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Cats/Big cat vs new kitten.HELP

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Expert: - 2/16/2011


Question
my un-neutered cat(2 years) keeps meowing and attacking our new kitten.the kitten defends himself by hissing mostly and waving his up[laws around..but we only have them for one night.. and today...will they get along.the kitten sleeps in another room..but the big cat is obsessed with it..when the kitten is not around the big cat keeps looking for it and meowing all day..but sometime he attacks the little one.what should we do..also the big cat is not eating..i gave him a lilt mushy sausage today..but he is so obsessed with the other cat he ignores his food..and he usually is always eating..him scared for my big cat and don't want to give the liilte cat away..because our big cat hates attention and is men./.the new kitten loves attention,licking,playing,snuggling

Answer
Kelly,

There are a couple of reasons that your male keeps attacking your kitten - first because it's not uncommon for intact male cats to try and kill offspring that aren't theirs. Your best solution is to keep the kitten separated from the older cat and have the older cat neutered - you should be able to reintroduce them in a month or so once the older cat's testosterone levels have dropped some. Also when you bring a new cat/kitten into a household with an older cat or a kitten already in residence you can't just stick them together - cats are very territorial by nature and they need to be introduced slowly over the course of 2-3 weeks starting from behind either side of a closed door. For more information on proper new cat/kitten introductions please check out my previous answers on this subject. If you have any further cat related questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me again - I'm more than happy to help in any way that I can.

Kind regards,

Ali

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Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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