# My older cat is not responding well to my new kitten. Please help.



## Ishac Masood (Nov 29, 2016)

Hi, I am really concerned about my cat situation and I thought maybe you folks could shed some light saying you're professionals. My 14 year old cat is not responding very well to my new 3 month old Kitten. I have a baby gate set up at the top of the stairs with mesh covering from ceiling to floor so they cant get at each other. The older cat never comes upstairs before I got this new Kitten so her bed, where she eats etc has not been infringed on. The new kitten has her own space upstairs and the older cat down stairs. 
It seemed like i was making progress with them and my older cat was starting to lighten up a little and not hiss, or attack the cage like she did the first time they met. The last few meetings she has been super relaxed and just watching the new Kitten but today out of no where she tried to attack the cage again. My little kitten is hissing at her as well even if the older cat is relaxed. Its been like this for about a week now maybe longer. Anytime they have a nice meeting and there is no hissing or agro I reward each of them with chicken. 
It all seemed great till today when the older cat tried attacking. This has been going on for almost 2 weeks. there meetings are very short, maybe 15 minutes each day through the cage until I see progress. 

ANY advise would be outstanding folks, any of you ever deal with this before ? 

Thanks!!


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## Ishac Masood (Nov 29, 2016)

Just to summarise.


Separate parts of the house for each cat.
Separate toilet, eating and sleeping spots.
Baby gate setup so not able to touch each other but can see each other.
15 minute interactions each day for 1 week.
Stopped interactions as soon as it got aggressive.
Rewards when it went smooth.
Things to still do.


scent swap.
swap beddings.
let each cat into eachothers areas without the other cat being there.
Kitten is scared shitless and is hissing and the older cat has stopped hissing and moaning and is just attacking the cage. But not all the time, just at the beginning and for some reason today.

Please help.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Ishac Masood - it sounds as though you are going about the introductions the right way except for the fact I think you are going too fast.

You need to go at a much slower pace, dictated by what your older cat shows you she is happy with. (Note - It took me 3 months to introduce my kittens 3 yrs ago to my adult cats, i.e. 3 months of slow introductions until I reached the point where I could leave them all unsupervised together in the same room without worrying)

I am not sure what "attacking the cage" means? Do you mean you are putting the kitten in a cat carrier or crate and bringing him downstairs into the adult cat's territory ? If so, I would not do that, as it is asking for trouble. Far too invasive at this stage for the adult cat and far too scary for the kitten to be at the mercy of the older cat's anger and not able to run away and hide.

I would continue allowing the two cats to see each other for short periods a day through the mesh, and only increase the length of exposure through the mesh when the older cat is not spitting or growling at the kitten. I wouldn't allow any direct contact (without the mesh protection) until there is no more hissing or any sign of aggression from the older cat. This may take a few weeks or even a month. Hopefully the older cat will come upstairs to see the kitten through the mesh out of curiosity.

Then start by allowing the kitten to come into the older cat's area for 15 minutes of direct contact with you always supervising. Any signs of aggression other than a bit of initial hissing and you put kitty back in his quarters. Do not allow any chasing unless it is an obvious game with each taking it in turn to chase or be chased.

Gradually increase the amount of time each day that kitty is allowed in older cat's quarters. Supervise and if any aggression or older cat is upset then put kitty back in his room. Any chasing you can immediately lift the kitten off the floor and place him on a cat tree or table out of the way, This reduces the tension.

Do not allow the kitten into the older cat's quarters when older cat is not there until older cat has got the measure of the kitten at her own pace.

You need not worry too much about scent swapping one cat to the other as you will have the scent of both cats on you and they will both smell each other that way. Cats can get used to time sharing spaces with other cats who use the same area at a different time to them. But sharing with another cat that involves face to face contact is a different matter, and it can take a lot of time and patience to get it to work well.

Good luck. Let us know how things go, with the slower programme?


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## Ishac Masood (Nov 29, 2016)

Aw thank you so much for getting back to me with that advise. I really appreciate it a lot, honestly! 
I'm going to slow down the pace a lot then. Do you think I should have less meeting with the two instead of daily meetings. Oh and when i said cage I meant the mesh on the fence. That is how I have been organising the meetings between these two and Ive never forced my older cat to come upstairs and meet. 
The older cat is coming upstairs on her own to have a look but is being quite intense about it. I dont know if she is just coming up because she is curious or if she wants food. As anytime they have a meeting they both get cooked chicken. My older cat is quite chicken fiendish. 
BUT 
I literally just had a meeting there with the two but this time my Mother was on 1 side of the mesh fence petting and feeding the older cat chicken while I was on the other side feeding and petting the kitten chicken. We would stop feeding them so they could see each other and get more comfortable in the presence of one another. Once I noticed that my older cat was not attacking or hissing/growling at the kitten and the Kitten wasn't hissing we decided to let it go on for a bit longer. It was the longest meeting yet with no problems or signs of aggression. The kitten was putting her head down low and flopping on her side showing submissive body language. The older cat wanted me to pet her so I did through the mesh fence and when she wasn't getting petted she would go back to making intense eye contact with the kitten. 

I will keep up with these meetings and only increase the time if it goes smooth each time. I think the reason my older cat attacked the mesh fence today was because the kitten ran up to the mesh very fast and it was my cats natural reaction. Other wise it does seem to be improving but as you say I will continue to these meetings very slowly for now before I bring the kitten into the older cats area and follow the rest of your advise. Thank you so much i will keep you posted. Cant tell you how grateful I am for your message and support!


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