New kitten introductions

Question
i have two cats right now. one is a two year old tiger cat male. the other is a 3month old kitten. i introduced them once with the kitten in a carrier but the tiger hissed and shoved the carrier. how do i get my tiger cat to except the kitten? its a female and my mom only gave me two weeks to get them to get along or the kitten leaves.

Answer
Hi Ashley,

Well adoption is a serious commitment, and you can't rush these things.  First, you shouldn't even be introducing them if the kitten has not been seen by a vet, is flea and parasite free, has had it's first two sets of shots, and has been tested for FeLV/FIV.  Beyond that, kittens have weakened immune systems until you have them on a good diet for a least a few months, so they should never be introduced to adult cats who can be carriers of certain viruses and diseases until you have had them for at least a month.  The FeLV/FIV test usually isn't done until 4-6 months of age because it can result in a false negative or a false positive result when they're younger.

As far as introductions go, it is a slow process.  There will be hissing at first because the kitten is a new creature with new smells.  As I said, you need to keep the kitten it's own bathroom for now.  Give it a bed and put a hand towel on the bed.  After the kitten has slept on it a day, take it out and place it where your 2 year old likes to sleep.  You always want to introduce by smell first, then sight, then full physical contact.  You don't move from one level to the next until you achieve a consistent positive result with the first.  Please search my previous answers regarding 'introductions' as I have answered this question many times before.  If after that you still have specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  Best of luck!

In the meantime, please read these important nutrition articles as I feel it is of the utmost important for every cat to get on a natural holistic diet.

What's Really in Pet Food?
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?more=1&p=359

Feeding Your Cat (Article)
http://www.catinfo.org/#My_cats_are_now_eating

Gluten and Toxins in Pet Food
http://www.celiac.com/articles/1129/1/Gluten-and-Toxins-in-Pet-Foods-Are-they-Po...

Best regards,

Holly Martin
Cat Care/Behavior Specialist
Texas A&M University
Animal Science B.S.