How to make friends between kittens and an adult cat

A small kitten has appeared in the house, but the cat living in the apartment is not at all happy with the new neighbor and is hostile towards the baby? This situation is familiar to many owners of furry pets and they are concerned with the question of how to make friends between an adult cat and a kitten so that the animals feel calm and comfortable in the house, and do not start daily fights for territory and the owner’s attention.

Causes of aggressive behavior in cats

When a pet begins to hiss and growl at the sight of a kitten and tries to drive the baby under the sofa, you should not yell at her or punish her, because this will only aggravate the problem and in the future it will be very difficult to make friends with animals. The owner must understand that this behavior of the cat is quite natural and in this way it shows its dissatisfaction and resentment.

If a cat has been the only pet in the apartment for several years, then it is natural that it perceives its home as its sole possession and does not want to share the territory with anyone, be it a dog or another cat.

We should not forget that cats are very jealous creatures, so the appearance of another animal is considered a betrayal on the part of the owner and will try to get rid of the rival in any way. This aggressive behavior is especially typical for cats that came into the house from the street or from a shelter. Animals are afraid that they will again find themselves unwanted and abandoned, and this is the reason for their hostility towards the stranger.

In addition, owners often make the common mistake of paying all their attention to a small kitten, forgetting that it is at such a moment that the cat needs the love and care of the owner. And it will be much simpler and easier to establish friendship between a cat and a kitten if you show the adult pet that with the birth of the baby, the attitude towards her will remain the same, so that she does not feel deprived of the owner’s attention and affection.

How to reconcile two pets: first steps

For a cat, the appearance of a second pet in the house is stressful, and making them friends is realistic only when the animals have enough time to get to know each other. And in order to help the pet quickly adapt to this situation and get used to the idea that the little kitten is now a full member of the family, the owner must provide the most comfortable conditions for both pets to live together.

You shouldn’t force things and pit your pet against a new resident as soon as he appears in the house. First you need to check what your cat's reaction to the kitten will be and if she does not show aggression, you can give them the opportunity to get to know each other better;
You should not leave animals in the same room unattended, hoping in this way to bring them closer and make friends, since the behavior of an adult pet is difficult to predict. He can take advantage of the owner's absence and attack the kitten, causing him serious harm;
It is unlikely that you will be able to make friends with pets if your baby steals food from the cat’s plate. Therefore, in the first days it is better to feed the kitten separately and not allow it to the bowl of an adult pet;
Cats are very jealous of their litter box and may refuse to go into it if the kitten leaves traces of its presence there. Therefore, a small pet should have its own tray to correct its natural needs;
To prevent the baby from taking over the cat’s favorite house or its bedding, he should be given a separate place to rest;
You can make friends between a cat and a new kitten by playing together. When playing with your baby, include an adult pet in the game, this will bring them closer and give them the opportunity to get to know each other better;
You should not allow the baby to do things that are forbidden to the first pet, for example, sleep on the table or eat from the owner’s plate, because this will cause an additional portion of jealousy on the part of the old-timer;
If a cat asks to be held and requires attention and affection, do not refuse it, because she wants to make sure once again that her owner still loves and appreciates her.

How to make friends between a cat and a kitten?

Simple steps to strong friendship

We act smoothly.

Haste is our main enemy. If you brought a kitten home and immediately brought it to the cat, do not be surprised at the latter’s aggressive reaction. For us, a kitten is a cute fluffy ball. But for a cat, he is a source of unfamiliar odors, a stranger and a competitor. It will take her time to get used to it. Forcing events is the path to failure.

We divide the territory.

A new pet for a cat is a competitor. Our task is to change her perception. The cat must understand that no one claims its territory, that it does not need to fight for it. To do this, keep the kitten in another room for the first few days. It is better if at first he does not intersect with the cat at all. The baby should have his own bowls, his own bed and, most importantly, his own tray. Many cats refuse to use their usual place and begin to play pranks in the apartment if their litter box is “marked” by another animal.

The first acquaintance is through smells.

Even if the kitten lives in another room and does not intersect with the cat, she feels him perfectly. The newcomer is given away by the smells that the cat keenly detects. She may come to the door of the room, sniff it and ask to enter. Do not give in to provocations and do not let the cat near the kitten. More likely, this will result in the first quarrel. But if in the first few days the cat simply smells the smell of a new family member, she herself will not notice how she begins to get used to him. Personal acquaintance in a few days will be calmer.

First meetings under supervision!

Personal acquaintance between the kitten and the cat should take place under the strict supervision of the owners. Each animal has its own temperament. You can't predict how your cat will react to a baby. Some people show curiosity and quickly change it to friendliness. But for most, the first reaction to a stranger is indifference or aggression. Make sure that the indignant “old-timer” does not harm the kitten or frighten it.

If the cat hisses at the kitten in warning, this is normal. Let your pets watch each other from a safe distance. But if she goes on the offensive, trying to scratch or bite the baby, interrupt the acquaintance. The meeting will need to be repeated the next day and so on until the relationship improves.

It’s funny, but in some cases the “old-timer” himself needs help. A hyperactive and fearless kitten can besiege a new friend and literally not give him access. Try to maintain balance between your pets.

Aggression is normal!

When an adult cat hurts a kitten, we want to protect it. But punishing for a hostile attitude is senseless and cruel. The cat is stressed, she is frightened by the appearance of a stranger and her behavior is guided by instincts: cats by nature are not social animals. Instead of punishing, give your cat a treat and play with it. This will help her calm down and become friendlier.

Attention - equally.

