New Kittens Advice Please.

JimiTime

Hi all, this is my first post here, so go easy on me if I don't meet the etiquette yet:)

My wife and I have just got two 7 week old Kittens. They're both weened and litter trained, and mental as kittens can be. A few things I need your advice on.

1. The neighbours cat (about 5 - 7 years old), is a frequent visitor to the house. Has stayed here some nights and has a beautiful temperament etc. However, he doesn't like the new editions AT ALL. Hisses, growls etc if he see's them. He's not coming in as much now, and we can't have him in the same room if he does. Anything that we can do? Would this cat try kill the kittens if given the chance? FYI. The cat in question has been spayed.

2. Could you recommend a good feline vet in Dublin. I'm in the Newlands Cross area, so the closer the better. There is a blue cross mobile vet that goes about, but I don't have much faith in them. My friend brought their Guinea pig to them to have its nails cut and they told him he was overfeeding his 'hamster'.:):eek:

Anyway, any advice appreciated.

Call me Socket

Can't help with your second question cos I'm down in Clare, but as for the first...it's normal for a cat to be hostile to a newbie. I have 7 cats, each time a new one came to us the others put on their usual theatrical show of hissing, spitting, hackles raised, growling... The newbie soon learns to stay out of their personal space for a while. Eventually it calms down...as little as 2 weeks later they're playing together.

Why can't you have him in the same room as the kittens? As long as all he's doing is putting on his display of sounds then there's no harm done. He's not physically going for them is he?

No, he won't try to kill them. Generally that might happen if they're the offspring of a queen in season and he's a complete male.

If I were you I'd just let things go with the flow. Let the male cat in, but supervise his visits for a few weeks, and don't interfere unless it gets physical. It's good for the kittens to learn the body language.

Heroditas

JimiTime wrote: »

2. Could you recommend a good feline vet in Dublin. I'm in the Newlands Cross area, so the closer the better.

We're in Lucan and use these guys for our cats. They're lovely.

http://www.myvet.ie/

Irish-Lass

Please remember that this is going to be their house so they need to feel safe in it and not under threat from the neighbours cat.

Are your kittens fully vaccinated - if not I would limit the contact that they have with the neighbours cats - has the neighbours cat been tested for FIV or FeLV if not then again I would limit his contact with your kittens.

Kittens by nature are into rough and tumple its what makes them kittens - sometimes adult cats do not take too kindly to this especailly when a kitten decides it wants to pounce on a twitching tail.

Also a kittens social skills in relation to how to treat other cats are not developed i.e. they are only use to playing with their mother or litter mates. The neighbours cat will eventually accept the 2 new additions and the kittens will learn where the boundry is and they may reach an understanding or to tolerate each other from a distance.

Enjoy the kittens they are great fun to have around

JimiTime

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. Just booked them in for their first visit to the Vet to that place in Lucan (Thanks for that).

Also, have been giving the neighbours cat blankets that the kittens have been on to smell. Get him used to the scent. Not impressed so far, but hopefully in time.

Thanks again,

J.