How can I make two new kittens get along?
missvantango asked:
Yesterday, we adopted two new kittens from a shelter. One is a 9 week old male and the other is a 16 week old female. In the shelter, they were very good friends and snuggled up and played together all the time, but since we’ve brought them home, the female has become very hostile towards the male and hisses & growls whenever she lays eyes on him. Both kittens are neutered. Is there anything I can do to help them or should I just let them be to sort it out themselves?
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Yesterday, we adopted two new kittens from a shelter. One is a 9 week old male and the other is a 16 week old female. In the shelter, they were very good friends and snuggled up and played together all the time, but since we’ve brought them home, the female has become very hostile towards the male and hisses & growls whenever she lays eyes on him. Both kittens are neutered. Is there anything I can do to help them or should I just let them be to sort it out themselves?
March 14th, 2009 at 3:57 am
you should try just feeding them together, and all that get them to sleep together, if that doesnt work, just let them work it out themselves!
March 17th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Chill! It’s only the first day! They’ll get used to each other very quickly, trust me. 2-4 days tops. I had same prob.
March 18th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
The best thing is to leave them alone. They will work it out. If they were bonded at the shelter, they will bond again. They are doing this because of the change in living conditions. Just let them go at it, treat wounds if it gets that bad, and give it time.
March 21st, 2009 at 4:27 am
Just give them time they were friends in the shelter with lots of other cats too. They are just unsettled from the move into your home. Do not seperate them, do not seperate food and litter boxes, Just let them work it out for themselves. They just need to adjust to the new environment. This just means “Give them time”. all will be well soon
March 21st, 2009 at 7:59 am
UPDATE: New information; found this which may be helpful with regard to helping your 16-week-old female adjust. The “extreme patience” part may be a bit much, but the feeding routine sounds reasonable.
excerpt:
“Kittens adopted after twelve weeks of age may be difficult to handle. Extreme patience is required to help them adjust to their new environment. The feeding routine can help with this adjustment. Feeding at a set time and in a set place brings the kitten and its owner into a positive experience for the kitten. The owner can enhance this experience by talking quietly to the kitten and petting it.”
In addition, this article is helpful:
Bringing Home A New Cat Or Kitten
excerpt:
“Remember that cats are very much creatures of habit. They like things to be predictable and pretty much the same from day to day. You will be taking your cat out of a familiar environment, putting him into a noisy, moving vehicle, then expecting him to adjust to new surroundings, new people and perhaps, new animals. This is a lot to ask, and no matter how wonderful you and your home are, even the most easy-going cat is likely to be stressed and nervous!
“Cats need to become thoroughly familiar with new surroundings before they feel comfortable. An entire apartment or house can be overwhelming all at once. Many cats will hide under beds or furniture, sometimes for days. It will be much less stressful for your cat to learn about you, your family and your home a little at a time. When you bring your cat home, place him in the room you have fixed up for him, keep this room closed off, and let him explore that area first.”
~~~~
When my eldest cat was a kitten, she attacked her siblings anytime I took them to the vet. Because of all the new and strange smells, she could not recognize her own “friends” by sight. Most cats primarily identify their surroundings by sense of smell. So she may be reacting negatively to her shelter friend due to the new smells in your home; she may have trouble “recognizing” him due to her olfactory signals being mixed up. This should resolve itself in a few days as she settles in.
/end of Update
~~~~~~
Normally, kittens should get along fine at that age, as they are so young and neutered.
While they may sort it out in a few days, I’m wondering if something in the household is causing anxiety or stress for the female. You might want to provide her with a snug retreat. She may be having trouble adapting to her new environment.
A snug retreat consists of a secluded spot, a snuggly blanket or towel inside a box (or a towel or blanket on a comfy chair), and a light bulb or lamp approximately four feet away from the box. Soft radio music and dim lighting (except for the bulb) are also recommended. A sunny window is nice during the day, especially if the sun enters the room and the cat can sunbathe. You can keep the door to that room partially cracked, to help insulate the room from household noise.
You can also try keeping her in a room alone, a small room, until she has adapted. Oftentimes, coming from a shelter and a very small caged environment and suddenly being confronted with a large house is too great of a change for them to handle. Start them out with exploring one room before asking them to navigate the whole house.
She might need some extra time to adjust in a room by herself, with some visits from her male kitten friend. After a few days, crack the door, and let her leave the room when she feels comfortable. You can then try letting the male kitten stay in the room with her, leaving the door cracked so both can explore.
Keep noise, such as the volume level on stereos and TVs, to a minimum. If yours is an exceptionally busy household, it may take them longer to adapt.
Hopefully this will help them both adjust.
Good luck!
March 22nd, 2009 at 11:17 pm
This is definitely a territory issue in their new surroundings. Just leave them alone and they will work it out between themselves. Don’t get alarmed if there is some hissing, spitting and swatting of each other. Nobody’s going to get seriously injured. They are just establishing who’s going to be “the boss” of this new household. They should be just fine in a few days to a week.
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:59 pm
We are both confused because of the change! Just give us some time to adjust to our new environment and we’ll be just fine! I was hoping you might get a good laugh out of our tactics. As soon as we figure out why we were uprooted, why we are here and who the hell you guys are, we will be just fine!