Adult cats are capable of expressing their feelings and character. By its nature, it is a solitary animal, which often finds it difficult to find a common language with other pets and sometimes it is difficult for the owner to make friends between an adult cat and a female cat. This feature of cat behavior should be taken into account if a decision has been made to bring home a new family member - a small kitten. An adult may show aggression towards a kitten. Therefore, it is important to know why this aggression occurs and how to make friends between a cat and a kitten in the future.
Causes of aggressive behavior
A cat or cat can behave aggressively for various reasons. But no matter what provokes your pet’s anger, you need to find your own approach to it and make every effort to suppress this anger.
You can make friends between an adult cat and a kitten if you know some rules and tricks
There are several reasons why cats do not accept babies into the house. And each of them has its own natural explanation.
Important! The ideal age for an adult cat to introduce him to a small kitten is up to three years old. The older the animal, the more difficult it will be to make friends with them.
Threat
An adult animal may see a potential threat in a small kitten.
Cats do not understand situations, so with any changes in their lives, they feel a real danger, thus protecting their lives. In such cases, they prefer to attack first, and then realize the essence of what is happening. The model of this behavior is clearly visible when cats attack dogs if the latter appear suddenly. Moreover, the size of the dog does not matter. The same thing happens when meeting a kitten.
Important! The cat will attack first and then take a closer look.
A cat may see a small kitten as a potential threat to its life.
The cat may also perceive a threat in the appearance of a small relative in terms of territory. If a strange animal enters a house where the pet has always felt like the sole owner, it becomes overwhelmed by a sense of potential danger. Therefore, manifestations of aggression cannot be avoided.
Jealousy
Jealousy is not unique to humans. Animals also actively demonstrate it.
Moreover, cats can be jealous of anyone: be it the owner’s husband or wife, a newborn child, or just a stranger. Aggressive behavior against a background of jealousy often manifests itself in relation to another animal.
As a rule, people give a small kitten much more attention and love, play with it more, and pick it up. This is what causes hostility towards the baby.
An adult cat begins to actively fight injustice and try to return all the love of its owner to itself. Most pets are possessive and find it very difficult to accept the presence of a new pet next to their adored owner.
Cats are very jealous creatures
Other causes of aggression
Other factors can also lead to aggression:
- predator instinct;
- revenge for the offense caused by the owner;
- severe pain;
- hormonal changes leading to mood changes;
- unsatisfied sexual libido;
- protecting your own kittens.
Cats are predators. The arrival of a small kitten can awaken this primal instinct in them. They won't eat it, but they can start playing rather cruel games with it. Often the cat imitates hunting - it tracks the kitten, sneaks up on it and attacks.
Sometimes cats take out their anger on the kids for being offended by their owner. He won’t risk attacking a person, but he can easily take revenge on a defenseless kitten. A cat can take revenge on its owner at the expense of his children. He is capable of scratching a little daughter or son, and even attacking elderly parents.
Aggression is also common in cats that are in pain. And if the cause of the pain is not eliminated, the animal can cause injury not only to the kitten, but also to other family members.
Domestic cats often change their mood. Now they can lie on the sofa and calmly watch the games of a small pet, and after a few minutes they are quite capable of attacking it.
Important! Cats who cannot satisfy their sexual needs may also take out their aggression on a defenseless animal. In such situations, it is better to do castration of cats and sterilization of cats. This will reduce the level of hormones that encourage pets to show anger.
My territory!
Cats are pets that sharply differentiate their own and other people's territories. If a newcomer, even a small one, appears in the space belonging to an adult cat, this will definitely alert the cat. But animals of different characters react to such intrusions differently. In any case, the pets need to get used to each other. Even a peaceful and friendly cat needs time, since training a cat to be a kitten is a matter that requires attention and patience. Since cats determine what is theirs and what is not theirs by smell, some cat lovers recommend doing the following: take a scarf or just a piece of cloth and after the older cat has licked itself, wipe the fur with this cloth, and then immediately wipe the kitten’s scruff with the same cloth. Why the scruff? Because there he will not be able to lick or “wash” someone else’s smell. This exchange of smells will help the objects get closer. Territorial division will become less significant. The cat will gradually recognize the kitten as one of its own. Similarly, the baby will stop being afraid.
How to help animals make friends
How to make friends between a cat and a dog: options for reconciling pets
How to make friends between a cat and a kitten without stress and hurting each other? Friendship between an adult cat and a kitten is a matter of time. The result of their meeting and long-term hostility may be unexpected.
Sometimes the cat immediately accepts the kitten as if it were her own baby and comes to its defense. A cat may show sexual attraction to him if the owner has not resorted to castration.
But most often, without human help, friendship or at least acceptance does not arise. Therefore, the owner of an adult animal should learn simple reconciliation techniques and stock up on good patience. You can learn from your own experience how to introduce a cat to a kitten.
The process is gradual and consists of several steps:
- Maintaining personal space.
- Accustoming a kitten to its litter box and bowl.
- Sniffing at first meeting.
- Cooperative games.
