# Help with introducing my new kitten



## michelle1981 (Jun 27, 2008)

Hello all, I have been a member of this forum for a while but haven't posted before, I just love reading all the stories and looking at the pictures of everyone's pets.

I don't know if anyone can help me or suggest anything that might help with my problem, I am sure it's very common. I have 2 cats, cat number one is Amber, a 2 year old spayed female, and the other is Millie, a little kitten that I have just got on Saturday. I am really worried about introducing the two of them, I did lots of reading up on how to do it best. So far I have been keeping Millie in my spare room with her food, litter tray and all her bits and bobs and letting Amber have run of the rest of the house. I have been trying to mingle their scents by stroking one and then the other. I have let Millie out the spare room when Amber isn't about as well to get her scent round the house a bit. Amber knows Millie is there, and seems very put out. She doesn't want me or my fiance to really go near her, when previously she was like a big baby, and we were able to pick her up and cuddle her and give her a lot of fuss. She hisses very loudly if she happens to go near the door where Millie is living. She also seems very concerned if she happens to hear Millie meowing anytime. I just want the two of them to get on and I am worried they won't as Amber is clearly hostile. My plans were to do this for a while then put Millie in her cat box and let Amber investigate but Amber just seems terrified. I feel really guilty that I am upsetting her as I love her dearly. Does anyone have any suggestions or any advice, I am sure lots of people have been in this situation, I don't know why I imagined it would be easy! Thank you very much! Michelle


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## Janee (May 4, 2008)

You may well have read this as you seem to be doing much of what it suggests.

Cat Rescue and Adoption - Sheffield - Wizz Catz

I recently bought two adult cats (2 and 3 years) which I had to introduce to the semi feral that has adopted us.

I couldn't do the separate room thing, but I did do the scent transfer by stroking each in turn. There was a lot of hissing and growling, including paw swiping with and without claws, and chasing.

3 months down the road things are sort of settled. Each has a good idea where they belong in the pecking order.

The paw swiping, growling and hissing I think upsets us more than it does the cats. I would do the cat basket thing so that each can get a look at the opposition.


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## Siamese Kelly (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi Michelle,swap toys,blankets and then short supervised meet and greet,Amber just needs to confirm that having a new sister doesn't mean any major changes to her existing life and that actually it could be quite fun,and once she has told Millie in no uncertain terms that she (Amber) is in fact as always topcat in the house and assuming Millie accepts this then thats half the problem solved,oh maybe also swap a little of Millies used litter into Ambers and vica versaGood luck and don't worry to much it just takes a little time sometimes


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## michelle1981 (Jun 27, 2008)

Thank you both for your advice...I will try the toy/litter swapping and see what happens. Amber seems slightly less put out today, she is much more receptive to me and explored the kitten's room today (without the kitten in it!) and didn't seem freaked out, and even ate all Millie's breakfast as well! I think you're right Janee, the hissing/growling thing is a lot more worrying for us than them...anyway we shall see what happens, thank you both again xxx


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