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Cats/intergrating my kitten

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Expert: - 6/17/2009


Question
I have a 3 year old male Siamese cat and an 8 week old male Siamese kitten.  My cat hates the kitten, he whacks at the baby, hisses and growls at him.  Is there a chance for them to end up getting along? I also have an adult female tabby, but don't hold out much hope for her to like the kitten since she still doesn't like my Siamese much - 3 years later.  I'm really bothered by this, we picked up this kitten for the Siamese so it would have a friend.  I did read the posting about integrating but wasn't sure if the age and sex of the cat/kitten made a difference.  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Randi,

The method I have outlined in previous posts applies to any age or gender. The good news is that the "getting to know you" rituals seem to go more quickly with young kittens.  Most adults are fairly tolerant of younger kittens, but still will go through the hissing, spitting, growling business for some time (days to weeks).  In time they should get along. Cats may make a lot of noise and even have loose fur come out, but rarely will they hurt each other.

Some tips to help would be:

Feed off different food dishes.

Have another litter pan in a separate part of the household.


If they begin to play chase, even if it ends up in a "fight", this is a good sign.  One has to be careful not to ascribe human motives and emotions to cats as they do not think like we do.

So, for now, I would ignore their interactions and not intervene in any way, just ignore any noise, and give them plenty of time to work it all out.

Please let me know how it goes.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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