Help! My wife has brougth home a kitten

BlackSnake

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I have a 20 pound black cat named "Sable". She is very particular, not allowing anyone to touch her else they would meet her claws. Well, sometimes she doesn't mind attention, but most of the times she will check people out and even rub against them, but still won't allow them to touch her. She walks slowly around and sits wear she pleases, and nearly dares anyone to complain.

Introduce this bouncing little tenacious fur-ball. The kitchen runs around at 90MPH and jumps, grabs, and bits anything that is moving or not.

Sable is noticeable upset. The kitten fits on the plum of my hand, while Sable fills both arms and hangs over my shoulder, at least on the rare occasion she allows me to pick her up.

I didn't realize how big Sable is until the kitten ran near her. Sable hissed and let out a throaty growl. But the kitten only backed off to find another way to get at her. I fear that Sable will hurt the kitten if she gets to close. Sable hasn't tried to approach the kitten, and tries to find somewhere to be away from the kitten.
 
Most cats detest change. You could call them nature's most solid conservatives in that respect. At the same time, it has been my experience that most cats won't seriously harm a kitten. There will however be some posturing and it's quite likely Sable will lay down the law occasionally. At least that has been how my Cats have reacted to a new kitten.

I would suggest keeping the kitten out of one room in the house all together, whichever room Sable finds most comfortable or is most her territory.

Good luck with the Fuzzie :)

-Colly
 
Most of the time, if left to their own devices, cats will get used to the new addition within a few weeks. But then, there are always exceptions.

We have a cat named Schroedinger, been with us for 12 years. He's a smart, clever short-haired tabby of the long and slim variety. When my daughter wanted a kitten, we got Darth (a girl despite the name, black, medium-length fur, one of those round little cats, sweet but neurotic), and soon the two of them were getting along okay. They played, they cuddled -- more because Darth would find wherever Schroedinger was sleeping and basically curl up on him.

Then, a couple years ago, Darth got out and was lost for six weeks. While she was gone, we decided to get a new kitten. Enter Ichabod, an energetic fuzzball who's grown into a big, solidly-built, white longhair shedding machine with a good nature but a brain about the size of a pea. Then Darth came back. She was most miffed to find that she'd been replaced, but over time she has gotten accustomed enough to Ichy that they will sit next to each other, sort of in a co-existing state.

But Schroedinger? Schroedinger _hates_ Ichabod with an intensity I've never seen in cats. Two years now and he _still_ has not gotten used to this interloper. Hisses and growls at him several times a day. Will only barely tolerate being in the same room with him, won't tolerate being on the same piece of furniture. I really, honestly do believe that if Schroedinger had even a smidge more higher intelligence, or at the least opposable thumbs, he would do murder. They don't fight outright, because Ichy is a gentle oaf but he's got five pounds on Schroeds ... so it'd have to be some sneaky murder.

But this is the first time I've known a cat-hate situation to be this bitter or last this long. I've been a cat person all my life and most of them have eventually gotten over it.

Your Sable might not be of the kind. She sounds like she's got a most queenly attitude indeed. I'd suggest seeing that she gets as much attention as she will permit you to give -- but if you mean to pet her and you've been handling the kitten, wash your hands first to get rid of that "I've been cheating on you with another cat" scent.

Alternately, and this has worked for me in the past: if Sable is a catnip junkie, take the kitten in hand and rub catnip into its fur. The little ones aren't affected by the 'nip so much, but Sable might be tricked into associating the good smell of the 'nip with the kitten. Kitten becomes a toy, not a rival.

Sabledrake
 
My wife thinks it's funny to play with Sable like she's a dog. I've seen Sable snatch rags from over my wife's hand and bat it around. I would hate to see her swat the little fuzzball, but they need to co-exist.

Sable's domain is our bedroom, but the little fuzzball keeps darting in there when the door is open.

Right now Sable is hovering around my desk looking out for the kitten who's bouncing around like she's on speed.
 
Cat fight!

Well, not really a fight. The kitten kept bouncing around acting like she was brave enough to attack Sable. Sable hiss a couple of times and the kitten backed off...only to run around the counter and try sneaking up on Sable...big mistake. I saw Sable's claws clear across the room. Sable's strikes looked like Ali's jabs. She looked like she hit the kitten three time. The kitten spun around twice hitting the counter and then bolted in the other room.

Sable finally laid down, but still kept a lookout for the kitten.

Waiting on round two. The kitten just won't quit.
 
Rub some catnip on the kitten's forehead (or, if you don't have any, butter should work). In theory, Sable will lick it off and get to like the kitten better because she tastes like catnip/butter.
 
We have two cats, both about the same age. Smokey, A.K.A. Crack Kitty was rescued when she was a kitten about the size of your little fuzzBall. Very neurotic cat, and she tends to be unfriendly to strangers. She moved with us when we came to Florida and lived in the tent with us but never liked it. She is now four years old and weighs about seven pounds.
Along came Bubba. He's a seventeen pound Reverse Color Seal Point Siamese. (His true name is Shay but he's a Bubba.) He has no front claws and the intelligence of a walnut. (His previouse owner had to get rid of him because her son developed Asthma, not to mention her BoyFriend got a PitBull.)
When Bubba moved in he lived under the couch and Smokey lived on top of my dresser, when she wasn't trying to maul Bubba. We got tired of the fighting and decided to try the Vatnip trick before we resigned Bubba to the local animal shelter. Within days they were best friends and now play together. (Both are fixed thankfully.) He sleeps on my back and Shay sleeps on my wifes chest. (We call them the Birth Controll Kids because as soon as we head for the bedroom there they are.)

Cat
 
Sable is finding the kitten anoying. Every where she go, the kitten is trying to get her tail. Sable is a lot calmer now, but is finding it hard to turn her back without the kitten sneaking up on her.

Sable hasn't done anything other than try to get away from the kitten. Trying to hide on my desk. That would be ok, except she knocks things over.

My wife thinks it cute that the kitten follows Sable around, but even I can see how anoying that could be.
 
BlackSnake said:
... My wife thinks it cute that the kitten follows Sable around, but even I can see how anoying that could be.
So can the kitten. That's why it does it.
 
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