# Need Help with new kitten.



## moonravin (Sep 6, 2009)

hi, 

as i stated in my indroduction iv been having some trouble getting my 7 year old cat used to her new 5 week old sister. we'v had jenari * the 5 week old* for 5 days now and have mostly kept her confined to her crate while she sleeps. and let the older cat * elexis* roam as she always has. 

Now i read on another page elswere that stated that you should isolate the new kitten in a neutral place*in this case the bathroom in a one bedroom aprt is the only place iv got thats neaurtal in any way* and let the kitten roam in there. while the older cat gets a wiff thro the bottom of the door. 

also to slowly show them to eachother by opening the door just enough for them to see and smell eachother carfully watchin there progress to see if the older cat reacts well or poorly.


now my question is, is it to late to do this? This lill one has made my GF so darn happy i just cant give it up cuz MY cat wants to me a hissy hairball . So id realy like to know if its to late to do what that page stated or is there someother method for an introduction gone wrong, or .... is it realy to late?

please dont tell me its to late.. i kinda like the lill kid.. and well. i like to see my GF happy as well 


advice oh wise and knowble pet community. 


tim and kellie


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## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

welcome to the forum sorry i dont know much about cats, but try posting this on the cat section im sure you'll get some good advice there


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## hayleyb (Feb 10, 2009)

hello and welcome 

i have had my kitten for a week now and had my older cat whos a year since december. i must say i think ive been quite lucky as they seem to be gettin on.

when i talked to ppl i knew whod had cats b4 they said to jst let them get on with it and sort their differences out, and only step in if things get a little too heated.

my older boy is also vey jealous of the little one so i have been gettin ham and treats and sharin it bewteen them. he will now allow her to eat with him, the only time he doesnt like her near is if he's havin cuddle and she tries to interrupt.

maybe elexis is feelin abit jealous and put out, may be worth givin her more attention. when i come in from work i go to sheldon 1st b4 the kitten as she nos no different

good luck


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## moonravin (Sep 6, 2009)

hayleyb said:


> hello and welcome
> 
> i have had my kitten for a week now and had my older cat whos a year since december. i must say i think ive been quite lucky as they seem to be gettin on.
> 
> ...


hm oki. I see what your saying.As a rule elexis has been stearing clear for the most part. the past few days shes comefrom her hideout in the dinning room to being able to be in the same room, tho she still hisses up a storm.

um....iv been giving elex the treats cuz jen is to small for them yet. so for now its just the older cat getting them

when jen gets to round 6 months i might be able to start. I have been giving elex more attention so she knows i still love her.

i dont see elexis doing much for harm but we deffinetly keep an eye on them as elex can be heard from most any room :/.

ill keep posting in the cat section with further developments. and to the ppl in the welcome section thank youso much for the warm welcome  i have a feeling we'll fit right in

regards tim and kellie <3


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## lady_r0gue (Jul 22, 2009)

Aw - I just introduced two kittens to my approcahing senior 9 year old male dog Biskit. I must say that gettig two was the best idea I ever had, as they don't bug him relentlessly... but he still did growl and threaten them a bit at first, so they learnt a little healthy respect! We saw it as our job to keep them out of his face but several times a day we would offer the rear end of each kitten for Biskit to safely sniff! (to him a cat's face 2 inches from his nose is a potential threat, a proffered bottom isn't.) they know that they must stay away from his nose and run past it quickly! Now they are 3.5 months, Biskits fine with them... "nose-kisses" them ocasionally and lies by them... only grumbles a bit if they attack his feet playing monsters in the night, so i remove them to sleep with my daughter if he needs his rest. when I remove a kitten from harms way I always fuss Biskit and tell him how good he is for only grumbling; after all it's far preferable to a full scale attack!
Methinks that 5 weeks is still very young and your cat will probably not want the kitten in her space at all at the moment. I'm sure the mother would feel the same with weaned kitten! If the kitten gets into her space then her only means of warning it off is to hiss and growl etc... which is scary because you think your cat will attack it! but time will fly, and cats will sleep for at least 16 hours a day anyway, giving each time to roam the house in relative freedom. If you tire out the baby with hectic games of chase the paper ball etc it will seek less attention from the adult too. I don't think 7 is a particularly senior age for a cat, and I'm sure very soon they will reach a mutual understanding... good luck! xx


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Adult cats won't attack a young kitten, it will only be a matter of hissing. That said, I can't imagine whatever possessed you to take a kitten at such a ridiculously young age.

