| Paw Colors | Points |
|---|---|
| Grey | 0-49 |
| Red | 50-149 |
| Orange | 150-299 |
| Green | 300-599 |
| Magenta | 600-1499 |
| Purple | 1500-4999 |
| Blue | 5000-9999 |
| Brown | 10000-24999 |
| Black | 25000+ |
my husband and i want to get a kitten to keep our 3 year old male indoor cat company. problem is, he’s a little aggressive. he’s been the king since we got him and i’m not sure that he would welcome a new comer. whenever he sees a cat on our balcony outside, he literally runs into the glass door trying to get at it. also, he hasn’t been around any other type of animal since he was born so i’m not sure how he’d react to another being in his house.
i’ve read a few articles on here that said to keep the kitten in a “safe room” and let them sniff each other through the crack under the door to get acquanted with each other’s smells, eventually rub a towel over the kitten and put it in the same room as the older cat and vice versa and then to put the kitten in a pet carrier and bring it out and see how that goes.
i understand that it’s a slow process, but we live in a small apartment and the only room that could be used as a “safe room” for the kitten is the bathroom. is that a big enough room to keep the kitten until my older cat chills out?
Keywords: bringing home a new kitten to adult cat
Answers to this question
5 Answers
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The bathroom will be fine. And yes, it allows them to sniff under the door. We use our hands and rub our scent all over both cats many times a day. It can take up to 30 days. Each cat is different but don’t give up. Be patient and go slow. When you do bring the kitten out, put your older cat’s favorite treat on the floor and get him interested in a toy on a string. We have integrated adult cats to our household that have never been around other cats. Make sure you give your old cats lots of attention. Kittens are usually accepted quicker. We have feral cats that go nuts when they see a cat outside! One cat will slam against the sliders, growling and hissing. The key is not to get discouraged and give up. Good luck!
Comments to Answer
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i didn't realize that my cat was feral, but after reading a few things and your answer about your cats, that's exactly what he does! it's crazy. anyway. thanks for your help.
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Many cats will react this way when they say an intruder cat outside. It doesn't mean you have a feral cat.
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It’s good when introducing a new family member to do that, let them sniff eachother under the door and keep the kitten in a “safe room” another common follow up method is to switch them after the kitten has been in the room awhile, putting your 3yr old in the room where the kitten was and letting the kitten go where your adult cat was, will give them the chance to get used to eachothers scents before actual confrontation, it will lessen both stress levels for when they get to meet. But still expect the adult to be territorial and the kitten to be curious. That’s how they were built, I’ve had many cats and they will at one point learn to tolerate eachother and in alot of situations they’ll become great friends. Best of luck, Tasia.
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My wife and I were in the same situation, we wanted a companion for our 3 yr. old male who had been the only one up to that point. My daughter found a 6wk old male kitten of almost identical looks and markings(coincidental) and brought him home. The first week or so he didn’t care much for the new comer, typical showing of who is the boss behavior, grabbing of behind the neck and getting above the kitten (not harming though), looking down from above at him, little hissing when he would get to close. We never did anything special to introduce the two as mentioned above, not saying that wouldn’t help though. After that time frame they are the best companions, my older cat treats him now as if he is his little brother and they both love each other. Hope this was beneficial!
Comments to Answer
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It depends on the personality of both cats. It's always best to err on the side of caution and introduce slowly to avoid an all out battle. Dealing with the shelters in our area, we have seen countless cats come back because the adopters did not allow adjustment time before the new cat was introduced to the resident cats.
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