- Gradually bringing bowls closer together during meals.
- Equal attention from the owner to all pets in the house.
A cat's first reaction to a strange kitten is hissing.
Personal space
First of all, a cat perceives a small cat as a contender for their territory. The owner's job is to change this perception.
The animal must realize that the kitten is not an invader and does not claim its space. During the first days, the baby should be isolated in another room and not allowed to cross paths with the cat. The kitten must be provided with its own bowl, bed and tray.
Attention! Many adult pets abandon their usual litter boxes and begin to relieve themselves throughout the apartment if their toilet has been marked by someone else's animal.
After a few days, when the cat has learned to eat from her bowl, go to her litter box and sleep on her bed, she can be released into the common room for a short time. This will begin the gradual acquaintance of the pets, which will be the first step towards their living together.
Acquaintance
The first acquaintance of animals occurs through smells. Even a kitten locked in another room is perfectly felt by a cat. The newcomer emits odors that are keenly detected by other pets. The cat will come to the door, sniff it, and maybe even ask to go into that room.
In such a situation, it is better to ignore her meowing and not let her into the room with the kitten. This can result in attack and aggression. After a few days, the cat will get used to the new smell, which will help the personal acquaintance be more calm and restrained.
The cat first sniffs the kitten for a long time, then can accept it
The first meeting between a kitten and an adult animal should take place under the control of the owners. It is possible that there may be a manifestation of temperament and an unpredictable reaction to the baby. Sometimes the meeting ends with curiosity and friendliness. But most often the kitten is faced with indifference or aggression. The owner must be alert and have time to protect the baby.
A warning hiss from a cat is considered normal in such a situation. It's part of watching each other. It is better if this happens at a safe distance.
If you try to attack, scratch or bite a kitten, the acquaintance should be stopped - it is better to do this right away. You can continue the meeting the next day and repeat this until the relationship becomes friendly. The owner himself will not notice how he managed to accustom the cat to the kitten.
Important! Not every kitten can become a victim of aggression. There are cases when an adult cat needs help and protection. A hyperactive child, without a sense of fear, can besiege the animal and not allow it passage. The owner must maintain a balance between them.
Attitude towards two animals in the house
A natural situation is when a cat offends a kitten, and a person tries to protect it. Under no circumstances should she be punished for this. The cat experiences stress and fear from the appearance of a stranger. The animal is not social, so its behavior is guided by natural instincts. Instead of punishing your pet, it is better to treat your pet with a treat and involve him in the game. The animal will calm down and become more friendly.
Picture 8: It’s worth gradually bringing the cat’s and kitten’s bowls closer together to let the adult animal know that the baby is not an invader
One of the main aspects in reconciling cats of different ages is attention. Adult pets are terribly jealous, and their jealousy often arises towards newcomers. It’s normal that little kittens want to pay more attention and spend more time with them. But don't forget about others.
Important! Cats perfectly sense human indifference and can associate this with the appearance of a baby. Then revenge for lack of attention will not take long to arrive.
To avoid offending anyone, pets should feel love and care in equal measure. It is useful to involve them in one game, at the same time treating them with treats. Soon the cat and kitten will get used to each other and begin to understand that playing together is a pleasant pastime.
After this, many animals not only become friends, but also share the same tray.
Playing games together will speed up reconciliation
Is it worth getting a new animal if you already have a cat?
It is difficult to answer unequivocally whether it is worth getting a second animal when a male cat is already living in the apartment. It happens that there is simply no way out when it comes to cat lovers or people who really care about the distress of animals. The man could not pass by the little homeless lump. Friends cannot place their pet in good hands, but for a number of reasons they cannot keep it at home. Situations can arise completely different, but the outcome is the same - a new resident appears in the house.
Most often, a new pet appears in the house when a person could not pass by a stray animal
In any case, you need to be prepared for the fact that conflicts may arise between animals, which the owner will have to resolve in order to avoid problems and injuries to the animals.
Ways to reconcile pets
The reaction of a cat and a female cat to the appearance of a small foreign kitten in the house is often different. A cat shows aggression for one reason; for a cat, these motives may differ.
How to accustom a kitten to your hands: reasons for fear and methods of training
But their hostility is united by one fact - they are inveterate loners and they extremely dislike unwanted neighbors. The owner of animals should remember that different causes of aggression require different ways to solve them. Let's take a closer look at how to reconcile a kitten with a cat and a male cat.
Friendship between cat and kitten
It is somewhat easier to make friends with a kitten than a mature cat.
Many owners believe that when a cat meets a baby, its maternal instinct can awaken. Sometimes this happens. The animal accepts the new family member as its own child, but this rule can only work if the cat is currently nursing, or has recently lost its kittens.
In a fit of longing for her babies, she perceives someone else's kitten as her own. Although such cases are possible with non-lactating females. But most often the brought baby is perceived as an adult animal that poses a threat to her life and it will not be possible to reconcile them at first.
Attention! To reconcile them, the kitten should be shown to the cat gradually.