Liz


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

lizward said:


> Adult cats won't attack a young kitten, it will only be a matter of hissing. That said, I can't imagine whatever possessed you to take a kitten at such a ridiculously young age.
> 
> Liz


I completey agree its just cruel to home a kitten that young  poor thing must be absolutely terrified and should be with its litter mates and mum!!!

I'd keep them in seperate rooms for now swapping bedding so they get used to eachothers smell, you need to air on the side of caution with a kitten this young. Crystal was 15 weeks when i got her and it took 2 weeks and alot of patience for Betula to except her. When your kittens older start feeding them in the same room and move their bowls closer gradually everyday. If your older cat likes treats reward her when she is near the kitten without hissing.


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## moonravin (Sep 6, 2009)

LOL 

to the last two posters. youd actualy be incredibly surpised, for all the hissing that my 7 yr old does, that lill cat has absolutly NO fear. Tho we do keep a close eye on them both at all times. the lill one realy has no fear what so ever. shell just sit and stare and ask can we play 


so please dont feel sorry for the lill one. hehe in fact id feel sorry for the 7 yr old as shes being the grump..


but on a serious note. knowiing that there will be no harm does make me feel a bit lighter. thanks 


best regards tim and kellie <3


oh to the comment. why would we re-home.. shes from a place celled kitten rescue.


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## pets-life (Jul 28, 2009)

You might find some interesting articles here to help you. Good luck.

Pet Cat Articles


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

moonravin said:


> LOL
> 
> to the last two posters. youd actualy be incredibly surpised, for all the hissing that my 7 yr old does, that lill cat has absolutly NO fear. Tho we do keep a close eye on them both at all times. the lill one realy has no fear what so ever. shell just sit and stare and ask can we play
> 
> ...


That is not the point shes 5 weeks old and should not be away from her mother, its far too young. What kitten rescue rehomes them that young???!!!!


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## moonravin (Sep 6, 2009)

crofty said:


> That is not the point shes 5 weeks old and should not be away from her mother, its far too young. What kitten rescue rehomes them that young???!!!!


i would agree with you but i dont think your seeing MY point. I had no idea this cat was home until i got home from work, nor is it my fault it ended up in a shelter. I find it high irritating that you seem to be blaming me for this cats relocation. yes shes five weeks. NOT my fault. typicaly i would brush this off. but sence you seem so content as to place to blame on me. i feel i should set the record straight, if anyone you should yell at my girl. i took a tramendus leap of faith in her by not telling her to take the cat back. so would please place that same faith in me and offer words of advice rather the what seems to be a what hell were you thinknig

thank you

tim >:"(


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## Elmstar (Apr 7, 2008)

moonravin said:


> but sence you seem so content as to place to blame on me. i feel i should set the record straight, if anyone you should yell at my girl.(


I think the point is that it's hard for anyone here to believe that a rescue centre would rehome a 5 week old kitten!


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## Riverwish (May 2, 2009)

Elmstar said:


> I think the point is that it's hard for anyone here to believe that a rescue centre would rehome a 5 week old kitten!


Agreed, don't think anyone's having a go at you 

Introductions do take a while, when we got our second cat it took 4 weeks before they would sit in the same room together, it has been a bit quicker this time and Aber is getting used to Zelda already and she's only been here a week.

As long as you give them the space they need ie kitty has somewhere she can hide if she feels the older one is being mean and the older one has her usual freedom they should be ok given time 

Keep us updated, i'd love to know how they get on


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## Kalipha (Jul 15, 2009)

Just wondering as it's the only circumstance where I can think the shelter would have homed out a 5 week old kitten without being branded entirely irresponsible - was said kitten given to the shelter/dumped without its Mum at all? Rather than Mum being at the shelter with litter and then taking the kittens away from her? I've heard of shelters putting orphaned/dumped over-young kittens in foster or forever homes, given that 'staying with Mum and litter mates' isn't an option if they've come in alone.


