We adopted a new kitten just over a week ago. The first few days we kept him separated from my cat and would just let them smell each other through the door. My cat is an indoor outdoor cat so when she would go outside we would let the new kitten wander around the house and put him back when she was ready to come in. After a few days we let them meet each other and it went OK. Basically my cat hissed at him and then walked away and wanted back outside. Things have been going OK, in the sense that they aren't fighting with each other or anything. Basically my cat either wants to sit quietly and observe him or go away from him and hide in the closet. She has stopped coming up on the couch, sleeping in bed with us, etc she's pretty upset. She just sits in the closet and sleeps looking sad or wants to go outside and stay there all day to avoid the kitten. She is generally fine with him until he gets excited and runs up to her and wants to play. Then she will hiss and swat him away.
The other night they looked they were sort of playing, chasing each other back and forth but then the kitten decided something else was exciting and left her sitting there.
I can see she is slowly starting to accept him but I feel terrible she has abandoned every favourite hangout spot she has. She will sit on her cat tree and chill out out if you place her there but then the kitten goes to see her and it's all over. She has never been around a kitten before either. I try to get them to eat together whenever I can but it doesn't always work. Often my cat will just sit there and stare at him eating and not touch her food. Or kitten will eat so fast he finishes his and then goes to the say hi while the other cat is still eating.
I'm trying to go upstairs and sit with her when she goes in the closet and she seems to enjoy it mostly. Sometimes she will come out and come downstairs for food but then she wants to go outside and avoid him still. She is sometimes interested in playtime but then the kitten gets excited and wants the play too. I've tried popping him out first and then giving her playtime alone with me but he wakes up every damn time! He'll be dead asleep and I'll let the cat in to have some food and maybe come gets some pets and he's suddenly wide awake.
I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I'm feeling worse than I anticipated about the whole thing. The kitten came to bed one night when out cat was sleeping in there with us and she has refused to come back ever since. This morning I managed to go upstairs and do some cleaning while my other cat sat in the bedroom with me. She seemed to enjoy the time with me and then when I went back downstairs she went back into the closet.
My kitten also had a cold he picked up from the shelter so now my other cat is getting sick and I feel even worse. I love this kitten but I feel maybe I should have thought twice about adopting him. I know it will take time but right now it feels like I ruined my other cats life and I feel horrible. I just wanted to do my part, there are so many cats out there who need homes. My boyfriend thinks the other cat has been alienated, but I mean what am. I supposed to do when she refuses to be part of the group? I can't sit with her in a room our outside all day. She doesn't really play, not big on treats all though lately she has been less picky about food. She's pretty stand offish.
When she's outside and we are out there she comes up for pets and rolls around by your feet still so I know she isn't "gone" but I'm worried she won't go back to her old self.
The other night they looked they were sort of playing, chasing each other back and forth but then the kitten decided something else was exciting and left her sitting there.
I can see she is slowly starting to accept him but I feel terrible she has abandoned every favourite hangout spot she has. She will sit on her cat tree and chill out out if you place her there but then the kitten goes to see her and it's all over. She has never been around a kitten before either. I try to get them to eat together whenever I can but it doesn't always work. Often my cat will just sit there and stare at him eating and not touch her food. Or kitten will eat so fast he finishes his and then goes to the say hi while the other cat is still eating.
I'm trying to go upstairs and sit with her when she goes in the closet and she seems to enjoy it mostly. Sometimes she will come out and come downstairs for food but then she wants to go outside and avoid him still. She is sometimes interested in playtime but then the kitten gets excited and wants the play too. I've tried popping him out first and then giving her playtime alone with me but he wakes up every damn time! He'll be dead asleep and I'll let the cat in to have some food and maybe come gets some pets and he's suddenly wide awake.
I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I'm feeling worse than I anticipated about the whole thing. The kitten came to bed one night when out cat was sleeping in there with us and she has refused to come back ever since. This morning I managed to go upstairs and do some cleaning while my other cat sat in the bedroom with me. She seemed to enjoy the time with me and then when I went back downstairs she went back into the closet.
My kitten also had a cold he picked up from the shelter so now my other cat is getting sick and I feel even worse. I love this kitten but I feel maybe I should have thought twice about adopting him. I know it will take time but right now it feels like I ruined my other cats life and I feel horrible. I just wanted to do my part, there are so many cats out there who need homes. My boyfriend thinks the other cat has been alienated, but I mean what am. I supposed to do when she refuses to be part of the group? I can't sit with her in a room our outside all day. She doesn't really play, not big on treats all though lately she has been less picky about food. She's pretty stand offish.
When she's outside and we are out there she comes up for pets and rolls around by your feet still so I know she isn't "gone" but I'm worried she won't go back to her old self.
