My new kitten is hissing at my cat. Can they interact safely?

Separate Lilly from the kitten for a few days. Gradually reintroduce them. Start with a closed door between them so they can hear and smell each other. Progress to seeing each other but without physical contact. Once they are acclimated, try short periods of supervised contact. Use a pheromone prodcut such as Feliway Spray or the plug in diffuser to decrease any anxiety or aggression.

This is not uncommon with kittens that are not socialized well at a young age. The hissing is more of a reflex than anything and will decrease with time. The best thing to do is spend as much time with him as possible and try to handle him as much as possible. He may act like he doesn't like it at first, but he will get better with time. In most cases they stop hissing and become more normal within two weeks. If it's taking longer than two weeks, then it's best to ask the people at the shelter for some help, or another pet professional. I hope that helps and all goes well with Ollie.

Here is a great article on introducing a new cat to the household. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-steps-to-introducing-your-cat-to-a-new-feline/ You might want to back up a few steps and try to start the introduction over from the beginning. The second thing you can try is to help Fiona deal with the anxiety of the new kitten by using Feliway, which is a cat pheromone that can be calming. It is available in a diffuser that is plugged into an outlet and is great for a room in the home. It is also available as a spray, which can be used on towels, or the most common locations Fiona likes to spend time. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8906 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37241 Another product I like is Composure, which is available as a little treat. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetri-science-composure-feline-bite-sized-chews If these do not help, you might consider discussing prescription medication for anxiety with your veterinarian. Thanks for using PetCoach.

It may take time for Lilly to accept your other cat even though she is the smaller new cat. Some cats just don't do well together so if this behavior continues or gets worse I would recommend either talking to a veterinary behaviorist (if there is one in your area) or considering finding someone who can provide Lilly a great life as an only cat. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, Oliver is likely just curious and wants to explore outside like normal kittens. I would make sure that all access to the outdoors is closed until you have tested Oliver of FeLV/FIV and have fully vaccinated him. He will always be at risk of contracting FeLV and FIV from stray cats, however, you may be able to prevent other disease if you vaccinate him fully. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It does take time. I can give you a method that has worked for me, but know hissing and growling is ok. It's her way of letting the dog know she isn't comfortable. Aggression is not ok (hitting and biting), but the behavior is ok. I would keep them in rooms separated by a door. This way, they can get used to the smells and sounds of each other without contact. Make sure your kitten has a litter box, food, and water in their room. You can also place a blanket with the dog's smell in the kitten's room, and a blanket with the kitten's smell in the odg's room. I would also consider get a Feliway for your kitten and a DAP for your dog. These are pheromone diffusers that help with anxiety and should also help ease the transition. Once both pets seem relaxed with the current situation, swap rooms placing the kitten in the dog's room and vice versa. You can do this switch several times over the course of the introductions. Once they are both comfortable with the smells of each other, it's time for them to meet face to face. I would introduce the dog on a leash to the kitten while she is in a cat carrier or on the other side of a baby gate. Reward the dog for being calm and quiet near the kitten. Once they seem comfortable with each other, the baby gate can be taken away. Make sure your kitten has a cat tree where she can escape from the dog as needed, and don't allow the dog to chase the kitten. I hope this helps!

This is very normal behavior. Make sure you provide plenty of litter boxes and food and water bowls to decrease the stress and competition of the kittens. Also, you can put some feliway diffusers in their room to help calm them. Feliway is a cat pheromone to help calm them but it doesn’t work on everyone. Give them some time and hopefully they will start to warm up to each other. I hope this helps!