We have 2 residents cats (female littermates) that are 2.5y old. We adopted a 9 week old female kitten 1 week ago and the resident cats are still hissing and swatting at her. Both have lunged towards her, cornered her and smacked her on the head/hiss at her. I can’t tell if they’re being aggressive or if this is still considered normal behavior. They’re both able to be in the same room but if the kitten gets too close they hiss/growl and sometimes swat. On top of everything the resident cats are now hissing at each other if they get too close. Help!
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Help! Resident cats not accepting 9 week old kitten
- Thread starter dli2509
- Start Date
Hi
Try some calming products and Cat Music to try and get some relaxing vibes going. There might something that helps here;
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles
Its somewhat normal, but keep an eye on how the kitten reacts. If she hides, won't come out and crouches with ears back during the hiding, definitely separate them. I'm more concerned here because the two adult cats are getting cranky with each other and might accidentally take it out on the baby.
Try some calming products and Cat Music to try and get some relaxing vibes going. There might something that helps here;
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles
I'm going to add this article, just in case:
Re-directed Aggression In Cats – TheCatSite Articles
Cats have an instinctive barrier that prevents them from attacking a young kitten (unless there is something very wrong with the adult), and most of this is teaching the little upstart some manners. Kittens have very few. They've taken over where mama left off, and will probably do just fine with her. The main thing concerning me is that they are taking their frustration out on each other, hence in information about redirected aggression. I will say that in almost all cases, this does calm down with a bit more time.
Re-directed Aggression In Cats – TheCatSite Articles
Cats have an instinctive barrier that prevents them from attacking a young kitten (unless there is something very wrong with the adult), and most of this is teaching the little upstart some manners. Kittens have very few. They've taken over where mama left off, and will probably do just fine with her. The main thing concerning me is that they are taking their frustration out on each other, hence in information about redirected aggression. I will say that in almost all cases, this does calm down with a bit more time.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Thank you for the feedback! The resident cats get less hissy when we put the kitten in the bathroom to sleep. The kitten was a singleton bottle baby that was raised in a foster home with 2 other cats and a dog, in case that’s helpful information. We got the Feliway multicat today.
Are the two older cats still eating drinking and using the litterbox as usual?
Are you able to feed baby as much as she can eat, in multiple small meals?
Let us know how things progress
Are you able to feed baby as much as she can eat, in multiple small meals?
Let us know how things progress
Give them some time. A week is a very short period for adult cats to adjust to a newcomer. Given the kittens young age I would try to keep her separated from them when you aren’t there to supervise. Perhaps keep her in your room and just let her out for short periods, just to give the others time to relax. It also gives her the snuggle time that babies need.
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- #7
The resident cats (Maya & Kai) are eating, drinking and using the litter box as usual.
The kitten (Sitka) is super smart and already figured out where her dry food and water is, goes there often. I also supplement with wet food. We also monitor her weight twice a week and she’s gaining weight.
The resident cats are always supervised when around the kitten, and they sleep in separate rooms. One of them has decreased the growling but still hisses, the other one has maybe decreased the hissing a small amount (she only growled a couple of times).
Our dog (Luna, 11yo female border collie mix) loves the kitten and they’ve been become the best of friends.
Thank you!
The kitten (Sitka) is super smart and already figured out where her dry food and water is, goes there often. I also supplement with wet food. We also monitor her weight twice a week and she’s gaining weight.
The resident cats are always supervised when around the kitten, and they sleep in separate rooms. One of them has decreased the growling but still hisses, the other one has maybe decreased the hissing a small amount (she only growled a couple of times).
Our dog (Luna, 11yo female border collie mix) loves the kitten and they’ve been become the best of friends.
Thank you!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
I appreciate the positive feedback 
. We’ve introduced cats and kittens before and it was so easy, which is why this current situation feels so stressful. I want to do the right thing for everyone involved.
The kitten just lays down whenever they hiss at her but one time that she got smacked, she did put her ears back.
. We’ve introduced cats and kittens before and it was so easy, which is why this current situation feels so stressful. I want to do the right thing for everyone involved.The kitten just lays down whenever they hiss at her but one time that she got smacked, she did put her ears back.
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I have a 17 year old resident cat that did not take to new cats in the home 7 months ago. I unfortunately have to keep them separated. I have gates set up so they can see and smell each other. The new ones want to be friends but my old lady wants nothing to do with them
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- #11
I guess at that age it’s to be expected. Our resident cats are still pretty young (2.5yo), so I’m hoping with time they’ll accept her.
Poor old girl. You know, she's about 80 years old in human terms. I'm 70, and I get where she is coming from! I get tired just watching the young people around my apartment complex! I'd be a little hissy myself if they make a frequent habit of coming in!
That is absolutely normal. They're fussing at her, and she's saying "I DID NOT!" But she knows she did did! And so do they!
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- #13
We’re on day 11 of introductions.
The resident cats are still hissing and sometimes growling at the kitten, she just lays down when this happens.
One of the resident cats just jumped from the table to where the kitten was playing and hissed at her, the kitten was minding her own business.
Overall they seemed to have relaxed a little, but not much at all. The resident cats were grooming each other for a bit and 30 mins later one growled and hissed at the other.
Are we still in the normal phase? I’m second guessing whether we should keep the baby or give her a chance at a home with a friendlier crowd.
Your advice is appreciated!
The resident cats are still hissing and sometimes growling at the kitten, she just lays down when this happens.
One of the resident cats just jumped from the table to where the kitten was playing and hissed at her, the kitten was minding her own business.
Overall they seemed to have relaxed a little, but not much at all. The resident cats were grooming each other for a bit and 30 mins later one growled and hissed at the other.
Are we still in the normal phase? I’m second guessing whether we should keep the baby or give her a chance at a home with a friendlier crowd.
Your advice is appreciated!
I think for it being only day 11, your furry crew is doing amazingly well so things are on the very positive side of normal. Keep in mind too that the baby will grow quickly and gain in both size and maturity. Absolutely keep the little one 
Love on all of them and play with all of them together (this should also improve with time) and each separately and I think you will see that tensions should decrease even more
so things are on the very positive side of normal. Keep in mind too that the baby will grow quickly and gain in both size and maturity. Absolutely keep the little one Love on all of them and play with all of them together (this should also improve with time) and each separately and I think you will see that tensions should decrease even more
Eleven days is really not that long at all with cats. Lord, Hekitty takes longer than that to adjust when I move a piece of furniture! Hang in there, you're really doing fine!
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- #16
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- #18
This is where we are on day 14 of introductions. Both resident cats conitune to hiss at the kitten with the occasional growl, they can sleep nearby and I've seen them try to play with her but that immediately turns into a hiss and a swipe. This was recorded just today happens a couple of times each day, hopefully you can see the video.
From what I see in the video, it's totally normal
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- #20
