You are here:

Cats/introducing cats

Advertisement

Expert: - 1/11/2010


Question
Hi, I have 5 cats. 1 mummy cat and 4 kittens.  The kittens are from 2 batches though.  The first batch is made up of 3 kittens (born in May) and the second we have just the 1 kitten left (born in September).  When the second batch were born we had to separate the first batch from mummy and the second batch as mummy would hiss at the first batch whenever they were near.  Now that the second batch kitten is 4 months old and is totally weaned off mummy I would like to introduce mummy and 4month old back to the other 3 kittens.  How do i go about doing this?
Thanks in advance for your help!

Answer
Catherine,

I expect mummy will still hiss at the kitten, but I would ignore it.  AT their respective ages, all the kittens should get along well. Mummy will probably adjust to everybody in time.  What you may consider is isolating mummy from the remaining kittens for about a week and let all the kittens get used to each other.  After about a week, let mummy join the crowd and ignore any and all discussions as this is normal "banter" for cats that are not sure if they really know each other.  This should tone down in time.

Mummy will not really hurt any of the kittens even if it looks like a major fight. Cats/kittens have very tough skin and they play incredibly roughly with each other, so leave things be, ignore any ruckus, and all should be OK. The only exception would be if someone draws blood, but this is very, very unlikely.

Best regards... Norm.  

Cats

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

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.

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