Cat and kitten introduction struggles

[bender87]

Hey all,

I've been searching extensively for introduction methods and have read many different posts but things aren't getting better.

About 3.5 weeks ago I adopted an 8 week old ginger. I already have a cat, she's 5ish, a grey tabby. I followed the introduction method in detail like no contact for the first few days and only scent to my older cat then slowly eating together divided by the door to now them being comfortable eating next to each other with the occasional hiss from my cat. However apart from food together my cat hisses and growl at the kitten.

The kitten is allowed to roam the house during the day as my cat is usually hiding in her room and snoozes during the day with the door closed to her room. The past two nights when I'm home I would let the kitten roam with the door to my cat's room open. The kitten being so playful would walk/run up to my cat sometimes and she would hiss and growl when the kitten is within her presence. It has since elevated to my cat swatting her and the kitten swatting back a few times I caught them.

I've now seperated and the kitten is in her room. What should I do, should I reintroduce slowly again? Also my cat has started to growl at me and if I pet her she sometimes will growl, hiss and try to swipe me as well.

 

[cataholic07]

Reintroduce and go slower. If your cat has only ever been an only cat it will take quite a bit of time to do intros. Check out pam johnson bennet's website, and you can also try feliway to see if it will help. Some cats take weeks even months to do the intro with. I recently foster failed and though my cats do get along, my one cat Fynn she refuses to play with and will growl and hiss at him if he tries -.- Though she will sleep with him, and they will groom each other later. Hissing is normal but you don't want fights or growling.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

IF this is simply swatting, with no actual violent attacks, what you are seeing is pretty normal. You'd see it in any adult cat who is teaching a very rambunctious kitten some manners. Your kitten is not afraid of your cat in the least, which kinda says it all. Do the reintroduction, as you have already isolated the kitten, but expect some growls and swats here and there. She's just teaching this little upstart who is who, and what is what, as is her job to do.