questions abt cats

Question
Hi i have 2 3yrs old siblings cat. We adopted them (a female and a male- both fixed) when they were 3 months old baby. Today we adopted 3 more kittens and brought them home. 2 males and 1 female (all fixed)  my 2 older cats are being really aggressive towards them- hissing and growling and ready to attack them anytime. we kept separating them and i scolded them.

this isnt the first time we brought kittens home. we had brought few kittens to catsit them for a while . and also we brought 2 dogs home for temporary...

i thought by after having my 2 cats meet few kittens and dogs in our home few times- they should have gotten used to it?????

or less being aggressive u know? or whatever progress

i dont know what to do. i really love my 2 older cats. i do not want to give away my cats.

Answer
Elaine,

I would like to start off by saying that you don't need to worry about giving away your older cats, a proper introduction is all that is required. It is possible that your cats were able to sense something different about the other animals that have come to your house temporarily. Cats are very territorial and they don't like change so the best way to introduce them is gradually. I always recommend that any new cat(s) coming into a home with resident cats be isolated for a period of 2-3 weeks. This isolation period serves a couple of purposes, first of all it allows a quarantine period so that you have a chance for your vet to thoroughly examine the kittens. The isolation period is also useful to be sure that your new additions don't have any viral or bacterial infections that may be contagious. It is also important to have your vet test any new arrivals for feline leukemia and FIV (both illnesses can shut down the immune system) as they can be transmitted from cat to cat. The other advantage is that your resident cats can get used to the idea of new kittens in their home gradually. The reaction that you have seen from your older cats is perfectly normal. Cats can be jealous of other pets so it is important that you isolate the kittens in a room behind a closed door (with all of the usual kitty stuff, food, water, litter, beds, toys, etc). It is important to pay attention to the new kittens and the resident cats daily. If you feed the kittens and the resident cats on either side of the closed door they will have the opportunity to get used to the new kittens' scents and their overall presence. If there is a gap under the door you can play with the older cats and kittens under the door and that will help to create a friendlier atmosphere when you reintroduce them. I do recommend that you have one litter box per cat plus one per level of your home to avoid any litter issues that are related to bullying. If you would like you can give your resident cats a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences that will calm and reassure them. You can usually find Rescue Remedy at natural health/health food stores. I recommend a dosage of 8 drops every morning in fresh water. When the isolation period is over you can open the door and allow the cats and the kittens to hang out. You will likely see the occasional bit of hissing, but it is important that you not favor the kittens or it will take longer for your older cats to accept them. I have found that if you play with the new kittens and the older cats using a toy like a kitty tease or a piece of yarn or string (use string and other similar toys under close supervision because cats can swallow it and become seriously ill if it cuts off circulation in the bowels). It is a good idea to have plenty of treats on hand, bits of cooked poultry or a can of tuna works well to reinforce good behavior which has the added advantage of not being a daily treat. With patience, play, bribery and loads of love and understanding your older cats will likely accept the kittens fairly quickly. I would also like to warn you that if a serious fight breaks out between the cats NEVER put your hand or any other part of your body in between them to break up a fight because serious injuries can result. You can use a spray bottle (the kind used for misting plants, it should be brand new because recycling spray bottles that have held cleaners or other chemicals is dangerous) or gently guide the cats away from each other using a broom or other similar object. I would also recommend that you use the time that the kittens are in isolation to thoroughly kitten proof because three kittens are triple the mischief. Anything fragile would be best put away where playful paws can't break it. I also recommend that you secure your power cords by using a flexible pipe like cover, taping them to the floor or using a product like Bitter Apple to prevent chewing. You could also pick the hottest peppers that you can find in your local grocery store and cut them in half so you can rub the spice onto the cord. Cats don't like spicy or citrus flavors or scents normally so this works well. If you are looking for further tips on properly introducing a new cat/kitten to your home I would suggest that you look through the questions that I have answered previously on this subject. I hope that you find this information helpful. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me again.