We got a new kittie and now Ashes hates us...UPDATE WITH PICTURE @ BOTTOM!!

Ashes is 2 1/2, and he definately owns us! And man is he P!SSED OFF at us right now!

We brought home a 6 month old male kitten. He is SO loveable, playful and already adapted to us & our apartment!

But all Ashes has done since 7PM Sunday night is hiss & growl at him & us. He is not in attack mode or anything, he is just so mad. We have a 2 foot deep windowsill in my kitchen where his bed is. He has stayed up there. He is hardly eating. When he did come down for a few minutes the most contact they had was when he found the kitten playing on his kitty condo.....Ashes b!tch slapped the kitten!! Whack! Right on the side of his little head.

At midnight I decided to put the kitten in my room with all his own stuff. At least Ashes came down. He ate, he drank and he did play a little on his kitty condo. But he still won't let me hold him.

So, will the separation help, or will he still be mad when the kitten comes out? How long does it take usually for cats to adapt?

Hi,

My MIL got a Bichon Frise/poodle as a x-mas gift last year, and they owned a cat who is 10 years old. They live in a small apt. At first, what they did was kept the puppy in there room or behind closed doors separtely. They could not be put together, the cat thought the pup was a threat. I don't think, they even gave a chance to let the cat/dog come near one another for months. Only, when they put them together was when the puppy was put in it's crate locked up, would the cat come out to inspect what was going on, or the new addition to the family. I think it took about 3 months, let alone for the cat/dog to walk around each other territory. I would say to you, just make sure they are separate from one another for a few months. But, I think it is wonderful you have 2 cats.

We have a very nasty 14 year old cat.....and recently adopted a new kitten.
What we did was we kept the kitten locked in the bathroom for a week, and allowed the cat to have the same run of the co-op that he's always had. He didn't even notice there was anything different going on.
After the week, we slowly intorduced them, letting the kitten see the big mean cat and vice-versa....only supervised visits though!!!
After we did that a few times, we let the kitten out when we were home, but kept her in the bathroom while we were at work. After about 3 weeks, we let her out all of the time...and they've become great friends....they play fight, they lick each other....and they share their food and litter boxes!

I think making a slow introduction is KEY! Cats are notorious for being b!tchy....so it's not fiar to force them to adjust to a new kitten all of a sudden, just because you wat to.

(might I just add that as I'm typing this, the new kitten is sitting on the top of the computer chair chasing her tail back and forth...so cute!
)

good luck!!

Guess I sorta jumped the gun.... I left the kitty in his carrier for maybe an hour. Anyway though... after separating them just overnight.... things are getting better!!!

The kitten snuck out of the bedroom around my feet about 11 this morning. Ashes did not hiss or growl. He sort of watched the kitty playing with a ball, then slowly approached him. They sort of would chase and follow each other, not so much in a palyful way, more of a watchful way. They chased each other around for a hour, then got bored.

Anyway, both are quietly napping as we speak (separately of course!!)

It's a dominance thing. When I was growing up, we had two cats (one died in April, he was 17 and the other is still alive with my parents). Tabby was the older one and was about 2 or 3 when we introduced Shadow, an 8 month old male cat.

Just like your Ashes, Tabby hissed and growled at Shadow. Tabby chased Shadow up to the highest place he could and he would sit and stare at him and hiss at him if he tried to move. Within a few days, maybe a week, they were hanging out together.

You have two males, like we did.Ashes wants the kitten to know that he is older and has been there longer. Once he establishes dominance, they should be fine.

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Posted by palebride

We have a very nasty 14 year old cat.....and recently adopted a new kitten.
What we did was we kept the kitten locked in the bathroom for a week, and allowed the cat to have the same run of the co-op that he's always had. He didn't even notice there was anything different going on.
After the week, we slowly intorduced them, letting the kitten see the big mean cat and vice-versa....only supervised visits though!!!
After we did that a few times, we let the kitten out when we were home, but kept her in the bathroom while we were at work. After about 3 weeks, we let her out all of the time...and they've become great friends....they play fight, they lick each other....and they share their food and litter boxes!

I think making a slow introduction is KEY! Cats are notorious for being b!tchy....so it's not fiar to force them to adjust to a new kitten all of a sudden, just because you wat to.

(might I just add that as I'm typing this, the new kitten is sitting on the top of the computer chair chasing her tail back and forth...so cute!
)

good luck!!

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LORI!!! That is sooooo awesome that they are getting along!!!

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Posted by wc0143

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Posted by palebride

We have a very nasty 14 year old cat.....and recently adopted a new kitten.
What we did was we kept the kitten locked in the bathroom for a week, and allowed the cat to have the same run of the co-op that he's always had. He didn't even notice there was anything different going on.
After the week, we slowly intorduced them, letting the kitten see the big mean cat and vice-versa....only supervised visits though!!!
After we did that a few times, we let the kitten out when we were home, but kept her in the bathroom while we were at work. After about 3 weeks, we let her out all of the time...and they've become great friends....they play fight, they lick each other....and they share their food and litter boxes!

I think making a slow introduction is KEY! Cats are notorious for being b!tchy....so it's not fiar to force them to adjust to a new kitten all of a sudden, just because you wat to.

(might I just add that as I'm typing this, the new kitten is sitting on the top of the computer chair chasing her tail back and forth...so cute!
)

good luck!!

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LORI!!! That is sooooo awesome that they are getting along!!!

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Yo uhave no idea how shocked and happy i am that they are getting along!!!! Gunnar has NEVER been this nice to any other cats...the ones he was nice to before, he simply tolerated...but never really really liked.
But when it comes to his kitten, (who just fell off the printer, by the way), he is so in love.....

The new kitty!! Things are much more peaceful!! I think they will cohabitate nicely! The hissing & growling has stopped!! I was holding Ashes on my shoulder (like you hold a baby... it's the only way he likes to be held!!) and the kitty came & sat on my lap!! All was good! They even chased each other through their new toy... one of those nylon tubes!!

But he still has no name!!! Any ideas?
So far we thought:
1. Ritz :because he had his head in the box of Ritz crackers & apparently likes them A LOT!!

2. 'The Intimidator' because he frightened my crazy aggresive cat! (I have the scars to prove how aggresive he is!!). But DH says no because that is Dale Erhardts nickname & he likes drag racing, not NASCAR!

But I am open to suggestions!

My female did that when we brought home a little orange male tabby. Tigger (the tabby) passed away last christmas (it's now 1 yr without my baby ) but my female HATED him and us. She turned into such a witch. She wouldn't let us hold her or anything. Now that Tigger is gone she's a complete sweetheart!