You are here:

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/My male cat does not like my new female kitten

Advertisement

Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/15/2008


Question
I have 4 cats now. The older three get along great, they bathe, sleep, eat, & play together. My home was always harmonious. I just got a new 4 week old kitten, she lost her mother. I bought kitten formula and a bottle. My one male cat has adjusted to the new kitten and follows her around and knocks her down is if he is trying to figure out what she is. My older female cat is afraid of her she just stays under the bed and my other male cat is SOOO stressed out he walks around cautiously with his eyes wide open and when I go to console him and pick him up he growls at me and he used to be so cuddly. Will he ever come around? I almost want to find a new home for the kitten so that my other cats will be ok again. They are all spayed and neutered and when it comes time for the new kitten to be spayed I will do her at about 7 weeks old. I am concerned that the stressed cat will spray none of my cats have ever sprayed before and but I heard that they still can. Do you have any advice so that they will all get along?

Answer
Leslie,

Yes male cats can start spraying from stress. Most older cats DO NOT like kittens, especially males. Probably it is because of their smell.

Put the kitten in a carrier in the middle of the floor so that the cats can smell the kitten or check her out without being able to harm her. Do not let her alone with the other cats without your supervision. Some cats will not take to a kitten until it is grown. I had one cat that moved to a neighbor's house that didn't have any animals for 6 months because he was SO upset I had kittens!

Here is a link to some good articles to read:

http://www.messybeast.com/first-impressions.htm

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=cattocatintro...

It is going to take a lot of time and patience. To be fair to the kitten and your other cats you may want to re-home the little one. If not do the introductions slowly. The old cats many never like the little one, but you can at least hope for acceptance. But it sounds like at least one of the cats is going to get along with the baby.

7 weeks is too early to spay. 3 months is the average minimum. 7 weeks is not even 2 months old yet.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

Education/Credentials
***********

Awards and Honors
* One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.