# Introducing stray kitten to my deaf cat



## vickybun87 (Jun 17, 2013)

Hello 

Sorry to post another thread about introducing cats to kittens - I've read some of the other posts and the tips havw been quite helpful. But I have a slightly different situation. 

I've recently rescued a stray kitten. We've had hee vet checked, and she's due to be vaccinated and spayed next week. She is called Pixie. She's very affectionate and is now litter trained. 

But we already have a cat. Originally a pregnant stray, Princess has been with us for 12 years. A couple of years ago she had a stroke and is now deaf. 

I can't get them to even tolerate each other. The new kitten goes mad at my cat - hissing, spitting, growling, even challenging her. My cat (deaf) will growl a few times before ignoring the kitten and walking away. 

I thought the problem would be my cat getting on with the kitten. But its the other way around - the kitten is attacking my cat.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

If the kitten is about to be spayed, then I assume she is around 6 or 7 mths old, in which case she is becoming sexually mature. Therefore her aggressive behaviour towards your resident cat could be territorial, and should calm down to some extent when she is spayed. Though it will take time (weeks or a few months) before her hormones settle down. 

Other than that I would use the same method of integrating the 2 cats as if it was the resident cat that was upset, not the new kitten. (see Nightkitten's link). 

If the kitten has been a stray then she is not used to sharing her life with another cat, so it may need a lot of time and patience to get her to accept your other cat. Usually, in my experience kittens are OK with cats of more senior years though -- often seem respectful of them.

Feliway plug-in diffusers all around the house may help.


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## vickybun87 (Jun 17, 2013)

chillminx said:


> If the kitten is about to be spayed, then I assume she is around 6 or 7 mths old, in which case she is becoming sexually mature. Therefore her aggressive behaviour towards your resident cat could be territorial, and should calm down to some extent when she is spayed. Though it will take time (weeks or a few months) before her hormones settle down.
> 
> Other than that I would use the same method of integrating the 2 cats as if it was the resident cat that was upset, not the new kitten. (see Nightkitten's link).
> 
> ...


Whoa, hang on. 6-7 months for spaying? The vet told us she's about 12 weeks old, and she wants to spay than vaccinate her next Thursday. Is she too young?? It's been over a decade since I had to deal with neutering. Help!

They had an OK day today - slept in the same room for hours. But the kitten is still hissing/growling and trying to attack my cat whenever they cross paths. I'm going to try the methods mentioned in other threads straight away.

What are diffusers? Sorry. I've never had to bond cats before...they've always just bonded by themselves.


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## samikles (Oct 3, 2011)

Hi vickybun87. 12 weeks isn't too young to spay or neuter a cat. When I adopted my two from Cats Protection they said vets can safely spay a cat from 10 weeks' old, but some even do it at 8!, so don't worry about that. Feliway diffusers are plug-in devices that release pheromones (the 'happy' hormone cats produce when they rub their cheeks on something) thus, they claim, helps create a happier environment and less stressful for them. They're expensive though as I've just paid £37 for one from Pets at Home, however I have seen they're cheaper if you shop around online. How long have you had your kitten for? I like you am trying to introduce two cats so I know how you feel!

Sam


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Sorry Vicky, for making the assumption your kitty was about 6 or 7 mths old
As the previous poster has said, there are nowadays some UK vets that will spay at 12 weeks, but to my knowledge there are not many of them yet.

My vet would not spay so early however, as she does not believe it is right to put such a young kitten through major surgery, (which spaying is) when it can reasonably be left until kitty is 6/7 mths old. With male kittens early neutering is not usually possible anyway, as in most cases their testicles don't drop fully until 6/7 mths.

Your vet is obviously of a different opinion about the right age for spaying and you must of course be guided by him/her. 

EDIT: just to add that as your kitty is only 12 weeks old, she is still just a baby, & not yet fully socialised with other cats or humans. She has a lot to learn and is very impressionable at her young age, so it will be possible for you to train her without too much difficulty to get along with your other cat.

