New kitten in the house got my cats talking

[TrogL]

My daughter wanted a cat of her own so I broke down and let her get a kitten as long as she paid for its food, litter etc.

I went and picked it up (she'd already picked it out) and set it up with litter, food etc in a large cardboard box and set it on the bed. I knew the oldest female cat was gonna be upset so i brought her in and held her and petted her and told her she was a good kitty and let her get a look at the kitten. When wiggled and wanted to be put down to explore it so I put her in the box with it. She sniffed it a few times, then made a really wierd yowling noise I've never heard before, sort of like talking. Then she hissed at it and jumped out of the box.

A few minutes later, I was sitting in the dining room and she came into the room went under the dining room table and started making the same noises. I looked under, and she was sitting nose to nose with the big male cat. Now these two hate each other (except when she's in heat) and normally won't even look at each other. She spent 5 minutes yowling and yodelling at him, making the identical noises she made at the kitten, then hissed once and went off into a corner to sulk.

Wierd.

[Eurobabe]

1. It's a little better practice for all cats concerned to isolate

the newcomer in a small cozy room, like a bathroom and let the other ones sniff it under the door for a couple of days...then everyone has a short quick spat when they all come together and no one takes it personally. I have introduced all my cats this way with no problems.

Hope your new kitten adjusts well...

[Beaverhausen]

2. I agree with that method

make sure the new kitty has a place it feels comfortable and can escape to when it eventually goes out into the open. The older cats will get used to the smell and sound of the newcomer and won't be so freaked when they do meet "in person."

Good Luck.

[kslib]

3. In addition

you can also rub a towel over the kitten, then place the "smelly" towel in a frequented spot of your other cats. Let them get used to it that way as well.

Also try this website (one of my faves!)

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/aggression4.html

And, though it's a little late, this book has all sorts of common-sense answers to all sort of common kitty problems!!! A good read for your daughter too!

On edit: It's the book called "Cat Be Good"

www.goodcatswearblack.com

Good luck with your kitten!! :)

[ET Awful]

4. I say just put 'em all together in a big box and let 'em sort it out :)

I'm kidding, the isolation/sniffing under the door method worked for my two :)