Bringing home a new kitten can be a difficult time for everyone in your household. A new addition always requires an adjustment period for all household members, not to mention the newest addition.
When it comes to cats, they tend to be less than accepting of new cats in the home. This can lead to tension, hissing, and even fighting between the two cats, making the adjustment difficult and stressful for everyone. How long should you expect this behavior to go on for, though?
When Will the Hissing Stop?
The hissing and tension between your cat and new kitten can go on for a long time, but it’s extremely variable based on the individual cats, the introduction, and the home itself. A stressful home environment is going to increase the likelihood of the hissing between cats going on for quite some time.
Some cats simply aren’t cut out for living with other cats, so there’s a slight possibility that your cat will hiss at your kitten for their whole life. This isn’t typical, but it’s not unheard of either. Most cats will at least adjust to having another cat in the home. They will learn the kitten’s habits and find ways to avoid them if they don’t want to see them. You may need to provide your cat with some safe places that the kitten can’t access in order to help them feel safe and adjust.
Proper Introductions Between Cats
Introducing your cat and kitten to each other is something that should be done slowly and with plenty of patience and understanding.
The first thing you should do before you even bring your new kitten home is to make a plan. Set up a space that is going to be specifically the kitten’s space for at least the first few days. It’s a good idea to set this space up with bedding and toys that will absorb the smell of the new kitten. This will give you the opportunity to switch scents between the new kitten and your current cat to get them used to each other.
Over time, you’ll be able to transition from having a door separating your cat and kitten to opening the door and keeping a baby gate or mesh screen between the cats, allowing them to see each other without accessing each other. You’ll also be able to slowly allow the cats to get closer and closer until they’re able to be face-to-face. However, don’t rush this process. Be aware that introducing a new kitten to the home can take days or weeks of careful effort on the part of everyone in the household.
Conclusion
It can be stressful to have two cats in the home that don’t get along, and when introducing a new kitten, tensions can run high. Hissing and fear between cats can go on for days or weeks, so it’s important to be patient with both animals.
Take introductions slowly and provide plenty of space for each cat to have to themselves. They need to be able to feel safe and secure as opposed to feeling like their space is being invaded by another animal.
Featured Image Credit: Fang_Y_M, Pixabay
