When Will My Cat Stop Hissing at Our New Cat?

When a new cat shows up in our home, we always think she will stop humping our legs, licking our faces, and spraying us with her foul-smelling urine. We are not prepared for this onslaught of a new cat!

Asking when will my cat stop hissing at our new cat is often a fun question. However, many cat owners would rather not spend time dealing with their feline’s “attitude” toward the new kitty.

The answer to this question will depend on how the two cats interact. Sometimes the answer is simple: It will take time for the cats to adjust. But sometimes, things don’t go so smoothly. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Why Do Cats Hiss at New Kittens?

It is usual for cats to hiss at kittens or any new animal that invades their household.

Cats are independent creatures that adore their routine and want things just their way. A new kitten may interrupt this and generate all kinds of drama!

Here is a closer look at the five most prevalent reasons of cat on cat conflict when bringing a new kitten home.

1. Their Routine is Disturbed

Cats are creatures of habit, and they thrive on having a daily pattern. There is a good chance that they will get up and eat at the same time every day. As a result, your cat will know when it’s time for playing and when it’s time for bedtime if you set up a routine.

Cats, on the other hand, quickly adapt to your daily schedule. In time, they will be able to tell if you are awake or asleep.

They grow acclimated to how much time you spend at home and how much time you spend at work, and this helps them understand your schedule.

They get used to your routine and know exactly where and when to look for you since they’ve been used to where you spend most of your time.

You and your cat’s routines might be disrupted when a new kitten arrives. For starters, they may expect significantly less of your time and attention than normal.

If your new kitten is keeping you up at night, you may notice a shift in your daily routine and even your patterns of movement about the house.

This can cause a great deal of anxiety in an elderly cat. They’ll recognize that these changes have occurred because of this new cat’s presence in your home.

As a result, they begin to begrudgingly hiss in protest at the arrival of your new kitten. To prevent hissing and make the adjustment easier, make sure your cat’s routine and surroundings remain the same.

Also, give both cats an equal amount of attention and care.

2. The New Kitten is in Their Territory

Cats, like dogs, are fiercely protective of their territory, scratching and peeing to disseminate their pheromones. They’ll be on high alert when they have a new kitten in the house for the first time.

In your house, they’ll be able to smell the pheromones left behind by your kitten, making them feel as though they’ve been invaded.

When it comes to territorial disputes, things might become a little rough. An intruder will be met by a cat’s instinctual hissing or even assault, depending on the situation.

Territorial hostility has bitten and attacked me in the past, and it should be avoided whenever feasible!

Make sure your cat has a space and stuff they can call their own to avoid this. There should be separate areas for each cat, such as a litter box and feeding dish.

Even with these precautions, most cats will hiss and show their reluctance to share their home at first. If you wait long enough, your cats will begin to accept this new member of the family and their tensions will subside.

3. Your Cats are Incompatible

There will almost always be one dominant cat and one subservient cat in a multi-cat home. Both your new and elderly cats have the potential to become the dominant feline in your home.

Their particular temperaments have a greater role in this than the fact that they were the first.

There are, however, times when a cat and a new kitten will not get along because of their similarity in appearance. Sparks can fly if both cats are battling for supremacy.

If you have two males or two females of a comparable age and size, this is more likely to happen.

On the other hand, your elderly cat may hiss and be resentful if you have two cats who are diametrically opposed to one another.

An lively and playful kitten, on the other hand, may be too much for an elderly cat that has spent its whole existence alone.

As a result, getting along with these cats might be difficult. Before getting a new kitten, think about whether or not your current cats will get along with the new addition.

4. Your Cat Feels Trapped

When a cat is afraid or threatened, it has the option of either fighting back or fleeing. Because of this, people either flee or ready to fight in order to protect themselves from what they dread.

When a new kitten joins your family, it may be highly stressful for cats. Older cats may feel imprisoned and unable to get out of the situation.

This makes the situation much more difficult. Rather of fleeing or fighting, they have little choice but to confront their concerns and begin hissing at your cat.

Keeping your new kitties apart from each other is a big no-no. If the scenario gets too overwhelming for your cat, it should be able to just walk away from it.

If your cats are sharing a room, make sure the door is open and that you are present to monitor their interactions.

5. They Have an Aggressive Temperament

When a new kitten approaches, some cats hiss at it because they are naturally hostile. Cats that have experienced trauma in the past or who have been rescued are more likely to exhibit this behavior.

These cats might be the most difficult to socialize with a young kitten because of their hissing and hostility.

Getting a new kitten may not be the greatest decision if you already have an aggressive cat. As much as you’d like a new kitten, it’s important to keep both of your cats content.

Things like pheromone diffusers might assist ease tensions if you’re determined to do so. Even if your cats don’t become best friends, they may be able to get along if you put them in a separate room.

How to Introduce a New Kitten to Other Cats/Older Cat

Calm Your Older Cat

A peaceful atmosphere for any cat may be achieved with the application of pheromones. Before a new kitten arrives, take advantage of the time you have.

Cats may be soothed without the need of medication by using diffusers, sprays, and wipes. A few weeks of employing pheromones will help you get the best out of your new feline.

If you think your elder cat is going to be apprehensive about the arrival of a new kitten, you may want to look into calming cat supplements.

Your pet will not be drugged, but it will be able to maintain a calm and relaxed demeanor as a result of them. Prior to the expected stressful occasion, and even after the arrival of the new kitten, they are most effective.

L-theanine, Phellodendron, magnolia, whey or milk proteins, and other natural compounds that have been demonstrated to be safe and useful for dogs are common constituents in these supplements.

