- Joined
- Jan 7, 2014
- Messages
- 64
- Purraise
- 37
I‘m not really sure how well the introduction of two new kittens (8 weeks) to our resident cats (both almost 2 years old) is going. This is the first time we’ve ever had young kittens. The kittens have been placed in our spacious master bathroom with a mini cat tree and blankets + toys galore. For a week the door was totally closed and after a few days we did some scent swapping. Our resident cats were nervous at first when they smelled the new kittens on our hands/items.
When the resident cats no longer responded with fear to these scents and began sitting/laying outside the bathroom door (the kittens were never scared of the resident cat smells) we set up a gate that separates them but allows them to see one another. Dun dun dun! The moment of truth. The kittens did a little bit of “Halloween cat” posturing and poofing up, as well as a few hisses. At first the resident kitties were fine, just looking at the kittens with no hissing or other vocalizations. Definitely curious. But today the male hissed a few times at them while they were playing. A few hours later I fed the kittens their wet food near the gate and then my resident female cat got a squeeze treat on the other side since she was in the room. She hissed multiple times between licks and that set off one of the kittens who began growling a little while eating.
I’m a little apprehensive. When we adopted the resident pair they were advertised as loving every cat they ever met, which was true in the case of our previous senior resident who passed away a while back. It was love (and obsession) at first sight for them, though the senior was a lot less thrilled. LOL! But now that THEY’RE the resident cats and newbies have been brought in, it’s less smooth. Maybe kittens are more frightening than old kitties? I don’t want to let them mingle together until all hissing has ceased. I definitely will not rush that final stage. Plus the kittens have some roundworm so I want that cleared beforehand.
I do have three Feliway plug-ins going, one classic and two multicat. Is there anything else I can do? I know hissing is normal but I’m so anxious for this to work out alright in the end.
When the resident cats no longer responded with fear to these scents and began sitting/laying outside the bathroom door (the kittens were never scared of the resident cat smells) we set up a gate that separates them but allows them to see one another. Dun dun dun! The moment of truth. The kittens did a little bit of “Halloween cat” posturing and poofing up, as well as a few hisses. At first the resident kitties were fine, just looking at the kittens with no hissing or other vocalizations. Definitely curious. But today the male hissed a few times at them while they were playing. A few hours later I fed the kittens their wet food near the gate and then my resident female cat got a squeeze treat on the other side since she was in the room. She hissed multiple times between licks and that set off one of the kittens who began growling a little while eating.
I’m a little apprehensive. When we adopted the resident pair they were advertised as loving every cat they ever met, which was true in the case of our previous senior resident who passed away a while back. It was love (and obsession) at first sight for them, though the senior was a lot less thrilled. LOL! But now that THEY’RE the resident cats and newbies have been brought in, it’s less smooth. Maybe kittens are more frightening than old kitties? I don’t want to let them mingle together until all hissing has ceased. I definitely will not rush that final stage. Plus the kittens have some roundworm so I want that cleared beforehand.
I do have three Feliway plug-ins going, one classic and two multicat. Is there anything else I can do? I know hissing is normal but I’m so anxious for this to work out alright in the end.