New Kitten- How To Introduce?

[Sammy123]

Let me note I am a college student living in a smaller, single dorm with no personal bathroom.
I have one 4 year old male cat whom I have had for about a year. I got him before I came to college and he adjusted perfect because he is quite fat and lazy so he doesn't mind going where the wind takes him you know. At my parents house we had another cat she must have been close to this new kittens size. This new kitten is quite a bit younger at around 3 ish months. I have no way to seperate the two kittens because I have no bathroom or closet. The kitten came out once and ran across the room to hide under the dresser instead of my bed where she was hiding. My cat hissed at her so she ran under the dresser. She is meowing like crazy and she got way up under the corner she is really scared. How can I best help her adjust? Also, how to I help my current cat adjust? He is used to being the only cat in the place, but I got the kitten (we think its a she) as a gift for him. Everytime a cat meows on youtube or something my cat he would go crazy and try to find it and talk back. I think my current cat will warm up but I need your best tips. How can I help her not be so scared and come out? Ive had her for 18hrs no food drink or litterbox has been used. Please help! Thank you

 

[ArtNJ]

I'm a little confused as to whether you now have two kittens in a dorm room, or two kittens plus the 4 y.o, or whether your back home or what. Sounds like 2 kittens in a dorm but I'm not sure.

Two kittens will eventually work stuff out and become friends. Its impossible to screw up. Assuming the bathroom can't be used as an isolation room, try putting some food and water under the bed or wherever the one is hiding, but the kitten won't starve.

This is not acceptable practice with anything but two young kittens, but with kittens you can get away with just introducing them and letting them work it out without any long term consequences. Even with a new kitten, you really want to isolate them for a few days in a safe room so they get comfortable and don't find a way into the walls or under an appliance or something. Some kittens can be scared of you or another pet for up to a week or so, and the separation helps with that too. But if separation is out, just putting them together has been done millions of times and should work out relatively quickly.

The biggest risk is that they are going to run over your face at 3 am. Often, perhaps. Your sleep might take a real hit. Escape might be a real risk too depending on your setup. But the new kitten will befriend the other one just fine within a few days -- that isn't one of your long term issues.

P.S. Two kittens in a dorm room isn't, objectively speaking, the smartest move. Having done that 30 years ago, I can say that firsthand! Mostly because of the sleep/distraction issue. But they will be super cute together and you'll have their love and entertainment to distract you from your fatigue lol.

 

[Sammy123]

I'm a little confused as to whether you now have two kittens in a dorm room, or two kittens plus the 4 y.o, or whether your back home or what. Sounds like 2 kittens in a dorm but I'm not sure.

Two kittens will eventually work stuff out and become friends. Its impossible to screw up. Assuming the bathroom can't be used as an isolation room, try putting some food and water under the bed or wherever the one is hiding, but the kitten won't starve.

This is not acceptable practice with anything but two young kittens, but with kittens you can get away with just introducing them and letting them work it out without any long term consequences. Even with a new kitten, you really want to isolate them for a few days in a safe room so they get comfortable and don't find a way into the walls or under an appliance or something. Some kittens can be scared of you or another pet for up to a week or so, and the separation helps with that too. But if separation is out, just putting them together has been done millions of times and should work out relatively quickly.

The biggest risk is that they are going to run over your face at 3 am. Often, perhaps. Your sleep might take a real hit. Escape might be a real risk too depending on your setup. But the new kitten will befriend the other one just fine within a few days -- that isn't one of your long term issues.

P.S. Two kittens in a dorm room isn't, objectively speaking, the smartest move. Having done that 30 years ago, I can say that firsthand! Mostly because of the sleep/distraction issue. But they will be super cute together and you'll have their love and entertainment to distract you from your fatigue lol.

I am so sorry I am horrible at explaining!
I have my older four year old male cat that I have had for a year, and yesterday I brought home one 3 ish month old female(?) kitten. We are in a college dorm

 

[ArtNJ]

Well in that case, the 4 year old would be the only potential long term problem. Since the 4 year old seems OK so far, I'd say your doing ok. Unless you can use the bathroom, you don't really have a great option to do a proper slow introduction, so hopefully you don't need one. Some people use a playpen to do a slow introduction, but its not ideal. So as long as things stay ok, I think just stay the course. If the kitten isn't eating and hiding, definitely do slide some food/water under the bed to the hiding spot. Beyond that, let time work its magic.

Sometimes 4 year olds can really struggle, and proper slow intros do help with that quite a bit. You haven't described extreme stress though; a little light hissing is nothing. So for now, lets be optimistic and patient...you don't really have great options being in a dorm, so lets keep the fingers crossed. Millions of people have just put a new kitten with an adult cat, and it often goes pretty well. Its not the best method, but there is no reason to be pessimistic yet.