It's been about a month and a half now that we've had our new kitten Belle in our home. Of course Lily gravitated towards her new furry friend because she was small, adorable and about my toddler's size. Elle, our 7 year old Persian has other ideas on her new little sister. Since we've had Ellie for so long, of course she's been the queen of our house hold being the only pet for the last 7 years, moving with us across country and warmed up when we even brought Lily home for the hospital. Since then, Zach and I have talked about bringing another kitten into the house as a playmate while we're gone at work. Introducing older cats to a kitten can be tricky so I thought I'd share some tips that has helped us keep things as civil as possible until they fully start to get to know one another.
1. Take Things Slow- When we first brought Belle into our home, Ellie was immediately threatened because she had been the only pet for the last 7 years. Suddenly she had to learn to share her toys, her space and more importantly her Mom ( aka me! ) and it was putting a bit of stress on her. We kept Belle in our bedroom for a few days so Ellie wouldn't feel as nervous and introduced them to one another every day when we came home from work. The girls would sniff one another and soon began forming a friendship.
2. Ensure Separate Litter Boxes- With an age gap between our cats, we knew that Belle wouldn't be comfortable ( or big enough ) to reach her sister's litter box so we created a small one with the help of the top of a box to make it easy for her to step in and out. We put her litter box upstairs in our bathroom for her to use and kept Ellie's in her current location. Now that Belle has gotten bigger, we purchased her own litter box to use next to her sister's and they both enjoy having their private space to do their business. 
3. Proper Nutrition- Ensuring that your new kitten has the proper nutrition is key. Each cat and kitten has their own dish for food and water and you can pet I feed these two sweet fur babies the best. That's why I give them SHEBA® PERFECT PORTIONS™. With two separately sealed servings – one on each side of the package – this new product ensures a fresh, right-sized meal with zero leftovers to clean up and store in your refrigerator. You simply snap the servings apart, peel open the package and serve their cat one single serving of the real meat ingredients they love! My cats also love the SHEBA® Meaty Tender Stickswhich are snacks they can't get enough of because they are made with real meat and no artificial flavors. It's a win win no matter what!4. Stay Positive- Realize that the relationship between your older cat and your kitten will take time. Each day can be a good or bad day and know that eventually your older cat will realize that their new friend is actually going to turn into a best friend. They'll be cuddling and purring quicker then you think and realize that they can't live without one another. Way to go Cat Mom! You got this and your cats and new kitten will thank you for it!
