Second cat?

KittenWithMitten

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Hello!
I’m new here(hi)
So, I have a cat, she’s turning around 2 in October. She’s from a shelter, we got her when she was about 9 months old, she was with bunch of other cats and seemed to be great around them and played with other cats. She’s been with us for over a year now, will she be fine with a new kitten? The kitten would be around 4 months old. I already have the 2nd litterbox. It’s not 100% the kitten will end up with us, since it’s an adoption and they probably have lots of applications. (I do hope we get her though) what should I be prepared for? I know my cat might not like the newbie and it’ll take time to get used to each other. Though, both (mine and the kitten) have been around other cats before and should be used to them. I just hope nothing has changed within the year how my cat feels about other cats. My cat got used to our new puppy within a few days/a week. (I know for sure my pup wouldn’t hurt the kitten, he was around other cats before we got him and he was more like scared of our cat at first) is this a good sign?
So, I want some opinions and advice.
Thank you
 

cataholic07

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I would recommend getting the book Think like cat by Pam johnson bennet or looking up her website for info on cat intros. Nothing is ever set in stone so finding the right personality and slow introductions as well as having plenty of resources (cat trees, litter boxes) can all help with helping them to get along.
 

rubysmama

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Hello and welcome to TCS. :wave2: About getting a kitten, just be prepared to keep the kitten in a separate room at first, so that you can do a slow introduction between the kitten and your adult cat.

Here's a TCS article written especially for this type of introduction:
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat | TheCatSite

Can't say for sure if her getting used to the dog quickly, means the same will happen with a kitten, but it might be a good sign.

Good luck. Let us know if/when you adopt the kitten.
 

ArtNJ

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The odds of your resident cat befriending a kitten vs having problems with a kitten get worse over time as the resident ages. A below 2 year old resident cat still has excellent odds of befriending a kitten, but problems are not impossible.
 
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KittenWithMitten

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Hi again! I brought home the kitten. I set the carrier down and right away the kitten hissed at our pup and resident cat. Currently the kitten is in the kitchen and I plan on having her there til she isn’t as scared of coming and walking around, currently she’s hiding in the carrier (she did come out for a bit). What would be the best time and way to let them see each other? Currently they can only smell each other. I’m sure there’s a chance of them getting along sooner or later.
could’ve the hissing been because the kitten was in a smaller space? I can’t really let the resident cat into the kitchen to properly meet the kitten right away, can I?
 

ArtNJ

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Some kittens can be scared of a new place and other pets for up to a week.

I don't know your kitchen, but most kitchens would not make a good starter room. The starter room is often called the "safe room" because the kitten will have a secure home base where the kitten can hide anywhere without causing a problem. In a kitchen, a scared kitten might hide under or behind an appliance. The kitchen is often noisy, and since there is not usually a door, are your other pets prevented from coming in? Usually a bedroom is a better starter room. However, if your kitten is already settled and not hiding anywhere troubling, maybe you don't change it. Some kittens don't need any fussing and just adapt right away, in which case your other pets become the bigger issue.

Make sure to read the guide linked in a post above. Good luck!
 

Talien

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Hi again! I brought home the kitten. I set the carrier down and right away the kitten hissed at our pup and resident cat. Currently the kitten is in the kitchen and I plan on having her there til she isn’t as scared of coming and walking around, currently she’s hiding in the carrier (she did come out for a bit). What would be the best time and way to let them see each other? Currently they can only smell each other. I’m sure there’s a chance of them getting along sooner or later.
could’ve the hissing been because the kitten was in a smaller space? I can’t really let the resident cat into the kitchen to properly meet the kitten right away, can I?
A spare bedroom or bathroom would be better to put her in, something that isn't as busy as a kitchen. It sounds like the new Kitten will need some time to adjust so it's best for her to have a quiet spot in the meantime. I would give it a few days before trying to introduce them.
 
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KittenWithMitten

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Another question - there’s this Feliway friends diffuser. Is there a point in getting one? Or is there no point unless a fight actually occurs. Currently I’m trying a dog kennel for the kitten (it’s big enough and she’s obviously not staying there forever and we’ll let her come out every now and then when other pets are away) and so far there’s been a little hissing, not that much, but the cats would go at each other if they could? The pup gets an occasional hiss and is now bit scared of the kitten. (but I know he will be fine, it was the same way with the other cat when they met, so Im not worried about him and the kitten has been around other dogs aswell, im confident they’ll be fine, it’s just the cat and kitten I’m worried about) and what signs should I look out for to be sure I can let my kitten and cat meet each other properly without the kennel and without worrying they’ll attack each other? My resident cat is mainly ignoring the kitten, only when she passes by the kennel she looks at the kitten and sometimes hisses. Same with the kitten, sometimes she hisses and sometimes not. So I was wondering, should I get the Feliway Friends diffuser? And plug it in asap? Or do I wait and see? Is there any cheaper option for them to get used to each other and stop hissing sooner?
 

Talien

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Another question - there’s this Feliway friends diffuser. Is there a point in getting one? Or is there no point unless a fight actually occurs. Currently I’m trying a dog kennel for the kitten (it’s big enough and she’s obviously not staying there forever and we’ll let her come out every now and then when other pets are away) and so far there’s been a little hissing, not that much, but the cats would go at each other if they could? The pup gets an occasional hiss and is now bit scared of the kitten. (but I know he will be fine, it was the same way with the other cat when they met, so Im not worried about him and the kitten has been around other dogs aswell, im confident they’ll be fine, it’s just the cat and kitten I’m worried about) and what signs should I look out for to be sure I can let my kitten and cat meet each other properly without the kennel and without worrying they’ll attack each other? My resident cat is mainly ignoring the kitten, only when she passes by the kennel she looks at the kitten and sometimes hisses. Same with the kitten, sometimes she hisses and sometimes not. So I was wondering, should I get the Feliway Friends diffuser? And plug it in asap? Or do I wait and see? Is there any cheaper option for them to get used to each other and stop hissing sooner?
You could try a supervised visit where you let your other Cat into the area where the kennel is and see how they interact through the bars. If your other Cat isn't making any aggressive moves then he's probably not going to be a problem, and it's just a matter of the Kitten getting used to your Cat and Dog. But even if your other Cat is also hissing and growling, he should just need some time to get used to the Kitten.
 

rubysmama

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Another question - there’s this Feliway friends diffuser. Is there a point in getting one? Or is there no point unless a fight actually occurs.
I've never used Feliway. and the opinions I've read are mixed. Some find it does nothing. Others say it helps. So I guess you can't know unless you try it. Here's the results on a TCS search for Feliway in the subject line. There's a lot of threads, but there might be one that's helpful to you. Search Results for Query: feliway
 
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