introducing new kitten to senior cat

I know I just posted about the vet visit and the history of our new girl, but I wanted to start a new thread specifically for the introduction aspect. She has been under the bed for 12 hours straight. Peanut is just sitting in the doorway staring at the bed, and Pearl is confused because she can't hear the kitten growling.

Peanut is obese and Pearl has hearing loss, so I'm worried about the physical interaction part. How do you handle the 'face to face' when one cat is too old to chase the other properly? I don't want Peanut to lunge and hurt himself, or for the kitten to be too rough with Pearl.

First off, get the kitten out from under the bed before it becomes a habit. I wrote up a thread on keeping kittens out of rooms because Jasper used to do the exact same thing with my desk. It’s annoying but it’s a sign of safety seeking.

For the introductions, stop the staring contest. It’s just building tension. Keep them in separate rooms with the door closed for a few more days. Let them sniff each other’s bedding. Do not rush the face-to-face just because it’s been a day. The kitten is 4 months, she has time.

Oh no, 12 hours is a long time to hide! I feel so stressed just reading that. My Hazel used to hide when we got a new dog, but she came out after a few days when she realized the dog wasn't going to eat her.

I found this thread on calming a stressed new cat really helpful last year. We used a pheromone diffuser in the hallway. It helped lower the general anxiety in the house. Maybe try that for Peanut? He seems tense just standing there.

@jgreen I did consider the door closed thing, but the kitten is currently under the bed in the living room, and the cats are in the kitchen. It’s a small apartment. I can’t keep them in separate rooms easily because the kitchen is the only place with the cat doors open.

@hhill I will look at that link. I’m not sure if the diffuser will help Peanut. He’s not scared of the kitten, he’s just... confused. He usually ignores everyone. I’m worried about the food competition too. I have a thread on managing obesity in seniors where I’m trying to portion control his food, and I don't want the kitten to steal it.

Portion control is key here. Whiskey is 7 and picky, Cola is 2 and playful. When I introduced Cola, Whiskey stopped eating for two days because he didn't like the new smell in the room. I had to feed them in separate rooms.

Since Peanut is obese, he’s probably not going to run fast if the kitten chases him. That’s a danger. You need to make sure the kitten is tired before they meet. Play with the kitten in a closed room until she’s exhausted, then let her out. A tired kitten is a gentle kitten. Check out my thread on picky eater senior cat for how to keep the senior interested in food when the environment changes.

Lucy is my shy one and Milo is the energetic orange tabby. When I got Lucy, she hid for three weeks. I didn’t try to force her out. I just left food and water near her hiding spot and ignored her.

The introduction to Milo happened slowly. I wrote a timeline in shy cat introduction timeline that might help you gauge how long this is taking. 12 hours is actually very normal for a rescue. Don’t worry about Pearl’s hearing loss too much, she’s used to Peanut’s presence. The kitten is new to both of them. Give it time.

Thank you all. The idea of exhausting the kitten in a separate room makes sense. I’ll try that tonight. I’m also going to set up a feeding station in the hallway so Peanut can eat without the kitten being in the same room.

I’m still a bit worried about Pearl. She’s 11 and white, so she can’t see well in the dark. If the kitten jumps on her, she might not react in time. Is there a way to keep the kitten off the senior cats without a full separation? I know I posted the vet notes in new rescue intake notes, but that didn't cover the housing setup.