Anyone with experience of getting a new kitten when you already have a cat?

eviljim6

hello illmonkey,
I would say go for it based on my experience.
My partner had two male cats a couple years apart when I moved in. I was so taken that I wanted a kitten which we eventually got. The female kitten was less frightened than the bigger boys There were a few scraps but generally she was really good for them socially plus the extra exercise they get. The older one is a bit more hostile but tolerates them both.
Two years o they are like a small family so being a soft touch I got another kitten (male). I couldn't keep him away from the bigger cats. Theree was hissing and hiding from the female for a week but know they are inseperable and she now has someone to socialise/exercise with as they bigger boys get older. If you can afford it and have the time then do it. It's great to see how different cats have different personalities and it is wonderful when they get on. I wish you every luck with your new addition, even if it isn't all roses to begin with they will settle down

SnowyOwl_2

I recently introduced a little female kitten to a household of just me and two big neutered boys (who I think are gay as they love each other so much). There was a lot of spitting and hissing from the boys to start with. However I invested in a Feliway diffuser and, unless it's simply coincidence, the change has been miraculous. The huffing and hissing has mostly ceased and the boys are mesmerised by the baby's non-stop playing. She is definitely third in the pecking order as you'd expect, but the change is that they have accepted her presence and participate in her actions, whereas before the diffuser they were both quite simply hostile to her.

It does take a while for kitties to forget that the newbee wasn't there in the first place, but I would strongly recommend the Feliway thingy as it does have a calming effect whatever the change in home arrangements. It takes a week or so for the effect of the pheromones scent to work, but IMHO it seems to calm things down a bit.

I got mine from the vet - cost £13 but I think they perhaps got the price wrong as the online places seem to be charging over £20.

HappierTimes_2

Hi

When I got my new kitten - now a six year old fattie who rules the roost - I asked advice from my vet. He told me to keep the kitten in the carrier for a short time (less than an hour) in the centre of the living room. The older cat just mewed a lot and did some hissing. Within in a few days, she was carrying the kitten around by the neck and grooming her. Kittens take over eventually and become top cat.

Dave will get used to the new addition.

Good luck.:o

sharon_currie

Tortieshell wrote: »

I have 2 cats and decided to get a kitten (ended up with 2!) My cats are 14 months and 2 years.

The kittens have been here about 2 weeks now and my cats wont come in ... they climb through the window and eat (very fast) then hiss and growl at the kittens then fly back out through the window.

I kept the kittens in a bedroom for the 1st week, read all the advice and took it slowly but I feel very sad for my 2 cats as they seem scared to death of them! Meanwhile the kitties just want to get to know them.

It is very heartbreaking and to be honest I dont know what I can do, I thought about getting the kittens months beforehand and thought I prepared but I really didnt think my cats would be so unhappy.

I know for alot of people it can work out but some cats just will not accept any newbies - so you really have to think long and hard.

I know it sounds bad but if I could go back in time I dont think I would of got the kittens. although I love them both dearly already.

Good Luck with whatever you decide!

Hi I know exactly how you feel, I'm in a similar situation - I posted mine on this site yesterday, looking for advice. I got my kitten about 2wks ago and my 10 yr old female is very unhappy. Prior to getting the kitten, the cat was always around but now she won`t come in and is hardly touching her food which I've had to leave by the front door so she can get to it easily, she has been eating tiny amounts but not like she was doing prior to us getting the kitten. I feel really bad that she is this upset. She would always come in when we called on her but now she ignores us. When she see`s the kitten, she hisses and spits at her and appears to be very distressed. If I thought that this would happen, I would never have got a kitten as it`s not fair on either of them. The reason I decided to get a kitten was because my 14 yr old had to be put to sleep in April as his kidney`s had failed and the cat seemed lost without him (she`d been brought up with him since she was 6 wks old) and to be honest, I was devastated. The kitten is well settled with us and like your kittens, she wants to get to know the older cat but I fear that I am going to have to have her rehomed if the older one doesn`t settle. I know time will tell but in a few wks time it might be the situation that the older one will not tolerate the kitten then I have to get her rehomed and I've already grown so attached to her as it is so it will be heart breaking to give the kitten away further down the line as she has helped me come to terms with the sudden loss of my other cat.

sharon_currie

SnowyOwl wrote: »

I recently introduced a little female kitten to a household of just me and two big neutered boys (who I think are gay as they love each other so much). There was a lot of spitting and hissing from the boys to start with. However I invested in a Feliway diffuser and, unless it's simply coincidence, the change has been miraculous. The huffing and hissing has mostly ceased and the boys are mesmerised by the baby's non-stop playing. She is definitely third in the pecking order as you'd expect, but the change is that they have accepted her presence and participate in her actions, whereas before the diffuser they were both quite simply hostile to her.

It does take a while for kitties to forget that the newbee wasn't there in the first place, but I would strongly recommend the Feliway thingy as it does have a calming effect whatever the change in home arrangements. It takes a week or so for the effect of the pheromones scent to work, but IMHO it seems to calm things down a bit.

I got mine from the vet - cost £13 but I think they perhaps got the price wrong as the online places seem to be charging over £20.

Thanks for the tip on the Feliway. I'm going to try it with my older cat - anythings worth a try. If anyone else is intersted in buying this product, you can get it on ebay for £15.95 + £1.95 p&p. Just hope it works!

sharon_currie

Tortieshell wrote: »

I have 2 cats and decided to get a kitten (ended up with 2!) My cats are 14 months and 2 years.

