Having Kittens

[b13thy]

My mum has just rescued an 8 week old kitten and we are wondering the best way to introduce it to our 9 year old cat (pepper). Pepper has never had kittens or shared a house with another cat and we would be devastated if she ran away or got otherwise upset due to the new arrival. Can anyone advise us on the best way for them to get to know each other without either feeling threatened.

[mrs.pudding]

It's quite possible that you will have lots of hissing and spitting and fur standing on end!  The old cat may smack the kitten but probably not fight it.  She may even disappear from sight for a couple of days - horror and hurt feelings.  The kitten will gradually get more confident and find ways round Pepper and Pepper will gradually get used to the whole thing.  Also, over a few days the kitten will begin to "smell" right and that helps establish some sort of truce.  The chances are that in two or three weeks you will wonder why you worried.  Best of luck.

[orange-gnome]

I have used the old cloth business before and it worked a treat!
What you need to do is keep them seperate for a week or so if possible and a few times every day get a clean cloth and wipe it on Peppers face, over the cheeks where the scent glands are, they should love it and then let new kitty have a sniff, wipe it on new kitties cheeks and let Pepper have a sniff, then wipe it again on Pepper. Do this a few times a day for a week and then if you can get a cat box, one they can see out of, not these cardboard ones and put the new kitty in the box and let Pepper come up and sniff and introduce herself. This way they can't really fight or hurt eachother. See how it goes, let them do this for a good amount of time, not just a few minutes and then if it doesn't go too well, seperate them and do it again the next day.
When you feel happy to let them be loose in the same room make sure you supervise them and at first make it just a visit (maybe just once even) and then seperate them again. Softly softly is the best approach with cats, good luck, let us know how it goes! x

[animal_agent]

You could keep them apart at night and when anyone isn't around in the day. Then you could let them meet while your mum is there and slowly introduce them. Whatever you decide to do; don't do it quickly!

Good luck!

[lindapinda]

We used orange-gnome's method of cloth and a separate cat box,when we introduced our kitten spike to our firmly established head of the house,yasmin!Yasmin was not impressed in the slightest and actually made himself hoarse by complaining,but within 2 weeks,they were curled up together on the sofa!

[b13thy]

An update - Pepper (understandably) took great offence at the new energtic ball of fluff and has been mightly put out. She has been spending most of her time in the garden with her body turned away from the house and when we go out and talk to her she wants nothing to do with us. However in the past few days she has tolerated the kitten a little more and hasn't tried to bat her when she (the kitten) tries to play. Its been hard work but think they are finally coming to an understanding. Hooray - thank you all for your very helpful advice