10 week kitten Tigger VS Four year old Cat Cous Cous

[pleasehelp38]

Dear all Cat lovers

I am sitting at my laptop crying as I write this. I am at my wits end and I don't know what to do. Tonight my four year old cat whom I love dearly and who I have raised since a tiny kitten attacked me. I got a 9 week old kitten a month ago and have done the whole swop towel thing with their scents. Keep kitten and her separate so that they can get used to the sounds of one another. The kitten sleeps in the bathroom and my Grey older cat on my bed with me. I have stayed with both of them when introducing them and  its been hissing and spitting and hatred from my older cat since day one. Its been a month and it seems like its getting worse. She won't even come into the house anymore, I have had to put a basket with a blanket in the garage so she can sleep there because she refuses to sleep with me on my bed anymore. She  comes in to eat and the leaves again, she stays around the garage area but doesn't like my home anymore. I feel like such a bad mother.

I feel like the worst Mom in the world like I have made the worst mistake. When my older cat attacked my face when I was holding her tonight i got such a fright , have I literally changed her personality??? and turned her into hating me I don't know what to do.

I don't want to get rid of Tigger my kitten she is adorable and we have really bonded . When I let tigger out to run around with Cous Cous in the house, there is hisses and spits from the older cat but viscious and she wants to hide from the kitten. As soon as theres a gap the older cat is looking for a way out of the house.

Aside from giving the kitten away to someone else whom will love and care for her which will break my heart too. I do not know what to do and am at my wits end. Please help

From

Diana

 

[talkingpeanut]

It sounds like you may have rushed the introduction process.  Can you speak a bit more about what you did to introduce the cats?  They shouldn't be allowed to interact at all if there is any aggression.  Ideally you don't progress to the next step until everyone is totally comfortable.

 

[pleasehelp38]

So no face to face introductions until they are completely comfortable with one another?

When I brought the kitten home I put her in her own little housie in the bathroom with fresh water and food and toys. 

My other cat came into the house and heard her, and hissed and ran off. I did not show them face to face but my older cat refused to eat near the door of the kitten so I moved her food to the lounge area. My older cat used to still come into the house and sleep on my bed with me but when I swopped towels, one with her scent for the kitten and one with the kittens scent for Cous Cous the older cat she then refused to sleep in my room anymore and stopped coming into the house altogether. When I tried to force her to sleep in my room thinking this was the right thing to do , to show my older cat who is boss (me) she pooped on my bed. Sigh. 

This has all been within a month and a half period

Yes I think you may be right , I rushed things...puts head in hands

How do I start over?

 

[talkingpeanut]

Yeah, no face to face until they are completely comfortable with scent. Try watching Jackson Galaxy's cat introduction video. You start them in two entirely separate rooms and feed them on opposite sides of a door, moving progressively closer. Then repeat using a covered baby gate, then uncovered. You can also allow them both full run of the house when the other is in a safe room. If you give them both time to properly adjust they should be fine!