New kitten advice please :)?

Question

I just bought home a new kitten. I have an older cat who is 4 years old and she is not very happy about her new playmate. So I have to keep him in a separate room. He technically has 2 rooms, the big spare bedroom and the upstairs bathroom. The bathroom has his food, water, litter tray and bed. All the basics. Plus a few toys. The spare room has toys, a double queen (maybe king?) bed, a fan and air con. As it is summer that room is better. So, I love him to bits. But how much time is too much time? I know he is capable of looking after himself and he isn't too fussed about being alone. But I know he loves his cuddles with me and everyone else and his play time. He is let downstairs when the older cat is in the courtyard and that room is shut off as well as mum and dads room because that is her space. I spend a fair bit of time with my new kitten and it is usually hours on end with him daily. I also try 2 spend as much time possible with my old cat. But... I usually want to get out and watch TV or go on the comp, just go out.. do something. But I feel bad if I leave him alone for too long. Is it ok to feel guilty about leaving him for a few hours? Is it ok to leave him for a hour-a couple of hours?

Update:

Hi leah, yes! He is being kept in 2 separate rooms (the new kitten). I have had the same problem with my older cat too. She hissed and growled nonstop at him when we brought him down in a cage to see her. And while she was having a tantrum he sat there and purred :) Our older cat also takes it out on us, but it has improved a fair bit. We have been using Feliway which has pheromones and is a month long treatment to gradually calm our older cat down. It is really just that i feel awful about not being with the new kitten but I want to have some tie on my own to do my own stuff, and I want to do the same with my older cat.

Leah · Accepted Answer

Are you keeping the kitten away or the older cat? They usually recommend keeping the new addition in a room that the older cat doesn't use much to avoid jealousy.

I had the same problem 8 months ago with my 2 year old indoor Ragdoll.
The vet told us to keep the new kitten in a separate room so they could get used to each other under the door for about a week but the little one would cry and cry so we decided to let her out and let them get themselves into a rhythm.
It was hard at first. The older cat would growl and hiss, even at my partner and I.
She is a very affectionate cat and loves people and it was hard to see her like that. :(
But now they are best friends (although the little one is going to be much bigger than her and is a bit of a bully sometimes) and get along great.

You're doing the right thing. You will get into the routine of sharing your time between both and they won't mind later on.

I also got a towel and rubbed it over the older cat and then went in and rubbed it over the kitten before I let her out so she didn't smell "too strange."

? · Answer

It's okay to leave him for a couple of hours but it would be much better if you could get the two of them to share the same space.  Try this:
Continue to keep the kitten separated from your girl.  Make sure your cat can smell the kitten but not touch him. They'll keep sniffing each other under the door. You can even feed them on either side of the same door so that they associate each other with food. 
After a few days, let the new kitten out to explore for a bit each day while you have your cat in the kittens room. Next you can let them see each other - for example through a screen door, or by opening the door and stopping it from opening far enough for either of them to do more than put a paw through. From there progress to feeding them in the same room, but always with supervision and keeping them separated except at meal times. Each day slowly bring their dishes slightly closer together. If all goes well and they seem okay together you can try leaving the door open while you're around to monitor their behaviour. Once they get along together just make sure you have several litter boxes so neither of them can be stopped from using one by the other.  Your older cat may never be great friends with your kitten but they should learn to live together, given time.

Trending News

New kitten advice please :)?

2 Answers