Need advice for my third kitten!

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:24 pm

As if having two beautiful one year olds wasn't enough, my mother brought in a third toddler...a very young [around 2 months old] female that was hit by a car. We're nursing her alright, she's cool and fine, but for about a week she's going to be in a room on her own. Until she gets her shots I don't want her around my two girls as they're not vaccinated for outdoors living.

The new kitten is extremely friendly and sweet and latches onto me whenever I sleep on that bed, but the other two simply dislike her. I've tried putting them in the same room at a distance, and the older ones simply hiss at the youngster and then run away.

They've been together for about a year [got them as 2 month old kittens last august] and they've been behaving pretty well, this is the first time I've heard their hisses.

Any tips on having them all reconcile? I often feel pretty bad about the youngster; she's just lying on the bed and gets hissed at!

secretcode · Post by **secretcode** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:29 pm

Odds are it's just jealousy. Won't last for long.

Post by **Clay** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:40 pm

Don't let them be around each other unmonitored. Separate them for part of the day for a month or so, and let them get familiar with each other gradually.

Even then, they may not love each other. Tolerance is the goal.

Notabot · Post by **Notabot** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:14 pm

We got a second cat with the intention of keeping the first one company and giving him a friend. Didn't work out that way at first. In fact, they've been together for a year and a half now and are just to the point where they don't attack each other on sight. We are thrilled with tolerance.

One trick we tried (that worked with other cats) is feeding the veteran cats and the new cat at the same time on opposite sides of a door. Take their food away and just feed them at an appointed time. Cats like food, so they'll be more accepting of a new smelling cat if there's food involved. It's sort of like serving snacks at a meeting.

Also, smell mixing seemed to work with other cats too. Pet the "old" kitties a while, then go pet the new one without washing your hands, then go back to the old ones. Again, the love of petting increases the tolerance of a new smell.

Good luck to you. It can be a quick process or a horribly long one. It just depends on the cats involved.

secretcode · Post by **secretcode** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:33 am

Clay wrote:Don't let them be around each other unmonitored. Separate them for part of the day for a month or so, and let them get familiar with each other gradually.

Even then, they may not love each other. Tolerance is the goal.

That sounds too much like internet forums... just goes to show deep down we are all pussies.

Rurudyne · Post by **Rurudyne** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:01 am

secretcode wrote:Odds are it's just jealousy. Won't last for long.

Don't bet on it. Sebastian, then a youngster of only 15 years, never fully forgave my mom because of some other cats until just a few months before her death.

Baxter · Post by **Baxter** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:37 am

Baxter never fully accepted Gabby. Even after 5 years. Sometimes they could be in the same room, but more often than not he would hiss and swat at her just for being in the same room.

Of course he didn't like anyone new. Person or feline. He did like one of my parents' dogs though.

Zeeks · Post by **Zeeks** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:01 am

I'm actually having the same exact issue that you are facing, but the roles are reversed- I have two newer kittens and one older female who just gave birth to a litter of 4. Before, during, and especially after the birth, my female (BeBe) has never really gotten along with the 2 newer cats (Buddy and Missy). BeBe will literally chase them off the same floor of the house she happens to be occupying at any one time. She never took to them when they arrived, and barely tolerates them. When the babies grow up and go to good homes, we are having her fixed, and hopefully that will calm her down some on the over protectiveness. The other two just came home from the cat hospital yesterday for their operations, so they mellowed out some, but I have to keep them separated for the mean time because if BeBe gets a hold of them, I fear she will rupture the other two's incisions and sutures.

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:45 pm

Good luck in finding a way out of your problem, funny thing how the situation is reversed.

I've tried letting the younger one out and about while always at her side, she's doing fine. Then I tried getting the two older ones on the balcony and have them all communicate via the glass door...the young one hissed at them.

She has a partially broken pelvis so I'm not really into them fighting at all, thankfully the old ones are not fighting aggressive, just territorial I guess.

BOOBS1 · Post by **BOOBS1** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:17 pm

I wouldn't put them in an enclosed room together. Maybe take the kitten out of the room and let your two older cats go in so they can sniff and get use to the sent of the kitten. Then if one of the older cats are more mellow try letting the kitten around that cat and get the other older cat away. if that works then after a couple days introduce the other cat. Or, they might just attack the kitten and eventually stop... Good luck!