A look at ways to get an older cat to accept a new kitten into the house.
As time goes by, cats can become quite set in their ways... after all, they realize that everything that they see and that they have access to in reality belongs to them. Unfortunately, this can lead to problems when trying to bring a new kitten into the house... after all, for an older cat, the new kitten can seem like a threat, trying to move in on the old cat's territory. Luckily, there are a few simple ways that you can help the kitten be accepted by the older cat... saving you both time and trouble in the long run.
First of all, be sure to introduce the new kitten gradually. If you just bring in the new kitten and place it in front of the older cat, the older cat will likely hiss at the kitten (and possibly attack). Instead of a sudden meeting like that, try to place the kitten in another room with a gate or fence between the two. The older cat can find the kitten on its own, and the gate will keep the kitten safe from any hostility that the older cat might give.
Another option is to try to convince the older cat that it "owns" the kitten... after all, for all the older cat knows, the kitten has been there for a while and it just hadn't noticed the little thing. Try rubbing the kitten with various objects that contain the older cat's scent; bedding that the cat uses often, a favorite toy, and even a bit of litter from the cat's litterbox can do the trick. The older cat will be shocked to see the kitten at first, but will then begin to recognize its own scent on the kitten and assume that the kitten is just another part of its property. If you're lucky, then the older cat will even begin to bathe the kitten (which is a good sign that the kitten has been accepted.)
Of course, there's always the option of just "making" the older cat accept the new kitten. Bring the new kitten into the house, and keep it and the older cat separate at first. When the older cat first finds the new kitten, pet the cat and reassure it... but scold it whenever it hisses at the new kitten. You might also want to keep a water bottle around in case the older cat decides to try to attack the kitten; a quick squirt of water will usually send it fleeing from the room, having decided that winning a fight isn't worth getting spritzed. Eventually, most cats will decide that it's ok if the kitten stays, though they might not be happy about it. It's preferable to try another method first before just making the cat accept the kitten, since this can lead to some stressful days and nights until the cat realizes that the kitten is there to stay.
No matter what method you use (or whether the cat simply accepts the kitten right off the bat), keep in mind that after a while cats tend to form "families" among themselves, and will likely accept a new kitten into that family eventually.
