Introducing kittens to adult cats

isadora44

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My husband brought up the idea (again) today that he wouldn't mind getting a kitten. We already have two adult cats, one of which is very set in her snobbish ways. It took her quite awhile to get used to her "sister" when I introduced her (they were both adults).

My question is, do territorial cats typically act the same towards kittens as they would another adult cat? Or is there a potential that the introduction might be easier? I'm not sure Isadora has ever even met a kitten...I had her spayed at the earliest opportunity.

Opinions?
 

pami

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What I have noticed on TCS when someone gets a new kitten is that the adult cats usually take very well to the kitten, but they usually follow the introduction techniques, too.

I guess you already know this but in case, heres a link on introductions......... Introducing new cats to old
 

miao_kitty

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I have this same situation. Luna is my adult cat and has lived with cats before (adults all). The only cat she's met in the last two years was my mom's senior (and Luna, who's 4, just hid from her). Now I have a kitten, Sherman Grey. I was told that a kitten would be better to introduce to an adult, and a male would be better. So, I am in the process of doing this, if you want, I can give you updates on how it works.

Originally Posted by Pami

I guess you already know this but in case, heres a link on introductions......... Introducing new cats to old
also, this link doesn't seem to work...
 
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isadora44

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Originally Posted by miao_kitty

I have this same situation. Luna is my adult cat and has lived with cats before (adults all). The only cat she's met in the last two years was my mom's senior (and Luna, who's 4, just hid from her). Now I have a kitten, Sherman Grey. I was told that a kitten would be better to introduce to an adult, and a male would be better. So, I am in the process of doing this, if you want, I can give you updates on how it works.
Updates would definately probably be educational. Let me know how it goes!
 

laureen227

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i just recently went thru this, inadvertently. but i don't do things the proper way - i just don't have the space!
Firefox was a feral kitten from my backyard, very sickly. the first several days, she was isolated to the bathroom [only room with a door] for health reasons. then, i got the baby gates [i have 2, stacked on end] so that visual contact could be made. she was still fed there, still slept there [door closed at night] & litterbox there. after being on meds, wormed, etc. & plus she learned to climb the baby gates
she got to start eating in the kitchen with the big kitties.
this all started about 2 months ago. Cable will play with her, some. Java has just now started to come around. Chip would prefer she leave him alone, & she pretty much does. Pixel's the same. it's relatively easy for the adults to avoid her when they want - they can escape to much higher places she just can't reach yet. they don't hurt her, but they are teaching her her place [low cat on the totem pole] in the house. i think things are going as well as can be expected.
if i had a spare bedroom, with a door, i would've followed the intro linked, but i just don't have the facilities for it. i really don't have a large enough house for five cats, but i couldn't let Firefox die, & think she would've.
 

goldenkitty45

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I think they are a little more tolerate, but IMO if you have 2 females and the one had a hard time accepting another female, you might have just as much problem bringing in a kitten.

I've found that females (spayed or not) take a lot longer, if ever, to accept new cats. They seem to accept another male faster then another female. So if you want to get another, you might consider a young neutered male with laid back personality.

Charlie's got a dominate outgoing personality. Ling still hasn't totally accepted him as she is female and she wants to be boss.
 

urbantigers

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I've found that most cats are pretty tolerant of kittens BUT kittens don't stay kittens forever! As they grow up the relationship is likely to evolve and if the kitten is dominant it may deteriorate. It isn't a case of once they've accepted each other that's it. Jaffa was very tolerant of Mosi when I got him at 3 months old, but when he got to about 5 months old the relationship deteriorated a bit. Mosi is 19 months old now and while they get on for the most part they have their ups and downs and the relationship between them is still evolving.
 

sevencats

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Kittens are much easier tolerated by adult cats than another new adult cat. Be sure to keep them isolated from each other at first. Be patient, too. Don't let them mix with each other for a couple of weeks. Let them get used to the sounds and smells of each other. I kept kittens in a cage in my kitchen, where the adults could see them, hiss at them, but not hurt them. I'd let the kittens out to play for periods of time and have the adults shut in another room. Gradually, I let them out in the adult cat's vicinity, after they were becoming used to each other. Make sure the kittens know the house well before they are let loose completely, so they will have hiding places when the adult cats chase them! It takes time, and the finicky adult may never be a friend to them ,but tolerate them only. My oldest cat is that way, she tolerates my other six, but will not play with them, etc.

Be patient, and don't rush it, and it will work out.

MC
 

miao_kitty

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Originally Posted by Isadora44

Updates would definately probably be educational. Let me know how it goes!
Ok, last night i put Sherman (the kitten) in my bathroom and gave Luna (my adult cat) space of the entire house. (3 floor town home.) She discovered that Sherman was in the bathroom and slept near the door for several hours.

Then today, I put sherman in the carrier and Luna outside. Oddly enough, it was Sherman who growled and hissed and Luna just sat there and sniffed at him.
 
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