I Got A New Kitten And My Current Cats Are Hissing

[PawPawsLover]

Dear Cats lovers,

I just got myself another kitten, she is around 3months old coming to 4months. Its a female and not yet spayed. I already have 3 cats at home (they are coming to 2 years all of them. 2 males are mine, 1 female is my sister, yes we all live together in the same house). So, the new kitten is our 4th family in the house.

At first I was really really really REALLLYYYY excited to think that we are having another cat. But now I really really REALLYYYY DEEPLY regretted it ALOT. I wish that I didn't get her and I even want to give her away to another family.

What happened was:
I went home with the new kitten, bathed her and dried her up. Fed her and cuddle her on my bed. Husband opened the room door and let our current cats came in. They saw her and approached her. Sniffed her and went onto a hissing fit. 1 of them hissed once and the other hissed 4-5times. and the female as well, totally hissed at her. and the new kitten actually growl back! and arch her back as well (towards the female cat). If the current cats are not around, the new kitten is so playful (dashing around the bed, jumping up and down and just playing with the toys, its not new toys is the current cats toys).

So, I went out to pat the current cats and they all HISSED at me!! one of them who is gray in colour, he is very affectionate with me. He will come to me when called and follow me around. When I lower my hand, he will headbutt my hands to rub him. He will lie down and flomph onto the floor to let me belly rub him. But he actually hissed at me badly, even running away from me. When I tried to sit with him (he was sitting somewhere he can see the new kitten) and try to give him his favourite treats, he actually sniff the treat and ran off. I was so so soooooo SOOOOOOOOOO DEVASTATED....... Especially when he saw me carrying the kitten in my arms, he gave me that BETRAYED/DEVASTATED look. Its like, 'what...? are you replacing me?? why do you have another one with you?? who is that?? Am I not enough for you??'

I saw his expressions and I feel so so so GUILTY about getting her.... I feel like I just betrayed my affectionate cat who always listens to me.... my other 2 cats are also behaving the same way hissing and growling.. but it was my gray cat expressions and behavior that made me feel, that's it. I DONT WANT HER ANYMORE. I HATE HER FOR CAUSING STRAINS IN MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY CURRENT CATS!!!

At the same time, my hubby told me if I were to give her away, I will feel really guilty too (might constantly thinking how is she? is her new family taking good care of her? and etc.). What should I do.....? I don't want my cats to hiss/feel that im betraying them. In a way, I do admit getting her was also an impulse decision..... and now I feel that im totally not ready for a new cat. Especially after seeing how my current cats behave....

Please help advise me... :'(( I cried so so much yesterday. Really cried my heart out from how the cats treated me.... I didn't mean to betray them or hurt them... :'(

 

[thricenine]

Hi there!

So, cats aren't really pack animals the way dogs are which means they have yo be carefully introduced. It's not a good idea to put them in one room together and let them 'work it out' because cats are territorial. They will defend their home/territory from intruders, and that includes other cats. They don't 'make friends' the way that humans or other pack animals do.

Your current cats are hissing at the new kitten because it's in their territory. My cat did this to my new kitten as soon as she could smell him, even though she never saw him.

Your cats are hissing at you because you also smell like your new kitten, so they associate you with this new unfamiliar interloper. It's normal, and a warning to back off/away. A lot of cat communication and relationship is based on body language and smell. My cat did this to me as well.

I would suggest reading the articles on introducing cats and kittens to current cats, finding a small, quiet room to put your kitten is where she can get used to the new house, and starting over with introductions. Go at the pace your older cats indicate to you - they should feel comfortable and confident in their space but so should the new kitten. Please be prepared that it may take some time for all of the animals to adjust!

I'm not currently at a computer but I'll link the two articles in a minute. They really do work, I used them a week ago to introduce my two cats to each other, and now they're wrestling and chasing each other all over the house.

 

[moorspede]

thricenine is referring to this article:

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide

The other article is listed at the end of the one above.

When you take a new cat into your home you need to keep it separated in a small room with it's bowls, litter tray, bedding and toys so that it can get used to the house in a quiet and secure place.

During that time you either get the cats used to each other through scent. You exchange their bedding or you grab a cloth and wipe it over your new cat, particularly around their cheeks and you then wipe the cloth over your other cats.

After the new cat has been in the room for a week you need to site swap. That is place the cat in the lounge room and let it get to know the area so that it feels like her home. Meanwhile you open the door to the place the new cat was in so that the cats can continue to get used the the new cat's scent.