You may already have seen this interesting article, but I thought I'd post the link again just in case: 

http://wvcats.com/integrating_kittens_with_cats.htm


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## vickybun87 (Jun 17, 2013)

Thanks guys  And thanks for the article. I shall be trying them all! My cat was sleeping on my lap before, and when the kitten smelled my cat on me she hissed at me!

I'm usually quite cat-savvy but, like I said, I've never had to bond cats because I've never had a problem.

My cat is being quite patient with the kitten and only growls if it scares her - my cat is deaf so she obviously can't hear it approaching.

The kitten we've had for a week now, though we'd been feeding her and providing outdoor shelter for two weeks before we managed to catch her. She was so skinny  But we've litter trained her in a matter of days and she even sleeps with me in bed now, so she's definitely settled with humans already. She loves biting my fingers and having her tummy tickled! But she won't stop growling and spitting at my cat. But I'm trying all the tips I've seen on this forum so fingers crossed! They slept in the same room for hours yesterday (with us there to make sure they were ok.)

After she's spayed, microchipped, and collared we have to get her used to my outdoor rabbits next...lol. That'll be fun.


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## crispycat (Apr 2, 2013)

chillminx said:


> Sorry Vicky, for making the assumption your kitty was about 6 or 7 mths old
> As the previous poster has said, there are nowadays some UK vets that will spay at 12 weeks, but to my knowledge there are not many of them yet.
> 
> My vet would not spay so early however, as she does not believe it is right to put such a young kitten through major surgery, (which spaying is) when it can reasonably be left until kitty is 6/7 mths old. With male kittens early neutering is not usually possible anyway, as in most cases their testicles don't drop fully until 6/7 mths.
> ...


hi chillminx (love the name) I didn't know the male testicles don't come lower till 6/7 motnhs the rescue i got mine for and volunteer for have them all done bet 8-9 weeks! just curious as to what they do with the boys then?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

crispycat -- the earliest a male kitten's testicles begin to drop is about 9 weeks old, the average age is around 4 months onwards, and in some cases I have known the testicles did not drop fully until the kitty was a year old. Because there is so much room for variation, late maturing etc, vets prefer not to neuter until the kitten is about 6 mths old. 

I would imagine your Rescue would follow the usual veterinary guidelines on this, and if they were rehoming a male kitten younger than say 4 mths it would be un-neutered, but the adopter would be obliged to sign an agreement to have the kitten neutered at 6 mths. This is what the RSPCA requires from adopters when they re-home male kittens. 

I am amazed to hear your Rescue spays at 8 to 9 weeks old! (The Rescue I volunteer for does not do it until later than that). Perhaps this practice of early spaying has become more common than I had thought......


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## crispycat (Apr 2, 2013)

i am certainly going to find out about this - they don't rehome till 12 weeks though - infact i remember asking them briefly about this (neutering) as i was surprised and they said that the vets when only do rescue cats and not private ones. this rescue will not rehome any kitten without neutering - the manager is hell bent on it 

i just hope our male kitty had all his bits removed  as we have his sister too!

OP so sorry to go off on a tangent - but the beauty of this forum is sometimes we learn from what others are saying/doing!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

CC -- here is a policy statement by the Feline Advisory Bureau (Fabcats), which explains their position on early neutering.

Policy Statement 1: Timing of neutering

Apparently Fabcats is satisfied with research which has shown it is now safe (due to improved surgical and anaesthetic techniques) to neuter kittens as young as 7 or 8 weeks if necessary. (e.g. when feral kittens are trapped for neutering and release programmes). They also state no evidence has been found of immediate or long term health damage resulting from neutering before sexual maturity has been reached.

For kittens in Rescue situations, they recommend neutering at 10 to 12 weeks.

For pedigree kittens they recommend neutering at 4 mths.

This is very interesting, and with Fabcats going in this direction I would imagine many more vets will now follow suit.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

My last kittens were neutered at 12 weeks - all the boys (3) had two fully descended testicles. They bounced back from surgery so quickly it was a wonder to behold. I would definitely recommend it.


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