Get Your Home Ready

Before you bring your kitten home, you should set up a variety of new objects, including food bowls, beds, another litter box, and toys.

Allow your adult cat to get acclimated to the new smells and surroundings by placing these objects in their new locations approximately a week before the new arrival.

Try to add objects that already have the kitten’s fragrance on them if possible. Before the kitten arrives, make sure you’re prepared. Your elder cat will be able to detect if you are worried and unprepared, and will suffer as a result.

The first few days of your kitten’s life should be spent in a secluded area, such as a restroom. It’s important that your adult cat can access to the entrance of this room so that it may hear and smell the kitten, but not engage with it.

Set up a litter box and food dishes for the kitten in this area, along with a toy for your elder cat.

Prepare Your Cat (healthy and vaccinated)

Make certain that your senior cat is in good health. Stressing out an ailing cat will only make matters worse, so make sure your cat is psychologically and physically prepared for the arrival of a new kitten.

Make an appointment with your veterinarian to ensure that your cat is healthy and up to date on its vaccines.

Your elder cat’s immune system has to be ready for whatever comes into the house since respiratory infections in kittens are frequent. If your cat and kitten get into a fight, you’ll want to make sure the rabies vaccine is up to date as well.

While it is possible for an adult cat to immediately bond with a new kitten, this is not always the case.

A new kitten may never be totally accepted by an existing cat; instead, the two cats may just coexist, keeping to themselves and apart from each other.

Things should remain calm and friendly between you and your cat, no matter how they feel about the new arrival..

Keep Your Cats Separate at First

Bringing a new feline into your household unexpectedly might be stressful. For this reason, you should first separate your cats to assist reduce stress.

Your new kitten, on the other hand, requires some time to get acclimated to their new surroundings or they might grow anxious and make the problem even worse.

Knowing where kittens should sleep at night and creating a special location for them can go a long way toward ensuring a smooth transition.

Create Positive Associations

Keep your cats apart, but make sure they see each other when things are going their way. As a result, they begin to view the other as a more favorable character trait.

Try feeding your cats on opposite sides of a door, for instance. To assist your aging cat get used to the new pheromone in their house, you can alternate their bedding every few of days.

Let Your Cats Explore Freely

You can gradually introduce your new kitten to your old one if there hasn’t been any hissing or other hostile behavior towards it for a few days. If you do this, make sure your cats have unrestricted access to the rest of your house.

Being entrapped in a dangerous circumstance can exacerbate a dispute, as previously said. At this point, you should expect some hissing, so keep an eye on them.

If your cats continue to hiss for more than two minutes or show symptoms of fighting, separate them once again.

Gradually Increase Time Spent Together

It’s best to progressively increase the amount of time that your cat and kitten spend together as soon as they can explore without hissing.

Continue to keep an eye on your cats until they are comfortable spending time together for long periods of time without acting aggressively toward one another.

After about a week of no hissing, you may let your cats roam about without your constant monitoring.

Provide Multiple Resources

In the midst of all of this, you need to make sure your cats have access to a variety of different resources.

On the other hand, if there are numerous cats, you’ll need to look at litter box designs to guarantee both of them have a private place to relieve themselves.

Providing separate dishes for your older cat and the new kitten can help prevent fights over food. A collar sensor and a feeding station worked for me, but check what works best for your cat!

Another excellent investment is to provide each of your cats an own bed and toy.

Encourage Time Together

Keep an eye on your kitten while he or she explores the house for a week or so. It’s okay for your elder cat to watch and retreat if it wishes during this inquiry.

Do not try to push your cat and kitten to interact. Feathers or laser pointers can be used as an interactive toy for two cats to play with at the same time.

This will promote cooperation between the parties. Alternatively, you may feed them from separate bowls at the same time, giving them both a pleasure and a meal. Make sure there is enough room between the food dishes for your elder cat to feel safe.

Praise, treats, and physical affection can be used to reward your adult cat for any pleasant interactions it has with the kitten. As a result, you’re hoping that your cat will link the kitten with pleasant memories.

Allow Your Cat to Establish a Hierarchy

There must be some sort of hierarchy in a cat’s household and a new addition to the family must know where it falls. Your adult cat may try to create a hierarchy with the new kitten for a short amount of time.

As soon as the newcomer does something unwelcome, your older cat may hiss and lash out. When this is totally natural, try not to get involved while it’s hissing and swatting.

During this period of transition, your elder cat is establishing its position as the household’s dominant cat and teaching the kitten about its own set of rules and limits.

Problems and Proofing Behavior

Even if your initial contacts aren’t positive, don’t give up. It may take some time for an older cat to become used to a new kitten.

When it comes to cat socialization, many people make the mistake of rushing the process and then becoming angry or irritated when things don’t go their way. To reunite the cats, maintain your composure and make small steps.

Consider keeping a timer as you talk and gradually increasing the amount of time you spend together. In the case of a very hostile older cat toward the new kitten, go to your veterinarian or a behavior specialist for suggestions.

Conclusion

So when will my cat stop hissing at our new cat? If he does keep hissing, try to figure out why. Is it because he likes our new cat and thinks he’s a threat to him, or because he’s angry about something else?

Once you know the reason, you’ll be able to decide how to deal with it.

You can use your cat’s behavior as an opportunity to improve your relationship with him and get more bonding time. Or, you can try to reason with your cat to change his behavior.

source https://catshint.com/when-will-my-cat-stop-hissing-at-our-new-cat/