Gradually over days you open the other rooms to the new cat. Only when it feels comfortable in it's new home do you allow the cats to see the new cat but you don't place the new cat anywhere near the resident cats until they feel comfortable with each other.

Please read the article, it will explain things much better than I can.

 

[Rachel Warner]

Lol happened to me to !! Well my vet told me to put new cat in a crate when out around other Kitty's till they stop hissing at her ..But then take her to your room and let new cat hangout outside of crate with door closed so other cats can't come in till they get along also throw some of new Kitty's poop in there box it helps ..Lol good luck

 

[PawPawsLover]

Hi there!

So, cats aren't really pack animals the way dogs are which means they have yo be carefully introduced. It's not a good idea to put them in one room together and let them 'work it out' because cats are territorial. They will defend their home/territory from intruders, and that includes other cats. They don't 'make friends' the way that humans or other pack animals do.

Your current cats are hissing at the new kitten because it's in their territory. My cat did this to my new kitten as soon as she could smell him, even though she never saw him.

Your cats are hissing at you because you also smell like your new kitten, so they associate you with this new unfamiliar interloper. It's normal, and a warning to back off/away. A lot of cat communication and relationship is based on body language and smell. My cat did this to me as well.

I would suggest reading the articles on introducing cats and kittens to current cats, finding a small, quiet room to put your kitten is where she can get used to the new house, and starting over with introductions. Go at the pace your older cats indicate to you - they should feel comfortable and confident in their space but so should the new kitten. Please be prepared that it may take some time for all of the animals to adjust!

I'm not currently at a computer but I'll link the two articles in a minute. They really do work, I used them a week ago to introduce my two cats to each other, and now they're wrestling and chasing each other all over the house.

Hi, thanks a lot for the advice! actually I did this to my current cats (2 males 1 females currently so called resident cats). but it failed... so currently their situation is, if left alone far from each other, they are okay. But once near, the female will hiss badly, even to the extend of flossing her ears down and curled her tail. But at the same time, at times I caught them smelling at each other (sniffing their fur/bumping noses).

Also, often (on average at least 5 times a day, I will catch 1 of the male (cream colored) will 'hunt' the female. I feel its obvious that he is 'hunting' her cause he totally just pounce on her and wrestle with her. I'm guessing it must be because he had enough of her hissing at him (since the 2 were ignoring her last time), but likely he have his patience limit hit. so till now, this hunt, hissing from this 3 still do happen. But the one hissing is the female. the 2 males especially cream one, will paw paw her using his hands OR pounce on her and wrestle. I have a feeling he thoroughly enjoy 'hunting' her. It can be like she is just sitting with her back towards him, he is perching on top of my bed while she is just sitting/drinking and he launch himself on her. But the thing is... sometimes I do catch her licking my gray colored cat too and vice versa (gray and cream are siblings so they love each other a lot).

so... im doubting if this method will work towards the new kitten or not... :'(
Also, im starting to think if I should let another family get her instead of keeping her... Its like, yesterday after crying, I get so guilty and regretful that I chose to sleep in the living room with my other 3 cats (cause I feel like she cause them to hate/ignore me), and left the kitten in the bedroom with my husband... Its to that extend... (I had intended to cuddle with her and sleep, but because of what happened (I admit im not prepared mentally and emotionally the way my cats will react with me..), I rather 'sacrifice not being close with her' than getting hated by my resident cats.... :'((

 

[PawPawsLover]

Lol happened to me to !! Well my vet told me to put new cat in a crate when out around other Kitty's till they stop hissing at her ..But then take her to your room and let new cat hangout outside of crate with door closed so other cats can't come in till they get along also throw some of new Kitty's poop in there box it helps ..Lol good luck

Really? how long did it take for them to be close? and okay with each other? I wrote a reply on how my current situation as well. Am really unsure whether to keep her or not. and if I give her away, will I be very sad and even feel guilty about it or not.. cause seeing how my resident cats growl and hissed at me really breaks my heart very much..... :'( I rather have them than the new kitten.. but its also cruel to 'abandon' her by letting another family have her...

 

[Rachel Warner]

It took a few weeks.. Tie a toy to each end of a string, then place it so there's a toy on either side of the door. Hopefully, they'll start batting the toys around and maybe even batting paws. Be sure to spend plenty of time with your new kitty in their room, but don't ignore your resident cat. also do the laser light ..

 

[moorspede]

Please make the decision quickly, the kitten is clearly distressed, don't compound the problem by allowing the kitten to settle in only to rip it away from it's security again.