Is My Older An "only Cat"?

Is My Older Cat An Only Cat?

  • Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No

    Votes: 1 100.0%

  • Total voters
    1
  • Poll closed .

MeowMeowFuzzyFace

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Hey All,

I need some help. I'm at work majority of the day so I wanted my older cat to have a friend. And now that I have a house, I thought this would be a great opportunity for that.

I am trying to introduce a 3 month old male kitten to my 2.5 year old female. I am almost at the end of week 3 of the introductions. I've set up a kitten sanctuary in the guest bedroom; baby gate and all. Fed them each from the other side of the door for a week. I've done the scent exchange often enough where the older one stopped hissing. I moved on to visual feeding. This was also successful with no hissing. Hooray for me right?

Wrong.

Then the started the in-person interactions. When they are together, I try to distract them with a toy but my oldest doesn't want to play. Kitten engages in play with the wand but my oldest is kind of stalking him like he's prey. They chase each other around which looks like play but soon is followed by hissing, growling, swatting, and puffy tails. So then I separate them again. But then my oldest one jumps the gate! (tbh, I didnt know she had such mad hops. Lol). If I close the door completely, I can hear the oldest one throw a tantrum.

Kitten never hisses or growls. I know he just wants to play but my older cat, she's the one displaying aggression.

I've got feliaway plugged in, I tried to use treats as reinforcement when they "boop" noses but it always comes back to hissing and growling from my oldest. Can anyone give me advice? Is my older cat an only cat?

Stressed out,
A Cat Mom
 

ArtNJ

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Stalking like prey is consistent with playing; it is just simulating a natural cat behavior from the wild. The young of all predators do this. Hissing, growling and swatting isn't necessarily a huge deal either. Maybe there is something a little odd in how quickly your big cat is switching from wanting to play to saying "get the bleep away from me you little bleep!" However, as Hellenww Hellenww points out below, a kitten can exhaust many older cats willingness to play, and even generally willing older cats may end up having had enough and protesting. That is normal, whether we call it teaching limits or protesting a kitten that won't stop, it happens quite frequently. From your description, I am not 100% sure its just that; it does sound like your cat is switching modes very quickly. Was your older cat rescued very young or something (i.e. not properly socialized as a kitten)?

Another thing that Hellenww Hellenww alludes to is that the kitten is the best source of information on whether the big cat is acting too rough. If the kitten is not scared of the big cat, and never runs except during rough play, then you don't have that problem and can safely let them work it out.

As long as the big cat isn't actually attacking with intent to harm, which would be super rare and doesn't sound like what is going on, one option is to try and let them work it out. However, you could also go backwards a bit and continue the intro with either double stacked baby gates or a cracked door held with door stoppers. I'd probably try and back up for a week or two, but ultimately you may need to see if they can work this out.

It is premature to say that your older cat won't get used to the kitten.
 
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Hellenww

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They chase each other around which looks like play but soon is followed by hissing, growling, swatting, and puffy tails. So then I separate them again. But then my oldest one jumps the gate! (tbh, I didnt know she had such mad hops. Lol). If I close the door completely, I can hear the oldest one throw a tantrum.

Kitten never hisses or growls. I know he just wants to play but my older cat, she's the one displaying aggression.
This is all normal. An older cat, especially a female, will teach a kitten manners and limits. Some cats are very vocal in their play. A puffed tail can also be from excitement. If the kitten keeps coming back he is not being hurt.

If there is no fur flying (fur with roots on them) or blood they are probably playing. You also want to watch for hiding and changes in eating and litter habits.

If you haven't already, trim their nails so no accidents happen. Kitten get over excited and forget to keep their nails in while playing.
 

She's a witch

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Your female cat doesn’t display aggression, growling/hissing may sound rough to us humans, but as mentioned above, she only shows the kitten her displeasure with his action, communicating him to back off whatever he’s doing and this actually is a very good thing. Plus, she was without cat’s company for more than 2 years, it takes time for her to remember how to live around her own species. I don’t think you have reasons to be worried, in fact, try not to get stressed at all, because if you are, your older cat may pick it up and it may mean for her that there’s indeed a reason to worry.. the less stressed you are, the easier the introduction. Try to look at it as an adventure, with curiosity rather than stress, you’re witnessing two great creatures getting to know each other and interacting, this is really fascinating to watch.
 
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MeowMeowFuzzyFace

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Hey all! I wanted to update you guys! I gave it a try instead of immediately separating them after the first hiss, I let them work it out. I didnt occur to me that the kitten wasn't really getting hurt since he kept coming back.

I'm happy to report that they are okay with each other's existence! I can't say they're BFFs but they can be in the same area together! I think the kitten has accepted her dominance. They occasionally smell each other and walk away. I even got them to sit next to each other!!

Thank you everyone for your advice!
 

jen

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I doubt the kitten has just accepted her dominance that fast, I am sure there will still be some altercations so to say as the kitten grows. He may challenge her to be dominant cat. You have no say in this. As mentioned, none of her behavior sounded aggressive at all. All those vocalizations are totally normal and good to happen because that means they are communicating with each other. Keep it up!
 

Peg&Pets

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Hey All,

I need some help. I'm at work majority of the day so I wanted my older cat to have a friend. And now that I have a house, I thought this would be a great opportunity for that.

I am trying to introduce a 3 month old male kitten to my 2.5 year old female. I am almost at the end of week 3 of the introductions. I've set up a kitten sanctuary in the guest bedroom; baby gate and all. Fed them each from the other side of the door for a week. I've done the scent exchange often enough where the older one stopped hissing. I moved on to visual feeding. This was also successful with no hissing. Hooray for me right?

Wrong.

Then the started the in-person interactions. When they are together, I try to distract them with a toy but my oldest doesn't want to play. Kitten engages in play with the wand but my oldest is kind of stalking him like he's prey. They chase each other around which looks like play but soon is followed by hissing, growling, swatting, and puffy tails. So then I separate them again. But then my oldest one jumps the gate! (tbh, I didnt know she had such mad hops. Lol). If I close the door completely, I can hear the oldest one throw a tantrum.

Kitten never hisses or growls. I know he just wants to play but my older cat, she's the one displaying aggression.

I've got feliaway plugged in, I tried to use treats as reinforcement when they "boop" noses but it always comes back to hissing and growling from my oldest. Can anyone give me advice? Is my older cat an only cat?

Stressed out,
A Cat Mom
 
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