Older cat still hissing at new kitten after months
Even when cats can peacefully stay together in the same space, lingering hissing, growling, and lunging can persist for months without escalating into true aggression. This behavior often stabilizes into a permanent tolerance rather than a close bond, leaving owners questioning whether the cats are simply a bad match or if normal adjustment is still happening.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Giving the older cat high places and personal space to retreat to
- 2Redirecting the kitten when it gets too annoying
- 3Using soothing pheromones like Feliway
- 4Waiting for months or up to a year for them to adjust
- 5Feeding cats on opposite sides of a closed door
- 6Holding both cats simultaneously to keep them in proximity
- 7Using a temporary cat net or baby gate
- 8Opening the door slightly while blocking it with a heavy object
- 9Buying more toys
- 10Separating the cats and doing scent swaps
- 11Feeding them on opposite sides of a closed door
- 12Conducting slow, controlled play sessions with treats
- 13Using plug-in pheromone diffusers
- 14Giving each cat individual attention and alone time
- 15Start with scent before face to face meeting by introducing each cat's scent on a piece of clothing separately.
- 16Keep cats completely separated on the same floor for about two weeks.
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My Persian kitten (6 months, female) seemed really lonely, so I decided to adopt another kitten.”source ↗
“she and my Persian are NOT getting along at all. They keep fighting.”source ↗
“My Persian has changed a lot. She never really liked being touched or picked up, but she used to play with us, run around, and be really active. Now she mostly just sits there and eats. She seems genuinely upset and withdrawn.”source ↗
“It’s been about 4 weeks and I really thought they would eventually bond or at least tolerate each other by now.”source ↗
“My apartment doesn't allow me to change stuff and I can't really buy a screen door or something like that at the moment, I have the cage but I feel bad putting one of them into the cage to show them to each other.”source ↗
“Older cat still hissing/growling at kitten after 2+ months – but they can also peacefully stay together. Will this improve?”source ↗
“I’m not sure if what I’m seeing is still normal or if these two just aren’t a good match.”source ↗
“Olive the OG cat (4yrs) continues to hiss even while they play. She's not bitched up in any way- coat is flat, ears are up, tail is playful. She rarely hissed before he came into the house. Has anyone encountered this before? Is this just the way it is now?”source ↗
“My boyfriend’s cat is the same way. When I moved in with my cat, she HATED him. still does, but she can tolerate his presence.”source ↗
“I was told to keep the new one in a separate room but she was meowing the whole time so I left the door open.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Why won't my kitten stop playing too rough with my older cat?
- 4How to stop kitten from attacking my hair
- 6Why is my cat suddenly attacking my other cat?
- 6How to stop a cat from attacking after bringing home a puppy
- 26Why is my roommate's cat hissing and following me?
- 32Why does my anxious cat scream and panic over closed doors?