First, they should be isolated from each other. Let her get used to his smell. Then try to introduce them. The cat will sniff it carefully and consider whether it is dangerous to its life.
Playing together, not punishing aggression, separating bowls and trays will do the trick - after a while the cat will accept the kitten, if not as her baby, but as a safe friend.
A mature cat may show inappropriate sexual attraction to a kitten. This occurs due to the smell emitted by the baby, a hormonal surge due to unsatisfied sexual needs. In such a situation, the animal should be sterilized.
When a cat meets a kitten, its maternal instinct may awaken
Tricks for quick adaptation
Experienced cat breeders know about the first reaction of cats to each other. If you adopted a kitten under the age of 3 months, the likelihood of a successful outcome of the adaptation process increases. But even in this case, unexpected and unwanted quarrels between pets may arise. Give them time to adapt and don't rush them. Do not allow cats and kittens to come together under any circumstances. It is especially important not to leave them together at first and not to “toss” the kitten to the cat right away.
There are a few proven tricks you can use to get your cat and kitten used to each other's scent:
- Dry them with one towel. First, wipe the kitten, and then the cat. Give her a chance to get used to the smell;
- Swap the kittens and the cat. When in another room, animals will smell the other pet. It is important to create pleasant associations. To do this, play with the kitten and the cat when they are out of place;
- Feed the animals at the same time. Of course, a kitten requires more attention and more frequent feeding. But you may lose the love of your main favorite. Therefore, we recommend that immediately after playing with the kitten and the next meal, approach your cat, play with it and treat it with a treat;
- If there are several owners in the house, you can change and take turns playing with the animals. This will ensure equal attention and teach kittens to accept all people in the house.
Oh, this jealousy!
Often adult cats offend babies for the banal reason that they are jealous of their owners. That is why, during the period when a small newcomer is actively settling into the house, and an old-timer is getting used to it, the owner needs to pay more attention to the adult pet than to the new one. Yes, yes, exactly that, although there is a great temptation to spend most of the time with the kitten, because it is smaller and more defenseless. But animals are very similar to people in some ways - they are jealous. Hence the elementary conclusion for the owner is how to accustom a cat to a kitten. Caress an adult cat with redoubled force, pay attention to it, show a kind attitude, caress, feed both pets at the same time, so that the adult cat does not think that its rights are being infringed upon. When feeding together, bowls should be placed at a fairly large distance at first, and gradually, as the animals get used to it, the distance between the bowls should be reduced.
Peaceful solution
In any case, it is better to start acquaintance under the supervision of the owner, gradually bringing the pets closer together. If the cat has a good disposition, then you can introduce it immediately, without prior quarantine of the animals. But in any case, gradually bringing the cat and kitten closer together. First, let her sniff the small one, while holding the pets. It is better for two people to do this. One was holding a baby, the other was holding an adult cat. After the “sniffing” procedure, you can try to release the pets; if tension does not arise in the form of snorting, hissing and other moments, you can let them communicate. At the same time, the owner must continue to carefully observe the objects of acquaintance, encourage them with kind words, and caress them. It is quite possible that they will play. It happens that the older cat begins to take care of the younger one by licking him. This is a good start and ensures that the relationship will be established in the near future.
Two cats at home. addictive
Cats are territorial animals, many are ready to defend their “family nest” to death in the literal sense of the word. A new resident who arrives in someone else’s “family nest” will be forced to conquer part of this territory for himself to live.
Wrong
After the initial acquaintance has taken place, pour the food into one bowl and, having filled the cat’s litter box with fresh litter, tell the cats: “Next, figure it out for yourself!” It’s even worse to try to put the cats on the same bedding or, having captured the “new guy” in your strong hands, start stroking him in front of your pet and “singing songs of praise to him.” Don't put your cat under stress! In the best case, by morning you will get a couple of fresh “mines” in the corners of the room, in the worst case, a fierce fight between cats in the middle of the night is guaranteed.
The worst case scenario is that your cat will begin to fade away, deciding that you no longer need her, and it will be very difficult to restore her health and her trust.
Right
Provide each animal with its own resting place, bowl and tray. Build a bed from several layers of fabric. If possible, place them in different rooms and close the interior doors tightly.
In the morning, swap the top parts of the bed - put your cat's bedding on the “alien”, and the “alien” pillowcase on your animal. Don't forget to do this every day for 10-15 days, even if it seems to you that the cats have already gotten along together.
Don't shoo your cat away from the "invader's" bowl, and don't shoo the "invader" away from your purr's bowl! At this stage, two cats learn to trust each other: permission to share prey is one of the main signs of a united family!
How else to make two cats friends
You can stretch a construction iron mesh across the room, either as high as the ceiling, or closing the top so that the cats cannot get into each other’s separate territories.
In this case, bowls of food should be placed side by side, but with a mesh separating them. On the contrary, space trays with cat litter as far as possible. This arrangement of “interior items” will help the mustachioed and striped ones quickly get used to living together.
This method is convenient for you because you can safely leave the house without worrying about the life and health of your tenants. After all doubts that the two cats have found a common language have disappeared, the net can be removed.
