How to Make a Cat Accept a Kitty

When you decide to add a new kitten to your family, it can cause stress for your existing cat. Adding a kitten, rather than an adult cat, makes the acceptance process go more smoothly, since a young kitten does not threaten the dominance of the older cat. Depending on your cat's personality, it may accept the kitten quickly, in a few days, or over the course of 8 to 12 months, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Eventually, the two may even become good friends.

Things You'll Need

  • Litter boxes
  • Cat food and water dishes
  • Cat beds
  • Cat treats
  • Cat toys
  • Spray bottle of water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Keep the kitten in its own room for the first few days after you bring it home. Give it a litter box, food and water dishes, and a comfortable cat bed. Provide it with cat toys to play with and spend time with it to get it used to you and other members of your home. During this time, spend an equal amount of time with your older cat, outside of the kitten's room.

    • 2

      Leave cat treats on either side of the door to the kitten's room to encourage each cat to come over and smell each other's scents under the door.

    • 3

      Place a toy on each side as well, to tempt the cat and kitten to play with each other's paws under the door.

    • 4

      Allow your cat into your kitten's room while you allow the kitten to explore the rest of your home. This lets the cats smell each other's scents. Give each animal a treat. Confine the kitten to its room again, with the cat outside the room.

    • 5

      Let the kitten out of the room and allow it to meet your existing cat. Do not force them to meet; simply allow the kitten to find the older cat or vice versa. While your cat may initially hiss or growl at the kitten, stay calm and do not intervene, since your cat is only showing the kitten that it holds the dominant position in the house. If the cat tries to fight with, or injure the kitten, give it a quick squirt with water to distract it, then separate the animals into separate rooms for five-minute "time out."

    • 6

      Supervise all initial interactions between your cat and kitten, giving each cat its own space to prevent fights over territory.

    • 7

      Provide the cats with one litter box per cat plus one extra, placed in quiet, easy-to-access locations in your home.

    • 8

      Feed the cats near each other, but each in its own space, so the cats do not feel like they have to compete for resources.

    • 9

      Engage both the cat and kitten in play using interactive cat toys on string or laser light toys. When the kitten or cat show positive behavior toward each other, give each of them a cat treat. This will associate the interaction with a good experience.

    • 10

      Reward bonding behavior, such as mutual grooming, non-aggressive play or sitting close to each other, with a treat for each animal, along with verbal praise.