How to help my older Persian cat and new tabby kitten get along?

Just like some people, some Cats don’t get along. Trying Feliway diffusers in the house may decrease the stress level. These can be purchased at any major pet store. Also consider adding in tall cat trees and lots of hiding boxes to keep them happy. Best of luck and I hope there is more harmony in your household soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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!

When you have that many cats, you are bound to have conflict at some point. They may single him out due to his age or size. Separate him for a week or two, then gradually reintroduce him. First, allow the others to hear and smell him but not see him. Progress to sight but without physical contact. Before a physical introduction, place him in a closed carrier in the room with the other cats. Once they have accepted him, you can try a supervised physical introduction. Provide an adequate number of litter boxes (typically one per cat plus an extra). An adequate number of bowls, beds and toys should also be provided to prevent resource protection. A pheromone product, such as Feliway spray or plug in diffusers, may decrease any anxiety in the home.

I'm sorry for you loss of your other kitties! It may take some time for Tori Lee and your other cat to get along. I would give it more time. In the meantime I suggest getting a Feliway diffuser to help reduce stress in the household. It's also helpful to have plenty of cat towers to allow the cats to see each other but not directly interact. There should be at least two food and water bowls in separate locations. You also want to make sure you have a separate litter box for each cat and one additional litter box (so in your case, 3 boxes) placed in different locations. These steps can facilitate a happier household with cats who are more likely to get along. Finally, if they don't warm up to each other in a few more weeks, that may just be how it's going to be. Just like people, cats have preferences for who they do and do not like. As long as they are not fighting or injuring each other this is not an issue. I hope this helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best wishes to your kitties!

Unfortunately there is not an easy solution.Most cats all eventually get use to each other an work things out. Don't force them to be together. Separate them when you are not physically with them so that they cannot harm each other. Have separate feeding/watering/litter areas and sleeping areas. This will decrease stress. Purchase a couple cat trees with boxes on top to hide. This will also decrease stress. Lastly, purchase a pheromone diffuser like Feliway. This can help as well. Try these suggestions and give them time. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Separate them for a few days, then gradually reintroduce them. First, allow them to sniff and hear each other through a closed door. Do this for ever increasing periods of time. Next, allow them to see but not reach one another. Progress to having one in a closed carrier in the same room. Correct any negative behavior immediately. Praise and reward them as they progress. Finally, a physical introduction can be attempted. A pheromone product, such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffusers, may help decrease any anxiety. You can also switch their bedding so they get used to the other's odor. Be patient and be consistent.

The next step is to rotate rooms daily for at least 2-3 days. This allows the new cat explore the rest of the house while the resident cat spends some time in the new cat's room. This will give your resident cats a chance to smell the new cat and rub their own scent on objects. The cats should be fed in each area with wet food twice daily, and it is also good to play with the cats in each area at least twice daily. The practice of setting up a schedule of feeding treats of wet food, as well as a playtime routine, minimizes anxiety and makes the cats feel more secure. Keep the cats in separate areas for as long as it takes to allow them the chance to become desensitized to the smells and sounds of the cats in the other area. When they all seem particularly relaxed with this process, begin to expose them to the sight of each other. A good way to accomplish this visual introduction is to bring the new cat(s) in a carrier to meet your cats and sniff each other through the carrier wire door. Place the carrier on the floor and allow them to meet this way several times a day for about an hour. Continue these meetings for several days or until they remain calm in each other's presence. If and when the cats are able to stay calm in each other's presence during these meetings, it is time to let the new cat out into the rest of the house for a few minutes. The length of the visits can be increased gradually each day. Depending on the personalities of the cats involved, this process may take a few days or a few months. If it appears that any fighting maybe be close to occurring while you are supervising, put the newcomer back in his/her room and proceed more slowly. If those supervised play times go well, you can begin to allow them to cohabitate in your home. If any aggressive behavior occurs at any time, begin the introduction process again. It is very important to understand that this process can take as little as a few days, to sometimes much longer. It is all dependent on the cats involved. If things don’t go well right away... One of the most important steps to dealing aggressive behavior between cats is to recognize the different types of aggression and understand their underlying causes. A short list and description of some commonly seen aggressive behaviors include: chasing; ambushing; hissing; swatting; and/or biting. If you see these behaviors, seek help from your veterinarian. Most cats get along fine if the introductory process is done correctly. Please seek help from your veterinarian if you feel that things are not progressing well, or if you have other questions.