Jealousy is a feeling characteristic not only of people, but also of animals. Just as older children are jealous of their parents for a newborn, so adult pets are jealous of the “newcomers.” Of course, a kitten requires more attention and you will want to spend more time with it, but this does not mean that you can forget about other pets. If after the birth of the kitten you begin to pay insufficient attention to the cat, she will quite reasonably associate your indifference with the furry baby and her hostility will only intensify.

More fun together!

The opposite tactic to point 6 is to pay equal attention to your pets, entice them with games, and treat them with treats. After the kitten and cat get used to each other a little, involve them in joint games, buy toys that several cats can play with at once. Our goal at this stage is to instill in our pets pleasant associations from spending time together. Before you know it, the cat and kitten will be inseparable and will share everything with each other, even the tray!

Smell trick.

The most important thing in the cat world is smells. The cat reacts poorly to a newcomer because he has a foreign, unfamiliar smell. By “replacing” odors, you can shorten the bedding-in period between a cat and a kitten. Here are some ways:

— Replace the beds. The bed retains the smell of the pet. By replacing the beds, you will mix the smells of the cat and kitten.

— Dry the kitten with a slightly damp towel, then wipe the cat with the same towel. This harmless deception will make the cat smell someone else's scent, and it will quickly adapt to it.

We sterilize the cat.

With a cat everything is more or less clear. But how to make friends between a cat and a kitten? The methods are the same. However, before bringing a new pet into the house, it is better to neuter the cat. Uncastrated cats have a pronounced territorial instinct, and they are even less inclined to be friends than cats.

In conclusion, I would like to say that friendship is a matter of time. Sometimes pets do not accept each other for several months, and then become very sad even from a short separation!

Ways to reconcile pets

Depending on the gender of the animal, the reaction of a male cat to a new pet will vary dramatically. The cat may take the appearance of the baby more calmly, since there is a high probability that her maternal instinct will work for the kitten. Of course, this is provided that the pet is not sterilized. Often, a furry pet begins to care for the kitten as if it were her own cub and teaches it all the necessary cat wisdom.

Males do not bother themselves with caring for their offspring and they do not know the maternal instinct, so making friends between a cat and a kitten is somewhat more difficult. The cat is very jealous and reverent about its own territory and will perceive even a small pet as a future rival and even begins to mark corners with its urine to show who is boss in the house.

To avoid conflict situations, the cat should be introduced to the baby in several stages.

In the first few days, the kitten should be in a separate room, and not roam freely throughout the apartment. Thus, the adult pet will not have any suspicion that the baby is claiming his possession;
In order for the cat to get used to someone else's smell, it is advisable to let it into the room where the kitten lives. Naturally, the baby should be placed in another room during this time so that the pet can explore the territory in a calm environment;
The first introduction of pets should take place under the supervision of the owner. If the male behaves hostilely towards the kitten, the animals are separated into different rooms and an attempt is repeated to introduce them only after a few days;
The kitten should not be allowed to eat food from an old-timer’s bowl, especially in front of an adult pet. This will only convince the cat that he has a rival who is encroaching not only on his territory, but also on his food;
Neutered cats are more friendly and peaceful towards other animals. Therefore, advice for owners: before adopting another pet, it is advisable to sterilize an adult cat.

Usually, cats forced to live under the same roof sooner or later begin to get along with each other and can even become real friends. But, if this does not happen, you should not try to force the animals to become friends, this will only strengthen their enmity and the owner will have to watch the fierce fight of his beloved pets every day. The main thing is that cats are calm and comfortable in such an environment and let them decide for themselves with whom to be friends and communicate.

Source

An adult cat does not want to accept a young cat. How to fix the situation?

Hello Dmitry!

Help me please. I have a rather difficult situation among my pets. A Persian cat, Marisha (13 years old), and an Alabai cat, also a girl (10 years old), have been living together in a country house for many years. My cat is not neutered and has never been castrated, she has a very complex character, she doesn’t listen when you call her, she won’t give in to your arms, but at the same time she is affectionate and loves to sleep next to me. Cats came running to her site, but she did not let them near her.

He behaves very aggressively, but towards other people's cats. And some time ago a young cat came running to us (we assume he is not yet a year old) and we decided to keep him. The cat is very affectionate and tame. Now the following is happening: Marisha attacks the new cat and does not let him into the house or even onto her half of the property.

I personally punished her for attacking him, but this punishment did not lead to anything, she continues to provoke fights. The dog doesn't pay any attention to them. Tell me, please, what should I do? How can you show Marisha that this cat is yours? After all, winter is coming and I’m going to move the new cat into the house (now he lives in the gazebo).

Thank you in advance!

Sincerely, Veronika Kutsenko.

Good afternoon I want to say right away that you are faced with a difficult task. Your adult cat is used to living in the house alone and feeling like a full-fledged mistress in it, but you want to convince her that the new pet also has the right to freely walk around her territory. However, if you are firm in your desire to make friends with your pets, please have a lot of patience, the process will be long.

Your task will be to accustom the animals to each other gradually, in small steps. If there is such a possibility, first place them in adjacent rooms and separate them with some kind of translucent partition or mesh - so that the animals can see each other, smell the neighbor, but at the same time they cannot fight. They need time to adapt.

They must have separate bowls and litter trays. You can periodically change their places. Marisha must understand and realize that the new cat now also lives in this house as a member of the family, and the newcomer must get used to it. At the same time, under no circumstances show greater affection for any of the animals; show equal care and attention towards them.

The day will come when, under supervision, you will be able to remove the partition between the cats, and after some time, when

You will make sure that they are not trying to sort things out, and you can gradually leave them alone. But under no circumstances should you show aggression towards your adult cat, since by doing this you achieve the exact opposite of what you want: Marisha associates the new tenant with receiving punishment and her own discomfort, and this makes her even more angry with the cat.