# Brought a kitten home, and now my cat hates ME



## GraffixWB (Aug 9, 2008)

Okay, so I brought a new kitten home and FIRST THING, my older cat flipped out. I'm guessing this is to be expected so I tried to push my cat out of the room so I could get the kitten back to her new "safe room" and give the older cat the rest of the house. I got the kitten all settled and everything, but now my older cat hates me. She acts like I'm the intruder and now won't come near me and just hisses when I look at her. 

SHe has always had the "I'm better than you" cat attitude, but it wasn't anything a stern voice and a stare would fix. Now she just seems pissed all the time (for the last day) and wants' nothing to do with me. 

My guess is to just ignore it and let her readjust on her own, but I figured I'd ask some more experienced cat owners if they had any better ideas to quicken the process.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Your older cat doesn't "hate you"....you smell like the new kitten, whom she sees as an intruder.

Keep them seperated, rub towels over them and swap the towels between them so they can each get used to the other's smell. Expect this to take some time, it can be either a short time, a long time or never, but you can't force them to like each other. If you don't push the new kitten onto your older cat, there is a chance they may get along together, just take it super-slow.

Do a forum search on "cat introductions".


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## GraffixWB (Aug 9, 2008)

I will be following the instructions to the T, but I really am bummed about my cat being so mad at me. i took a shower and haven't touched the new cat and she is stil really mad at me. I mean mad that I snell like the kitten. she Hisses at me when I walk in the room and does the cat growl, then just runs and watches my every move.

Any ideas?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Give her time and space. Her senses are telling her something strange is in the house and she needs time to grow accustomed to it. Let her relax on her own, leave her alone and I'm sure she'll eventually come around. You could try to engage her in activities you know she likes, like playing with strings/toys or givingher food treats. If she seems unreceptive, let it be and let her tell you when she is ready for attention again.


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## ~Siameseifuplz~ (May 6, 2007)

Don't be upset, I know it hurts to see her that way but she will get over it, don't push her at all. I've also heard swapping scents on towels and letting them meet through crate bars in a non-kitty zone room (one your current cat does not adore) and then taking kitty out again so as not too make the session too long. make sure your current cat also has a special room where she feels safe and that the kitten does not have access to until they are on good terms.


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## Loving_My_Cats (May 26, 2004)

I got Eva my newest kitten 2 weeks ago. My other cats were mad, some hissed at me. I don't believe with locking them up though. Long as your home, let them be free. Reason? Cats can sort it out on their own. Kitten realizes "Oh don't go near the cat" the adult thinks "Ok I guess it isn't going away" took a week and a half for Duchess to stop hissing/growling at Eva and to come out from under my bed...now she acts like a mommy!


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## ~Siameseifuplz~ (May 6, 2007)

I would keep him in the room myself, we had a kitten over the other day who had NO respect for personal boundaries. He jumped straight onto neko's back three times, each time Neko threw a huge display, hissing spitting, swatting and the kitten did it a again a few minutes later. if he had cornered Neko I have no doubt Neko would have hurt him. Willie on the other hand kissed and hit but his whiskers, ears and tail told me he was wary but not aggressive, he wanted to play as well but was a bit confused with having something smaller than him in the house. So it depends on the resident cat IMO. plus I like giving kittens a safe room (or if they need to be litter trained they must be confined) Neko continues to adore his safe room years later after being confined to it for 2 weeks (he was too small to be allowed loose without getting lost and he needed to be introduced to the dog).


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## Bandit_X (May 29, 2008)

I know how that feels Graffix--poor Tank has had to deal with 4 different cats since I adopted him in December (visiting cats, my fiance's mother's cat at her house, Nora and now Charlotte), and he behaves like he blames me, but it really is just that there is a new smell in the house.
With Tank, he hasn't really bonded with anyone but me, so he sees me more often than anyone else, which means I get to see all the hissing and puffing but no one else does.
It does get better--in addition to the intro instructions, make sure you give your older girl plenty of affection and treats throughout the process. It's always helped with Tank, and he has been HIGHLY aggressive before when introduced to anything new (biting, kicking, attacking people and the dog).

Good luck and congratulations on your new baby!


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## GraffixWB (Aug 9, 2008)

I have avoided making any eye contact with her and not paying any attention to her. cooked some steak and she came over and took some from my hend. she still is very freaked.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

That is good. It is okay for her to still be freaked, it is new, smells different and she is unsure and confused. It will just take her time to get used to the different kitty-smell and realize it isn't going away. Just think, you get to go through all this AGAIN when she SEEs the new kitten! :lol: 

I'm sure it will all work out. You did the best thing by ignoring her and letting her make the first move. Just keep telling her you still love her and send her 'good thoughts'.


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## GraffixWB (Aug 9, 2008)

I just never thought I'd have to treat a cat like my old sugar gliders. Thanks for the advice and encouragement


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Oh! Sugar Gliders are so pretty! Do you have any photos of them?


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## Bandit_X (May 29, 2008)

Gliders are awesome. Mine still doesn't trust me much.  But we'll get there.


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## GraffixWB (Aug 9, 2008)

its now 2am .

I just got back from the good ol bar and Reaven (older cat) is much more personable. no more hissing. much more loving. I wish you all could have seen how bad she flipped. I've never heard or seen ANYTHING like it. SHe was MAAAAAD. Mad like she wanted to kill everything. 

things are MUCH better now. she is still apprehensive, but lovable again. 

The kitten is crying up a storm, prolly missing her bro and sis, but she is VERY playful. Thanks for all the support. I can tell now that she will come along ALOT quicker than I expected. I'll post some pics of the gliders when I can get them from my cousin of th gliders. 

I got rid of the gliders about 1.5 year ago because I couldn't give them the attention they deserved (gave them to a big fam with lots of time on their hands). they are VERY sweet animals, but they need LOTS of attention , especially at night.

thanks again for all the insight
Dave


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## GraffixWB (Aug 9, 2008)

Update

the cats are better now, but Reaven plays WAY too rough with the kitten. she will put the kitten in wrestling moves and bite her til she yelps. I almost always have to yell at her for it. She knows she playing too rough, but still continues to 'hunt' wurly. Any tips you can give to make her stop being so rough? ,, or do I just have to wait til the kitten gets bigger to leave them together when I'm not supervising?


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## ~Siameseifuplz~ (May 6, 2007)

Neko was like that at first with Willie. I also just realized how young your kitten is, most kittens don't go home until 12 weeks, 6 weeks is extremely young so it would be wise to make sure she does not get left alone with your cat, she is still very small and was not with mom and kits long enough to learn some important social skills, now your cat has to help her learn those. I'm very glad to hear things are going better. If she yelps interrupt them but otherwise let them play so both of them learn some social language, I'm sure it's been a while since your cat has lived with other cats so she has to learn all over again how much bite pressure is too much and what is appropriate. keep us updated!


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