How long does it take?

x-ta-z

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I just got my new kitty (5wks female) taoday as a companion for Singa (1.5 yrs female). I introduced the two and Singa directly started hissing. Then (after about 30 min watching and hissing at the little one) Singa went hiding in her 'toilet' (a spare bathroom with her litterbox) and not coming out. We just got her out and I gave her a big cuddle and loving. She then explored the new kittens 'room' (a guest bathroom that she is confined to when we aren't home). After she saw the new kitten running around the living room, Singa started hissing again and went towards her toilet again...


How long will she hiss? and is it normal for her reaction? She never has hissed before at anything?
Or is this a sign that it is the wrong match?

btw, pictures will follow ;o)
 

cheylink

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Hissing is usually not bad at all. Some cats do it when they are scared or nervous, trying to keep distance from another, basically a vocal display of discomfort or uncertainness. Growling is more of an aggressive vocal sign.
 

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glad you got your new kitty - hissing is just all part of the process of relationship building
as long as you dont force them to be in each others company, they will soon get to know each other and become great friends
Unfortunately no-one can say how long this will take, all kits are different, and of course, your new kit is also getting used to a new home !

Keep us posted..............ooo maybe you´ve had chance to do photos, not checked out Fur Pictures as yet..............so off I go


ps. have you decided on a name for your new kit
 
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x-ta-z

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Sher is mainly hissing and growled twice (after I scolded her for hissing)

And I have noticed that she is rather scared (the way she went hiding in her 'toilet' room).
But Singa is also crocuhing down while walking as if she was ready to hunt... but she hasn't pounced on the little one yet...
I have a few ideas for the little one.. will post a pic on fur pics and then i can do a poll
 
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x-ta-z

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I just touched the new kitten and then went to singa and she hissed and growled at me like no cats business!
Now I confiend her to the study were I am currently... I seriously hope this works out... the little gal is such a cutie...
 

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If you haven't read thru this thread, I suggest you do so right away. It's about good tips and techniques people use here to introduce new cats or kittens to your house.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67321

It is rare when you can put 2 cats together and they immediately bond with each other. In the thread you will find recommendations to keep them separated and how to introduce them thru smells, sounds, sight, etc gradually.

What your kittens are experiencing right now is what happens to all of them. Some work thru it quickly, others can take weeks or months. You can never set a time clock with cats - they always do things at their own pace. I do know that if the initial introductions are done wrong, it can actually take longer to turn them back around. Read thru the thread and you'll understand more.

Good luck!
 
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x-ta-z

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Wow!
Thanks for the thread.. I just hope I didn't cause too much damage by lettiing the new kitten roam around for the first few hours...
 
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x-ta-z

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I just sent the small one to her temporary room and Singa is running around the house again and seems fine....

we'll see how it goes...

Big thanks tho! Glad you let me know before I cause some major damage..

Was really scared that Singa turns into some bad tempered cat... I am so propud of her that she has never reacted with any agression until today
 

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When Maia was a kitten I use to take her to my friends house, this was where her childhood friend CeCe lived. They also did the hiss growl, and both of them would do the closed mouth grumble when we would pick them up to deter the moment! Heres a pic of them......

Maia as an adult kitty now and does not socialize with others easily, so unfortunately they only have those childhood memories
!
 
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x-ta-z

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Did you really mean that the new baby is only five weeks old? Surely that was a typo...?
yes five weeks - not a typo. maybe she is 6 weeks. she is a rescue from the streets. why her foster didn't rescue the complete family - I don't know, but unfortunately it is now too late, the siblings where 'taken away' in the meantime. her mom was sterilized and set out a week ago and I just took her to my house yesterday
 
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x-ta-z

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Let's say I introduce the two of them after a while and Singa (most likely) still reacts with hissing and growling, how should I react to her?

Scold her?? Hiss and growl back??

Two situations - she hisses and growls at the kitty AND/OR she hisses and growls at me (when the kitten is not around) because I smell of the kitten....

Any good advice on this?
 

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Don't panic! I have just been reading your story and I had to post my own question as I am doing exactly what you are but the other way round. I have two kittens and a new old cat that I had to take in.

I don't have any solutions but wanted to say, I sympathise!!! We are having hissing,spitting,growling from the old cat as she hates our kittens. Our kittens are very confused!!!

