Cat And Kitten Introduction Troubles

[dripdrop]

Hey! I got a 5-year-old female cat named Juniper a couple months ago. She came from a crowded home that had other cats and two dogs, and she settled in well although we didn't have any other pets at the time. She was sweet, friendly, and super calm, the perfect starter cat.
Unfortunately, since we got a two-month-old kitten roughly a week ago, Juniper has been incredibly aggressive. The kitten has been nothing but curious about Juniper since we let her out of her room, but everytime she gets near her, Juniper will hiss and meow really low. She hasn't arched her back or anything yet, but she did swipe at the kitten once the other day. Luckily, Juni will normally just walk away after hissing and meowing a for a little bit.
Is this normal? How can I stop them from getting in a fight?

 

[saladflambe]

Yes! This is normal. My cats - especially my female - can get quite vocal about kittens or other cats. Even some arching and swiping is normal. It's kind of an important phase of integration, really - the kitten has to learn how to communicate and "who is boss." It's a good sign that the kitten walks away but is still curious -- "getting the message" so to speak.

Give them time, don't leave them alone unattended, and try to associate lots of positive things with one another's presence (special treats; feed them across the room from one another if possible or feed one in the bathroom and the other on the other side of the bathroom door so they can smell one another while eating).

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Your kitten is very young to have been adopted out. The "recommendation" is to keep kittens with their mom and siblings till they are 12 weeks old, to give them time to learn cat manners.

Usually when a kitten is adopted young, we say the human will have to teach it manners, but in your case you have Juniper to take on that job. And there may be times when she seems a bit rough with the kitten, so definitely keep an eye on them, and don't leave them unattended.

Here are the articles on cat introductions, though they probably don't apply very much in your case, due to the large age difference, but there may be some tips in them.

Introducing Cats To Cats
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction
The Multi-cat Household
How To Safely Break Up A Cat Fight

9 Tips That Will Help Your Kitten Adapt To A New Apartment
Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips