Meet Jess

[Davey S2]

Following on from this thread

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

We picked up a new kitten on Saturday.

The one in the original thread had already been reserved when we went to the cats home so we got this little girl instead (called Jess after Jesica Ennis)







She's a lovelly little thing and very affectionate and trusting. 4 months old so mad as a box of frogs at times but she seems to have a really nice temperament.

The only issue we have is with our existing 2 cats. These are both males about 13 - 14 years old (came from the same cats home so not sure how old they are exactly)and are about 4 times the size of Jess.

So far Jess has been kept in the living room on her own and let out for an explore when the other 2 have gone out. We've also put the other 2 in the living room when Jess is in another room so they can have a good sniff around her stuff.

They have been together a few times and while there are no fights there has been a lot of hissing, mainly from the existing two. One of them seems to get quite upset but soon gets back to normal when he is in another room.

I think slow and steady with lots of patience is the name of the game and it may take a while but we want to make sure that our existing 2 are ok. The o/h got them 12 years ago so they know each other well and have a set routine.

Anyone have any experience in introducing a new boisterous kitten to existing older cats?

[Jasandjules]

I feed them together for a few weeks, and I also had treats like ham (went through rather a lot) and had all of them together in front of me, they forget about hissing at each other when they are trying to wolf down ham.....

[Davey S2]

Ours go mental for ham as well but they have so far ignored the food when Jess is let out.

[IainT]

It'll take a while - possibly as much as a few months but keep being patient.

[omgus]

Davey S2 said:

Ours go mental for ham as well but they have so far ignored the food when Jess is let out.

Mine are so so for normal ham but go mental for Parma ham.

She looks lovely, makes me want another kitten.

[mrmaggit]

Watch out with ham as it contains more salt than most cats can cope with, if you feed it to them regularly.

[Simpo Two]

This may be controversial but why did you get a kitten when you already had two perfectly good and settled cats? I would never dream of introducing another cat while the incumbent was still alive.

[Davey S2]

Simpo Two said:

This may be controversial but why did you get a kitten when you already had two perfectly good and settled cats? I would never dream of introducing another cat while the incumbent was still alive.

A few reasons really. Ours are both getting on and while still fine we probably won't have them that much longer so we would rather there be another younger cat there when one of them goes so he other isn't on their own.

Also we are in a position to offer one a good home. Adoption rates have slowed a lot from our local cat home this year presumably due to the recession.

I'm sure once they have all settled they will be fine. There are lots of neighbourhood cats who ours get on well with its just a bit different having one in the house.