I think it gets better, people tell me it does!
keep us posted!
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by x-ta-Z

Let's say I introduce the two of them after a while and Singa (most likely) still reacts with hissing and growling, how should I react to her?

Scold her?? Hiss and growl back??

Two situations - she hisses and growls at the kitty AND/OR she hisses and growls at me (when the kitten is not around) because I smell of the kitten....

Any good advice on this?
Try the vanilla extract trick - it will make all of you smell the same.
 
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x-ta-z

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I just got home from dinner with my friends and when I reached home my BF had let the new kitten out of the bathroom and Singa was hiding in the study. I told him yesterday why we have to confine the little one to the bathroom and how we need to go about. But he feels sorry for the little one being in the bathroom and lets her roam around. Singa of course started hissing at her and at my BF!

I'm really upset, because with all this every step you take forward it goes two back again.


He is really of the opinion that they need to get to know eachother else they will never get aling


I told him if he wants to interact with the little one he has to sit in the bathroom and do so...
 

malakaiii

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We are in the middle of some introductions ourselves and I've been following your story so I thought I'd stick my nose in now.


Our resident cat, Tak, is 4.5 years old. She's definitely the queen of our apartment! We just adopted Pixel, a 13 week old female (who we thought was male, but is definitely not!).

Going by the advice on this forum, other places online, cat shelters and friends, Pixel has been living in the bathroom for the 9 days since she came home. Tak was pretty unimpressed for a while (she can smell the new cat under the door and on our clothes), but things are calming down a LOT because Pixel isn't really in Tak's territory.

We've also been seeding Pixel-smelling things around the house like towels, brushes and swapping out toys and scratching posts. Tak used to hiss at these things, but now she's just curious, and even rolls on them a little! It's pretty hopeful so far.

I understand your boyfriend's concern about the little one being cooped up, but it's a heck of a lot better than having two miserable fighting cats on your hands... After the first few days, we started letting Pixel out for an hour or so a few times a day, but we'd confine Tak to the bedroom so the two wouldn't meet. Tak naps on our bed anyway, so she really didn't know anything was going on. We'd wear Pixel out with the feather wand, let her explore a bit and then it was back to the bathroom for dinner. It works well! I've also been doing my school reading in the bathroom, so it gets her some extra cuddle and bonding time with me.

The two have been playing under the door and I'm hoping to introduce them next week. I have some Feliway diffusers on order that I want to get running before the two meet face to face, so I'm waiting on those too!

Tell your boyfriend that having the two running around together is NOT working, and that you have to take things slow if you want to have any kind of feline peace in your house!

Good luck and keep us updated.
 
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x-ta-z

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Originally Posted by Malakaiii

The two have been playing under the door and I'm hoping to introduce them next week.
Wow! Sounds promising! Singa doesn't even go near the door of the bathroom and since it lies in the corridor to our bedroom, she is not coming to the bedroom either but rather staying in the study... I will try your method of seeding her things around... for now it's only me who smells of kitten in between, because I just confront her by petting her right after i com from my playtime with the little one.
Singa isn't too fond of the smell but it's better than seeing the kitten dash around her house...
 

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I am reading these stories with interest! Our 3 cats are now roaming the house, but the older (new) one still hisses and spits!

funnily enough the smell seems to be OK and she doesn't hiss at that at all it's more the sight of the cats that worries her.

i am going to buy the vanilla extract today to see if that helps, I hope it does!!!

The good news is that when I or my bf are around we can generally play with both cats in the same room if we sit between them, and last night she didn't hiss at all. I think it's a trust thing.

I wouldn't worry about keeping your new kitten in the bathroom, they won't mind and as someone else said its better that they feel safe in there and that your older cat doesn't chase her all round the house! You can let her out for a few hours a day when you are there.

Everyone seems to say that taking it slowly is the key... but I know it's hard to be patient!
 

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Originally Posted by cheylink

When Maia was a kitten I use to take her to my friends house, this was where her childhood friend CeCe lived. They also did the hiss growl, and both of them would do the closed mouth grumble when we would pick them up to deter the moment! Heres a pic of them......

Maia as an adult kitty now and does not socialize with others easily, so unfortunately they only have those childhood memories
!
This photo is high art! Thanks lorax
 
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