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## moonravin (Sep 6, 2009)

as far as i know. the shelter is in everret washington. the story goes that the shelter had taking in a huge number of cats variing in age and what not. i dont know the particulars but i do know that ppl hand kittens away right after birth....

as far as the two go. there doing fine.elexis has come out of hiding and we shown her that jen isnt a threat.. but on your cases. iv never realy adopted anyother cat. so its hard for me to see the point of the 5 week old kitten.

i do apologiz if i came back a bit harshly i did feel i was being targeted :/ but thats in the past. 

are there any questions youd like to ask before i close this one?


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## lady_r0gue (Jul 22, 2009)

Guys give the OP a break! Sometimes the mothers die, sometimes one or more kittens may be rejected by the mother, sometimes stray litters might be found and taken into rescue centres while mums perhaps gone to scrounge a meal and I'm sure sometimes stupid a***holes get surprised that their darling princess popped out a litter and decide to dump them off on the rescue centres as soon as they are weaned. I've heard of people offering pups and kits as young as 4 weeks for various reasons, perhaps they believe mum is under strain, perhaps they don't like the kits making mistakes with toilet training or climbing the curtains. (In fact we got our dog at 4.5 weeks but as we lived right next to his mother we figured it was fine).
Of course it's not necessarily an ideal situation but as the OP isn't the one giving away kittens at 5 weeks, they've adopted their baby from a rescue centre, it's not really relevant to go on about the history- I think they posted because they sought advice, not because they were advocating early rehoming.

Anyway my tuppence worth still stands, I think you should praise and fuss big puss when she hisses at little puss, because she' a *good girl* for not attacking, she's just vocalising. Little puss must learn that she is in the wrong for invading big puss' space.

Hopefully your older lady has mellowed a little now she realises the littlun isn't a threat. But if probs persist .... *did you consider getting another kitten?
*


> Although it might sound contrary, an older, established cat will probably accept two kittens better than one. One kitten will seek out the older cat as a playmate, or worse, tease and pester the senior cat which can cause stress to an older cat. The kitten in return, will be "rewarded" for his playful efforts with hisses and swats. Two kittens will expend their energy in play with each other, leaving their older "uncle" to relax in peace.


I found that here 10 Reasons Why Two Kittens Are Better Than One 
That's why we got two, for the sake of Uncle Biskit, who actually Quite Likes them now, especially Harry (it's a Boy thing) - he even waits for them to finish before skanking their leftovers, lets them share his water bowl and inspect his food bowl, and sniffs their bums periodically to check they are ok


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## moonravin (Sep 6, 2009)

lady_r0gue said:


> Guys give the OP a break! Sometimes the mothers die, sometimes one or more kittens may be rejected by the mother, sometimes stray litters might be found and taken into rescue centres while mums perhaps gone to scrounge a meal and I'm sure sometimes stupid a***holes get surprised that their darling princess popped out a litter and decide to dump them off on the rescue centres as soon as they are weaned. I've heard of people offering pups and kits as young as 4 weeks for various reasons, perhaps they believe mum is under strain, perhaps they don't like the kits making mistakes with toilet training or climbing the curtains. (In fact we got our dog at 4.5 weeks but as we lived right next to his mother we figured it was fine).
> Of course it's not necessarily an ideal situation but as the OP isn't the one giving away kittens at 5 weeks, they've adopted their baby from a rescue centre, it's not really relevant to go on about the history- I think they posted because they sought advice, not because they were advocating early rehoming.
> 
> Anyway my tuppence worth still stands, I think you should praise and fuss big puss when she hisses at little puss, because she' a *good girl* for not attacking, she's just vocalising. Little puss must learn that she is in the wrong for invading big puss' space.
> ...


madam rouge. i thank you for your support. and will say that while my hunt here didnt quite go as planed, that the two are getting closer*via proximity* and the older one is doing better occationaly putin the little one in her place. with our harm ofc.. so thank you all and ya if you wants to fuss. please feel free to CALL the SHELTER * google kitten/cat shelters in everret washington* andyell at them,,, didnt make me feel very welcome but thats in the past..

forgiving regards ....tim


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