The kittens have been here about 2 weeks now and my cats wont come in ... they climb through the window and eat (very fast) then hiss and growl at the kittens then fly back out through the window.

I kept the kittens in a bedroom for the 1st week, read all the advice and took it slowly but I feel very sad for my 2 cats as they seem scared to death of them! Meanwhile the kitties just want to get to know them.

It is very heartbreaking and to be honest I dont know what I can do, I thought about getting the kittens months beforehand and thought I prepared but I really didnt think my cats would be so unhappy.

I know for alot of people it can work out but some cats just will not accept any newbies - so you really have to think long and hard.

I know it sounds bad but if I could go back in time I dont think I would of got the kittens. although I love them both dearly already.

Good Luck with whatever you decide!

Just to say that I read about this product from another member on this site that might work in both our circumstances. It`s called Feliway and you can get it in either a plug in or spray. It`s used for various circumstances around cats and I`ve read reviews on it which seem to be very good. One of them states that it is good for new arrivals, ie new baby, new pet (in our case). I`ve just bought a diffuser from ebay at £15.95 + £1.95 p&p which covers areas up to 650 feet and you can buy the refills for it too. It is supposed to be good for stress and anxiety in cats so might be worth a shot with your 2 cats. If you look it up in the search engine, you`ll be able to decide for yourself but I think it's a small price to pay for a content and stress free cat so fingers crossed it works!!

Tortieshell

Hi Sharon thanks for the help, I had just posted this on another thread so thought I'd move it over!

I totally understand how distressing this is - I just couldnt keep going for weeks or months seeing my cats like this I was so upset all the time as they were my babies and I felt sorry for the kitties also.

I also have a daughter who is 8 years old and she wasnt bothered that the kitties werent here anymore! I told her they needed to be with their mummy (a lil white lie doesnt hurt) and she was fine about it.

Good luck




"I was in the same situation myself. I had 2 cats and bought 2 kittens into the household after much much advice beforehand.

After 2 weeks my cats were still living in the garden only hopping through the window to eat then rushing back out (they were always indoors with me before this). When they came face to face with the kittens there was alot of hissing and growling which didnt bother the kittens as they kept running towards my cats! But my cats were scared and although I have been told it can take months to get them used to each other the stress was too much for my cats and myself!

Seeing my cats so unhappy and scared I decided to give the kittens to a family who didnt have any other pets just children who adored them. I keep in touch with the family and know I have done the right thing, the kittens have the run of the house where they are now and seem so happy.
While it took another few weeks for my cats to realise the kittens werent here now they have just began to come inside for more than 1 minute now! and my tom kept me company all last night. He seemed really relaxed and happy and I know I made the right decision.

I'm not saying give the kitten up but in my situation I know I done the best thing.

Good luck I know it is hard seeing them upset."

sharon_currie

Thanks Tortieshell. I'm going to try that Feliway stuff as a last resort but if it doesn't work then I`ll need to start thinking along those lines as well. My older cat seems terrified of the kitten. She slept in the spare room last night - where she normailly sleeps but when I got up it was almost like she knew that I would be letting the kitten out of the kitchen (where she sleeps) then bolted out of the cat flap. It`s not nice seeing her like this as she`s a very loving cat but she won`t come near as long as the kitten is going about. My OH feels that it`s not fair on the cat and thinks we should find another home for the kitten as she`s still young enough to settle with other people but I want to give her the chance but don`t like seeing the cat this upset so I`m in a catch 22 situation. I know that if it doesn't work out in a few wks time and the kitten has to be rehomed, it`s not fair on the kitten either, if she has to go to a strange enviroment with people she doesn't know.

Tortieshell

I know its really upsetting, quite often I found myself in tears (it sounds silly I know) and although it was very hard to come to the decision to rehome the kittens I knew that I would be upset initially but as soon as they were gone I felt an immense sense of relief.

Kittens are easily adaptable, they were 8 weeks old and although I loved them it wasnt a love that I felt for my other two cats as I had them for 2 years and 1 from birth.

My tom cat (who I'd had from birth, feeds the lot) completely ignored me and was frightened and scared the whole time. They lived in the garden only venturing in to gobble up food which really upset me and we did all the usual stuff of putting the kittens in a spare room, exchanging scents etc.

I also felt it was unfair on kitties as they wanted to make friends and didnt seem right to keep them in the bedroom as they used to cry alot to come out.

I made sure they had a good home to go to though and the family that took them emails me with updates and pics so I feel alot better now.

Today my tom cat has been indoors with me all day wanting cuddles and affection and the kittens have been gone almost 2 weeks, to see him happy, content and relaxed makes me feel the same! I've been treating him with his favorite food and basically anything else he wants as I still feel guilty for putting him (and my tortie) through this.

I know alot of people have new additions to their home all the time and it works out, maybe not instant but eventually. I think its a good idea to try for a little while longer if thats what you feel and I wish you all the luck and know the emotional torture you are going through so try not to feel too bad. Just see what happens but kittens do bounce back - my ex-kittens did and they are happy!

spookylukey

Tortieshell

Sorry it didn't work out with your kittens but just wanted to say how pleased I am that you made such a brave decision to rehome the little ones. Sadly quite often in situations like this callous owners 'get rid' of the older cats keeping the cute fluffy kittens. You are obviously a very caring cat Mum :grouphug: Sounds like the little ones have gone to a great home, hope your resident cats get back to their usual happy loving selves ASAP.