How to make friends between a cat and a kitten?
Simple steps to strong friendship
- We act smoothly.
Haste is our main enemy. If you brought a kitten home and immediately brought it to the cat, do not be surprised at the latter’s aggressive reaction. For us, a kitten is a cute fluffy ball. But for a cat, he is a source of unfamiliar odors, a stranger and a competitor. It will take her time to get used to it. Forcing events is the path to failure.
- We divide the territory.
A new pet for a cat is a competitor. Our task is to change her perception. The cat must understand that no one claims its territory, that it does not need to fight for it. To do this, keep the kitten in another room for the first few days. It is better if at first he does not intersect with the cat at all. The baby should have his own bowls, his own bed and, most importantly, his own tray. Many cats refuse to use their usual place and begin to play pranks in the apartment if their litter box is “marked” by another animal.
- The first acquaintance is through smells.
Even if the kitten lives in another room and does not intersect with the cat, she feels him perfectly. The newcomer is given away by the smells that the cat keenly detects. She may come to the door of the room, sniff it and ask to enter. Do not give in to provocations and do not let the cat near the kitten. More likely, this will result in the first quarrel. But if in the first few days the cat simply smells the smell of a new family member, she herself will not notice how she begins to get used to him. Personal acquaintance in a few days will be calmer.
- First meetings under supervision!
Personal acquaintance between the kitten and the cat should take place under the strict supervision of the owners. Each animal has its own temperament. You can't predict how your cat will react to a baby. Some people show curiosity and quickly change it to friendliness. But for most, the first reaction to a stranger is indifference or aggression. Make sure that the indignant “old-timer” does not harm the kitten or frighten it.
If the cat hisses at the kitten in warning, this is normal. Let your pets watch each other from a safe distance. But if she goes on the offensive, trying to scratch or bite the baby, interrupt the acquaintance. The meeting will need to be repeated the next day and so on until the relationship improves.
It’s funny, but in some cases the “old-timer” himself needs help. A hyperactive and fearless kitten can besiege a new friend and literally not give him access. Try to maintain balance between your pets.
- Aggression is normal!
When an adult cat hurts a kitten, we want to protect it. But punishing for a hostile attitude is senseless and cruel. The cat is stressed, she is frightened by the appearance of a stranger and her behavior is guided by instincts: cats by nature are not social animals. Instead of punishing, give your cat a treat and play with it. This will help her calm down and become friendlier.
- Attention - equally.
Jealousy is a feeling characteristic not only of people, but also of animals. Just as older children are jealous of their parents for a newborn, so adult pets are jealous of the “newcomers.” Of course, a kitten requires more attention and you will want to spend more time with it, but this does not mean that you can forget about other pets. If after the birth of the kitten you begin to pay insufficient attention to the cat, she will quite reasonably associate your indifference with the furry baby and her hostility will only intensify.
- More fun together!
The opposite tactic to point 6 is to pay equal attention to your pets, entice them with games, and treat them with treats. After the kitten and cat get used to each other a little, involve them in joint games, buy toys that several cats can play with at once. Our goal at this stage is to instill in our pets pleasant associations from spending time together. Before you know it, the cat and kitten will be inseparable and will share everything with each other, even the tray!
- Smell trick.
The most important thing in the cat world is smells. The cat reacts poorly to a newcomer because he has a foreign, unfamiliar smell. By “replacing” odors, you can shorten the bedding-in period between a cat and a kitten. Here are some ways:
— Replace the beds. The bed retains the smell of the pet. By replacing the beds, you will mix the smells of the cat and kitten.
— Dry the kitten with a slightly damp towel, then wipe the cat with the same towel. This harmless deception will make the cat smell someone else's scent, and it will quickly adapt to it.
- We sterilize the cat.
With a cat everything is more or less clear. But how to make friends between a cat and a kitten? The methods are the same. However, before bringing a new pet into the house, it is better to neuter the cat. Uncastrated cats have a pronounced territorial instinct, and they are even less inclined to be friends than cats.
In conclusion, I would like to say that friendship is a matter of time. Sometimes pets do not accept each other for several months, and then become very sad even from a short separation!
