brought home a kitten and my big cats hate her

oitncat

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Ollie and Gary are two neutered male tabby brothers, approximately two years old. They are indoor/outdoor and generally get along well with each other, although they are independent and not especially cuddly. I was visiting a family member whose cat became pregnant with four kittens before they could have her spayed. The kittens are weaned and homes have yet to be found for them, so they were facing the possibility of having to send them to a pet store. I agreed to adopt one of them, and my family members were thrilled to know that the kitten would be going to a familiar home.

Kitten is set up in the office with her own litter box so that the big cats can get used to her scent first. The doors to the office are glass, so they can see her through it, and their first response is that they hate her. They hiss at the door, growl, swat at it with full force... I can get them to eat out of their bowls about four feet away from the door, and I give them treats when they are close to it to try to get them to calm down, but this is accompanied by hateful glaring and vocalizing. What's more concerning is that my more dominant cat, Gary,  will hiss at the door and then go slap Ollie and behave aggressively towards him. I am now terrified that I have ruined everything by bringing this little girl into our home, that they will never accept her, and that - even worse, the dynamic between my two previously peaceful boys will have been ruined.

I have covered the bottom portion of the door with paper so they can smell kitten but not see her. I have spread toys around the house to help provide positive distractions. I have ordered a Feliway diffuser - the ones that help calm cats by diffusing "happy" cat pheromones throughout the home - to help reduce the big cats' rage. I cuddle kitten and then pet big cats later on to give them positive associations with her scent. And kitten is allowed to wander the house for a bit in the evening to get a little bit of her scent into the home. It has literally only been 24 hours, but I'm anxious and sad  and worried and could use any helpful information from any cat owners who have been through this before.
 

mani

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Hi @OITNCat and welcome to TCS!

Honestly, 24 hours is absolutely no time at all to judge how they'll get on.  It can be a long and slow process but it really is worth it to do it correctly.

The fact that they could see the kitten but not get to her probably made things a little worse.  It's good that you've blocked off the view.

Gary is slapping Ollie out of redirected aggression and that's not at all uncommon either.  My two do it to each other if I haven't fed them on time!


This article gives you really specific instructions.  Have a read through.  And know that this is pretty well what happens when you introduce cats, and it does get a lot better.
   [article="32680"]How To Successfully Introduce Cats The Ultimate Guide​[/article]  
 

msaimee

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I agree, 24 hours is no time at all. Please don't panic! Even with my easiest new cat introduction ever, it took a few weeks for everyone to settle down and settle in.

Whenever I take in a new cat, I spend extra time playing with my other cats, and I also provide them with new toys and extra food treats. The last time around, I got them all a second cat tree, which they loved. Giving all of the cats a little extra play time and attention and treats really helps all of them to adjust. Also, when you are able to safely do so, have all three cats play with you with a wand toy at the same time. This will help them to bond with each other. Laser toys are also great. Also, from my experience, older cats tend to adopt a new kitten, because the kitten poses no threat to them in terms of dominance or territory. and this likely will be true in your case as well. It may take a few weeks or even a few months for all of your cats to settle down, but it will be well worth it.
 
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oitncat

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Thanks for the guide! I'll read through it today! I'd gone through a couple already, but this one may have some new, helpful information. :)
 
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