[Kitty7]

Hi everyone,

I have two female cats - a 4 year old house cat and a new bengal kitten that arrived 2 days ago. Our cat is now 4 years old doesn't accept the new kitten yet at all not even for a few seconds. The cats are now in different rooms and the older cat comes in very rarely to the door hisses extremely loud and leaves. My partner sleeps in the other room with the 4 year old cat and I stay with the kitten in the bedroom. Does anyone have any tips on how to ease the situation? We are very concerned of our older cat who doesn't leave her room and is feeling very upset :/.

 

[lcordaro]

Go to YouTube and look up Jackson Galaxy (How to introduce your cat to a new kitten). This will help you.

 

[Kitty7]

Thank you so much! Today I tried to play with them in the same room separately.The older cat Was hissing but it worked for a minute there. The older cat is not willing to accept the kitten yet.I am hoping with time this will change slowly.

 

[miscellaneous]

Hi Kitty. I second Icordaro's suggestion about checking out Jackson Galaxy's Cat Introductions on Youtube. There are certain steps to follow, and if you skip some or try to rush it, your older cat could get really stressed-out, which often results in behavior or health problems, and your kitten could get seriously hurt. It's a little bit of work, but I think it's well worth it in the long run to keep everybody happy, healthy, and safe.

 

[Jeff Kirkland]

Sometimes you're lucky and two cats will bond straight away, sometimes it just takes a whole lot of time and patience. The longest introduction we had was just over nine months before we could safely leave old and new cat alone together. Start off letting them see each other for a couple of minutes at a time and slowly work up. Whenever they're in the same space, make sure that the older cat is getting as much, if not more attention than the newer cat. Work towards getting them to eat near each other if you can or maybe see if you can get the older cat to associate good things, like cat treats or playtime, with the presence of the newcomer. When it comes to cat introductions, slow and steady is always the name of the game.

 

[StarFascia]

Separate room for the new one. And then the older cat can get used to the new cat through the door for a while. It takes a lot longer than two days.

Even with rodents it takes a lot longer than two days.

Jackson Galaxy ftw!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kitty7]

@Jeff Kirkland,
Thank you very much.Yes we have been trying to feed them around 3 m away from each other. We are now trying swapping places for a short time.This will definitely take some time 🙏🏻

 

[Kitty7]

@StarFascia,
Thank you🙏🏻

 

[Kitty7]

@ miscellaneous,
Thank you for the tip. We have made a Basecamp and are now trying swapping places sometimes as well as now feeding them together ,however, currently only at a distance of around 3 m. Hoping the older cat will eventually stop hissing at the sight of the youngster.

 

[Tikatoo]

Everyone here saying use the Jackson Galaxy method is spot on. Look up online. Patience is KEY. It can take up to two weeks or even a month. If you force it, they may never get along, and thus won't be playmates. Two rooms, after a 3 days open a door partially, but no sight, smell only. Then use a baby gate and open door..IMPORTANT FEED both cats at the door with it closed. This will get them used to smelling each other while a positive thing - eating - is happening. No views of each other! Also, play with each one on each side. Feed only at the door, so both cats have time at the door with each other. Make sure to give the first cat a ton of love. It works.

 

[Kitty7]

Everyone here saying use the Jackson Galaxy method is spot on. Look up online. Patience is KEY. It can take up to two weeks or even a month. If you force it, they may never get along, and thus won't be playmates. Two rooms, after a 3 days open a door partially, but no sight, smell only. Then use a baby gate and open door..IMPORTANT FEED both cats at the door with it closed. This will get them used to smelling each other while a positive thing - eating - is happening. No views of each other! Also, play with each one on each side. Feed only at the door, so both cats have time at the door with each other. Make sure to give the first cat a ton of love. It works.

Thank you Tikatoo.The error we had is that the cats have met each other at the beginning and had a severe reaction. The older one was hissing wildly.So we started separated them and began feeding them eventually after a few days in the Opposite sides of the hallway as far as they both focused on the food but still sometimes saw one another. We would have play session on the Opposite sidea of the room to distract them from each other with toys.This worked only sometimes if the hissing or so started we would put them in separate rooms. Now we made an improvised gate between the rooms so we give them food at the same time when they can only slighlty see each other but have gotten them to be quiet close to one another.on some days it goes well whilst in the others the older cat growls and leaves. Furthermore there have been times when they were in the same room looking at each other but not hissing, after some time the hissing would nevertheless start.Now the older one seems to have gotten a little I'll so we are now working on this.She had fever and is now on antibiotics, seems to be doing better now, we will go on a check up todaz.However, it has been Already 9 days we still keep them in separate rooms . Would you suggest to keep the food Ritual as it is and fully stop them from seeing each other only during the food times? Since we tried a few times to make them see one another? The younger one is curious but the older one is not accepting her yet