to pet or not to pet

shane4402

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Hi all.
My wife and I just brought home a new kitten. We have isolated her from our two year old cat who has lived with us for...two years. We did this after much advice from the animal shelter and from online help. We have found various things we need to do to make sure the cats get used to each other's scent, but we seem to have a problem. Everywhere we look, we are told to be sure and shower both cats with plenty of attention (lest the old cat feel like she's being replaced), but our two-year old, who is normally very affectionate, wants nothing to do with us. She runs away and has even hissed at us. Sometimes, this seems unprompted. Earlier, we were just sitting there, and our old cat walks by my wife and hisses at her, and acts like she's getting ready to attack.
WHAT CAN WE DO? Do we just need to give her time to adjust, or what? It has only been about 24 hours since our new kitty came home, should we just wait and see what happens? When should we let them meet?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

sammie5

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24 hours is a very short time, and the hissing and being wary is quite "normal". Your older cat is probably smelling the new kitty on your hand, clothes etc. Its almost sad, you bring home a new baby, hoping that it will be a companion, and a formerly loving, friendly cat seems to have a complete personality makeover.

Give it time, follow all of the tips you read here, and be patient. It would not be unusual for the process to take a week or more, with slow face to face supervised introductions starting in another day or two.

And your older cat will eventually "forgive" you. Probably.
 

ownerofcoco&kia

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i am going through the same thing i just got a new kitten and my cat kia was very angry. she still doesn't like the idea of another cat but she is starting not to hiss as much. i let both my cats run free and kia tends to just run away from her but lately we have notice kia touching noses with our kitten and she has stopped hissing at us and only hisses at the kitten every once in a while like when coco sneaks up on her... try using vanilla and putting it on both cats necks and tails so they smell the same... i guess i got lucky cuz i introduced my new kitten to kia the same day i brought her home... but nothing bad has happened and they are getting along pretty well... well good luck!
 

purrfectcatlove

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Welcome to TCS


I went through this a # of times and so know that this is perfectly normal . 24 hours is not a lot of time at all . The vanilla extract will help ,placing it on the gin and on the back end where the tails starts on both cats . That will help to make them smell the same way . I am sure if you look around the behavior forum you will find a lot of help how to intro 2 cats with each other . The hissing at you or your wife is also normal due to the smell of the other cat your old cat is picking up . The hissing is not to you and please don't take it personal , it is the smell from the new cat on you she/he left on you . It may also take weeks for both cats to hopefuly be ok with each other . Good luck and thank you for adopting from the shelter and saving a cats life
 
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shane4402

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...is something I don't have. But I'm sowly learning.
Thanks, everyone, for your advice. We'll take it easy, and maybe even try that vanilla trick. The people at the shelter said we would only need to keep them apart for a few days. The way my older cat is acting, I have a feeling it may be longer. Oh well. Thanks for the advice!
 

cilla

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Welcome to TCS and good luck with your "getting to know you" with your kitties. Mine took over a month to fully accept two new cats, but it could have been that I was being OVER wary.
 
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shane4402

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Zoe - 2 yrs. old.
Jazz - 3 mos. old

Okay, we've done all that you all have suggested. I applied the vanilla
a89%^6

(that was Jazz saying hello) and swapped bed sheets and kept Jasmine isolated. Well, until the other day that is. She's a quick little rascal and she slipped out. Jazz, our new kitty, met our resident cat Zoe. They sniffed. Zoe hissed. Jazz walked away to explore. Well, we figured since they'd met, we might as well let them continue to spend time together. As of today, Zoe no longer follows Jazz everywhere trying to hiss and slap her. But, if Jazz gets too close, Zoe DOES hiss at slap. (Most of the time.) But they do run around the house chasing each other. The thing is, I can't tell if Zoe is playing with Jazz, or just being mean.
Should I still expect this meanness? It's only been a couple of days.
Should I do something when Zoe hisses and slaps Jazz? Jazz is just so hyperactive, that Zoe can hardly do anything without Jazz getting in her face wanting to play.
Anyone have any advice how I can handle things from here on out?
 

valanhb

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As long as it is just slaps, hopefully with claws in, I wouldn't worry. Zoe is letting Jazz know in no uncertain terms that she is top cat in this house! And she's letting kitten know that she has her boundaries (which it sounds like Jazz is so happy with her new friend she isn't taking the hint very well....my boy still does that a lot with my girl and it's been 4 years that they have been together).
 

hissy

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It isn't meaness that is driving your one cat, it is instinct and basic cat language. Such a short time for such a major adjustment on both of your cats' parts. Forcing yourself on the newcomer will just drive her further under the bed and on the defensive. Simply ignoring her while seeing that she has all she needs, is the quickest way for her to relax. Her world has been turned upside down, and you need to reset your timer for things to happen to her speed and not yours.
 
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shane4402

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Jazz is hillarious. She will take anything off of Zoe and isn't afraid of her. She just wants to play! Zoe is gradually becoming less annoyed with Jazz, so that's good to see. Plus, thankfully, Zoe has finally started coming back to my wife and I for attention. (I never thought I'd be happy that she woke me up at 5 in the morning, but I am today. It's a sign that things are starting to go back to 'normal'!)
Thanks, everyone for your advice.
 

rosiemac

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I brought my new kitten into the house just over a week ago and kept her out of Rosies sight for a day, but she knew there was something going on because she could hear the kitten meowing in the room i put her in.

Rosie hissed and growled not just at Sophie but at me as well, which upset me because this is the one thing i didn't want to happen. But, after the first day curiosity got the best of Rosie and she finally came downstairs.

Now their pals, chasing after each other.


Stick with it
 
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