1st May 2006

How can I stop my cat being nasty to my new kitten?

Read more: Cats Behaviour | Comments (0)

Question:

I have a 12-month-old cat and have just taken on a new kitten. However, I have had to separate them because they fight. How can I stop the older cat being nasty to the kitten?

Answer:

Cats are often nasty to kittens because they do not want any involvement with them or they are scared of them, and they have no other way to stop the kitten approaching them. To introduce them safely you will need a big kitten cage. A large dog crate will do, but it needs to be large enough for the kitten’s bed and litter tray and some space for playing. Put the kitten in this as often as possible and have the adult cat in the same room (the rest of the time, keep them in separate parts of the house). In this way they will get used to the sight, sound and smell of each other without physical contact. You can help speed up the process by transferring their scent; stroke them both with the same soft cloth. When your adult cat is a bit more calm about the cage and kitten, place her food bowl closer to the cage, so that she has to approach it to eat. Do this gradually over a period of days, increasing the distance if she is too worried to approach. After a few weeks, allow the kitten to come out while you are on hand to stop any approaches your adult cat may find unacceptable. Allow the adult cat to get up high and try to distract the kitten with a game with a toy. Continue with this, never forcing the issue and letting them come together in their own time, until they are tolerant of each other.