforted her when Polly swore at her.

Polly and Jenny still have a fairly frosty relationship and Polly is most certainly top cat, but they muddle by.

Good luck with introducing your kitten, I hope it all goes well and would love to see photos.