older cat and and new kitten

Question
Hello,I've had my black, short-haired Manx cat since 2007, he's a sweet boy, and well behaved, de- clawed in front, and neutered...6 months ago, I took in a kitten that needed a home, he's 6months old..when they first met the kitten was rambunctious, as kittens are, and would jump all over my older cat, all the time and he couldn't get a break..the kitten had claws, he didn't mean to hurt him...we had to use a squirt bottle constantly, as much as I hated it..I just fit the kitten neutered, and de- clawed as well....he's calmed down after that, but my Manx cat still growls, hisses, for no reason and just wants nothing to do with him still....I'm not sure what to do, it's frustrating....any advice you could give would be much appreciated

Answer
Hi there,
this could be a tricky one to solve, but I'll try to help as much as possible. It does sound like they got off totally on the wrong foot, so there could be a bit of work to do to try and get things settled.

To your Manx, this new kitten has been a huge upheaval. All of a sudden he has to share everything with a troublesome young thing that won't give him peace!

Firstly, focus on giving him lots of regular attention. Cats like routine, so making sure you have some one on one time with him playing, patting, brushing, whatever he enjoys at least once a day, even if just for 5 minutes will help.

Cats like an environment of plenty where there are lots of water bowls, litter trays, resting areas and attention from you. Conflict often arises if they don't feel they have 'enough'. Does your Manx have a favoured resting spot? Is there a way you can ensure this is kitten-free?

The other thing I would suggest is some Feliway, which is a cat pheromone. Often helps to lower stress levels for cats.

Hope that helps.

Eloise