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Why is my older cat hissing at the new kitten after getting along?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 13 lbs

I recently adopted a kitten and after a gradual, seemingly successful intro, him and my 7 yr old cat have been mostly getting along. Now a few wks later, my older cat is hissing at the kitten. He is also playing with and grooming the kitten. He will lie near him. He wasn't originally hissing at the kitten but has started. I'm not sure why the backtrack. What do I do?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on August 19th, 2019

It could be Obi is letting the kitten know his boundaries and when he wants him to stop certain behaviors. This is normal, and I would not worry about stopping it. He needs to express his feelings in a safe way, and hissing is fine. Aggression is not, and as long as he's not being aggressive, you don't need to stop it. Best of luck.
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