# Need help! Please!!! cats not getting along



## sunflowerchild49 (Jan 5, 2014)

I have an 8 week old kittne that i have had since she was 1 week. her mother left her behind when moving the litter. i have nursed her and spoiled her. she doesnt fear any humans and me and her just love on each other. i have had to go back to work and noticed when i would leave the room for a short period my kitten would cry for me to come back mostly because she was tired and was use to me holding her or being very close. so i decided another kitten to keep company should be good. i adopted huffington last night and he has not come from under my couch but to eat and use his litter. realized reading his chart from humane society he was a stray. he came in went to eat looked for a very short period of time then went under the couch stayed on the cold floor all night :-(. when i go to touch or or even put my hand to say hi he hissed at me and i was going to let my baby kitty play with him today but last night he hissed at her to and my baby kitten has never been around ANY other cats but the short time with her mother and siblings. what do i do to help my kittens learn to play in peace and help huffington know i love him just like my 8 week old named stella? Please any advice. But something that doesnt allow me getting scratched, pulling him from under the couch is just not an option. id much rather him come out willingly Thank you!!!


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## Bill the Cat Guy (Dec 25, 2013)

You should bring the second cat back to the humane society. Find a kitten that's very sweet and friendly. Take your first kitten with you to the humane society to meet the new cat and see how it goes. 

If you plan on keeping the cat you just got then you need to leave it alone and let it learn to trust you. You could try playing with it with some string while it's under the couch. Or give it extra cat treats a few times a day. Put one just outside the couch and see if it will come out while you're there.


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## Wannabe Catlady (Aug 6, 2012)

Bill the Cat Guy said:


> You should bring the second cat back to the humane society. Find a kitten that's very sweet and friendly. Take your first kitten with you to the humane society to meet the new cat and see how it goes.
> .


Can't disagree with this more. It's extremely rare for two cats to instantly bond, and bringing your kitten to the shelter for a play date would be highly stressful. 

I'm sure many other experiences people on here will chime in with tips on how to do a gradual introduction. The key though, is GRADUAL. The kitten should have his own room to himself that has litter and food and water. Then you can come visit him by just being in the same room. Don't pull or prod. Let it go at his own pace. You need him to be comfortable with you and his surroundings before you introduce to your other kitten






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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Don't take him back! That's overkill at this point.

First off how you handle this new kitty depends on his age. If he's 12 weeks or under he'll be just as tame as your sweet girl in no time!

Step 1 is to get him out from under the couch, let him hiss but get him out. If he's under 12 weeks you can safely grab him by his scruff and pull him out, it won't hurt him as long as you don't squeeze harder than necessary.

Step 2 is to put him in a smaller room where there are no hiding places where you can't easily reach him. NO COUCHES!

If he's right about the same age as your girl TBH I'd put them together in there. They'll bond quickly if they're that young and they aren't capable of hurting each other yet. So the worst that happens is they cry a bit...but TBH they'll most likely be buddies within an hour. There's no point in doing slow intros with kittens this age. They adjust so quicky that it's a waste of time that they could use for playing!

Even if she's never been around other cats another kitten won't hurt her, but he will help teach her how to be a cat! It's very important that she gets to spend time with him, even if they don't get along instantly, she needs to learn what those signals and sounds mean and how she should react. It's just not something you can teach her.

Step 3 is to hold him and cuddle him even if he fusses. Feed him yummy treats and use toys to play with him and he should come around quick, especially with your little girl to show him how nice you are!


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## emilyatl (Sep 9, 2013)

I totally agree with Wannabe Catlady. A kitten does not deserve to be "returned" after less than 24 hours of being introduced to a new cat. There is NO way I would ever take one of my cats to a shelter - if they do home meet and greets like some rescue groups with fosters do, that would be ideal, but I wouldn't take a cat to a shelter (especially if she's never been around other cats - she will be completely stressed out and any sort of reaction you get from her would not be reliable). As Wannabe mentioned, it's stressful for both kitties, and they need both need time to acclimate. Give the new kitty a little time to adjust to being in a new home, then try to introduce him to your kitten. Hissing is not a big deal at all, and is perfectly normal - that's just him trying to establish territory (again, he's just stressed beign in a new place). When he does that, you just need to back up and give him his space. Let him approach you on his terms, not the reverse.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Another vote for the "don't take him back" brigade. This is no time at all. My darling Oz who died not that long ago took much longer than that to regain his courage (always was a bit of a coward!) even though he came with an already bonded cat. In a few weeks of making allowances, he was not only confident in the house, he was bonded with the others as well his surrogate sibling and had fallen in love with the dog. In the vast majority of cases, youngsters just need patience.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

It's only been a day!!! Give it time. _*DO NOT return him*_. Give him a chance. He's a baby, he's scared, he misses his surroundings and is hiding to distress. Give him time - and space - and I'm sure his curiosity will win out and he will bond with the other cat.


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## BigLittleSmall (Dec 9, 2013)

My Momma hated, and I mean HATEd Mr. Diggs when I first brought him home. She gave him the stink eye, swatted at him, just gave him grief .. but after about 2 weeks, she changed her tune. Now they're good buddies, when he isn't pestering her lol.

It just takes time. Please don't take your kitty back to the shelter.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Here are some great guidelines for introducting cats. It's not too late to start over:

Cat-to-Cat Introductions | Little Big Cat


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

I hope you will read the cat intros link that Marie73 provided. I have to beg also, please don't return him. Cat intros take a little time, the new kitty has got to feel safe in his own environment first before he starts to warm up and show his true personality. That is why it's best to put them in a bedroom or bathroom and let them get used to that small space before going onto the rest of the house. Like others have said, it's not to late. You can do this. They are both so little, they will be fine with each other, you just have to do this gradually. He is just scared to be away from where he was and he needs time to adjust. 

Please don't give up on him! You can make this work, and you have lots of people here who can give you excellent advice on just how to do this


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