Kitten hisses at puppy, hides. How to help them get along comfortably?

Question

My little kitten sally isn’t getting along with our puppy bubba. My older cat doesn’t mind him but Sally will hiss and swat at him. She has been in the restroom for potty training but now she only wants to be in there. How can I get them to get along? It’s been a month. And how can I help her come out of the restroom more comfortably? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 6 lbs

Shaneez Wallani, DVM · Accepted Answer

It sounds like Sally is stressed in her new home environment, but there are many things that you can do to help alleviate stress and help her feel better. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day) and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , and healthcareforpets.com for tips on stress reduction, and https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/felinelifestressors/new-pets for information on how to introduce new pets into the family. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com , and Feliway Friends (on the same site), a pheromone that helps cats get along with each other. Take your time and allow Sally to slowly get used to all of the changes, and hopefully she will feel better soon.

Kitten hisses at puppy, hides. How to help them get along comfortably?

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