New Cat vs. Old Cat

Uptowngirl2009

Hi everyone!

My first post to this board...I mostly hang out over at the Getting Pregnant board. I figured I would maximize my chances at great answers by posting here too!

 My husband decided to get a new kitten this weekend. She's 9 weeks old. It was a spur of the moment decision on his part so we weren't exactly prepared in how to introduce the new and old cat. When we brought the new kitten home to our old cat, who is 9 years old, the first meeting was horrible. Keep in mind that the 9 year old has been living in our house much longer than we have (we moved in this past December and the former owner could not take her cat to her apartment so we said we would take care of it).

The 9 year old hissed at the cat repeatedly and then ran away and hid under one of our beds upstairs. We both tried to go up and coax her out but she hissed at my husband and then when I went up she let me pet her but would not come out. A few hours later, I went up and found her laying on the floor so I picked her up and took her down to the basement where her food is. She's been hiding down there ever since.

I feel so bad that the first interaction went badly and I am wondering if the 9 year old will get over the fact that there is a new cat in the house or if she is going to continue to hide. I know it will take time for her to get used to it but I love her so much that I don't want her to have to hide down there forever when she used to (and still does) rule this house.

Any tips or advice? Is there anything we can do to help them interact better or just wait and let things work themselves out? What is best for nighttime too? Should we keep one cat away from the other? Usually the 9 year old comes up and sleeps upstairs with us but she does normally roam around the house freely. She is a hunter though and we are afraid that she will try to hurt the new kitten at night if they are left alone in the house while we are sleeping.

Thanks in advance!

Uptowngirl2009

Nevermind...one of the ladies over on the Getting Pregnant board drew my attention to the FAQ link at the top of the Pets board. Questions answered!

Ciardasully

Uptowngirl2009:

Nevermind...one of the ladies over on the Getting Pregnant board drew my attention to the FAQ link at the top of the Pets board. Questions answered!

 

Let us know how it goes!

kellbell1919

Definitely read the book Cat vs. Cat.  I wrote the FAQs so have nothing to add, but feel free to PM me if you have questions.  Cats are slow to adjust to new cats, it takes them awhile to develop a hierarchy.  Hissing is not at all bad; true aggression or unhappiness comes in the form of screaming, howling and fur flying fights.  Kittens also need to be confined to small, kitten safe spaces at first.  My 8 week old fosters chew electrical cords, string, everything they can get ahold of that is unsafe.  So I would keep the kitten confined to a small kitten safe space for now, gradually exchange scents, then let them meet for short periods of time.