# Introducing new kitten to resident cat



## Jo2079 (Sep 28, 2014)

Hi, I have a 3 yr old resident cat who lost her sister back in March. We have just bought a new kitten and are worried about introducing them. 

We have kept the kitten in a separate room upstairs with her food and litter tray etc. The resident cat, Misty, has been in to see her twice. There was no hissing or anything the kitten wasn't bothered at all but Misty is very wary and is hardly coming upstairs now. I just wondered what the next steps should be. It's been 48 hours by the way. Thank you x


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi there,  

48 hours is no time at all. Be prepared to keep them separate for several weeks. The kitten may be fine with the new challenges, as she is too young to have developed a fear of adult cats. To her, all adult cats are like her mum.

But evidently poor Misty is not happy at all. She finds the presence of the kitten intrusive, and threatening to her resources and territory, You are going to have to give her lots of time to get used to the kitten's presence. Do not try and rush things or you may find Misty never accepts the kitten.

Best method of introduction is to buy a cheap screen door and fit it in the doorway of the kittens's safe room. Get a hinged door so you can go in and out easily. Fix a hook and eye catch to it so the kitten can't push it open.

The screen door method allows the cat and the kitten to see each other and smell each other's scent without direct contact. Misty can get to know the kitten at her own pace.

I would keep the screen door between them until the kitten is at least 13 weeks old. Once Misty shows you she is OK being near the kitten, through the screen, then you can allow short periods of supervised access in the house. Any negative behaviour from Misty and you put the kitten back in her safe room again.


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## Jo2079 (Sep 28, 2014)

chillminx said:


> Hi there,
> 
> 48 hours is no time at all. Be prepared to keep them separate for several weeks. The kitten may be fine with the new challenges, as she is too young to have developed a fear of adult cats. To her, all adult cats are like her mum.
> 
> ...


Thank you, I'll definitely try a screen door. I've looked online and the only


chillminx said:


> Hi there,
> 
> 48 hours is no time at all. Be prepared to keep them separate for several weeks. The kitten may be fine with the new challenges, as she is too young to have developed a fear of adult cats. To her, all adult cats are like her mum.
> 
> ...


Thank you, we have ordered a screen door so hopefully that will help. Only problem is that Misty still isn't coming upstairs but hopefully she will soon. Thanks again.


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## Sandra powell (Oct 10, 2017)

chillminx said:


> Hi there,
> 
> 48 hours is no time at all. Be prepared to keep them separate for several weeks. The kitten may be fine with the new challenges, as she is too young to have developed a fear of adult cats. To her, all adult cats are like her mum.
> 
> ...


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## Sandra powell (Oct 10, 2017)

*We have had our new kitty Murphy for 4 months now and Ruby one of our resident cats will not take to him at all.
Followed all the steps of introduction etc.
She stays outside all day and will only come in at bedtime when Murphy is with my Daughter in her bedroom.
Tried to introduce them today as I want Ruby inside more now colder weather is coming but she just hissed and growls.
Murphy is totally unconcerned by this, he has been neutered and is now early 6 months old, Ruby is 2 years old.
Our older cat Scarlet accepts him with the odd box about the ears if he gets too boisterous.
Help please !!!*


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## Jo2079 (Sep 28, 2014)

Sandra powell said:


> *We have had our new kitty Murphy for 4 months now and Ruby one of our resident cats will not take to him at all.
> Followed all the steps of introduction etc.
> She stays outside all day and will only come in at bedtime when Murphy is with my Daughter in her bedroom.
> Tried to introduce them today as I want Ruby inside more now colder weather is coming but she just hissed and growls.
> ...


I wish I could offer advice but sadly I'm still having the same issues. It's three months for us and it's still not great. I think Misty is tolerating the kitten a little more and she's certainly not aggressive with her, but Misty still spends a lot of time outside and runs a mile when she comes in and the kitten runs up to her.
The screen door idea didn't work for us at all, the kitten absolutely hated being shut in the room with the screen! 
Please let me know if you any developments x


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Jo2079 - sorry to hear the screen door didn't work for you.  I have never had a failure myself with the method, over the many years I have used it for introductions. It is the only method I know of that allows _the resident cat_ the opportunity to get the measure of the new cat at their own pace. I have not found any other method that works from the POV of the resident cat, especially if they are nervous or timid.

From the new kitten's POV the screen needs to be in place early on, before he has been allowed access to the rest of the house. The room needs to be a good-sized room, and the owner needs to spend a lot of time in the room with the kitten, not just playing, but doing normal everyday things, like reading, using the computer, watching TV, eating meals etc. If the owner is not able to spend much time, then the kitten will probably get lonely and distressed.

It sounds as though Misty is still very upset and anxious about the kitten. She may be one of those cats who is frightened of other cats and won't accept sharing her home with one, no matter how carefully you try and introduce a new kitten. Cats like that are usually best living as an only cat (if they can't live with a cat they grew up with)

It is not a good situation if Misty continues to spend a lot of time outside once the weather gets colder, as there is a real risk she will go off and to find herself another home e.g. with a neighbour.

IME, when there has been very little progress after 3 months, there is unlikely to be much improvement with acceptance levels after that. It can be best to set a time limit for making a decision to either rehome the kitten, or to divide your home into two with a semi-permanent door (e.g. at the foot, or the top of the stairs) and let the cats live separately, permanently.

As your kitten is too young at present to be going outdoors, and will be fine kept indoors until at least a year old, it means she could have the upstairs and Misty have the downstairs, so Misty has access to the cat flap. When the kitten is old enough to go out, you may need to operate a time-share arrangement for the two cats with garden access.

Once Misty can come indoors and no longer see the kitten at all the chances are she will be much happier. Yes, she will lose some of her indoor territory, but cats can adapt to such changes.

You may say that having the cats living separately in your home is not ideal, BUT bear in mind it is a workable alternative to re-homing the kitten. I have done it myself in the past with cats who did not get on, and once you get into the routine it is OK.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Sandra powell said:


> *We have had our new kitty Murphy for 4 months now and Ruby one of our resident cats will not take to him at all.
> Followed all the steps of introduction etc.
> She stays outside all day and will only come in at bedtime when Murphy is with my Daughter in her bedroom.
> Tried to introduce them today as I want Ruby inside more now colder weather is coming but she just hissed and growls.
> ...


Hi Sandra, if there has been very little progress so far with integrating Murphy with Ruby after 4 months of trying, I am afraid to say it is fairly unlikely there will be much further progress. Sorry to disappoint you. 

Some cats simply do not like sharing their territory, or their resources, with a strange cat. Cats in the wild do not share resources with other cats (unless they are mums and kittens). We cannot persuade a cat to like another cat against their will. Cats have their own preferences and just like humans, they prefer to choose their pals for themselves.

I am sure you followed the usual guidelines for introductions and kept Murphy separate when you got him, giving Ruby plenty of time to get used to him before you allowed them together in the same space. This stage of the process can take months sometimes. My last intro took 4 months before I could allow the 2 new kittens to be in the same space as my resident cats. And it was a year before I could allow the 2 new kittens to be with the older cats unsupervised.

The risk is if you continue as things are that Ruby may go off and look for another home for herself, once the weather gets cold.

I can only suggest giving Ruby a room of her own in the house, to which Murphy has no access, ever. A good sized room (which Ruby could share with a human). Fit a microchip cat flap to the door, so only Ruby can get in there. Put her food, water, litter tray, toys, scratch post etc in there. I am not suggesting you shut her in her room, but let her come and go as she pleases. Once she knows she has a room of her own, she may choose to come indoors more often.

Not ideal, but a workable solution if you do not want to re-home Murphy.


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