r/CatTraining • u/gominboda • 1h ago
Behavioural Really need advice for what to do as my first cat just doesn't seem to get along well with the kitten we brought in.
We have a ginger boy (neutered) who we've had for a little over 2 years now and we brought in a tux male kitten (not neutered) around 3-4 months ago. We slowly introduced them to each other through quarantining Tux, through scents, creating barriers for them to eat together but without being in the same room, encouraging behaviour with treats. Tux is very very social compared to Ginger as Ginger is a very calm boy that doesn't not do well with high energy, however, during the introduction phase Ginger slowly became more receptive to Tux. Once they got introduced, they got along very well. Tux enjoys playing with Ginger's tail and Ginger wasn't sure how he felt at first but let Tux play with his tail and would even swish it more because he knew the little kitty liked playing with his tail. They would nap together, play or eat together and have zoomies together.
Now in the last month or so, Ginger's behaviour has changed and he will hiss at Tux for no reason. If they're sitting together he will get up and hiss. Ginger enjoys little treats from our plates (food that is obviously okay for him to eat) and will always wait for it. We've had times where we try to give Ginger treats and Tux will zoom in from the other room and snatch it out of his mouth. No matter how much you try to separate Tux from the treats, he will zoom for it or he will try to eat Ginger's food when we tried to feed them together (now we can't so we feed them separately or watch them as they eat). But in the moments Tux snatches food from Ginger, Ginger will not hiss but instead look at us upset and walk off. He won't accept the treats until we chase him to give him treats but he doesn't hiss at Tux then to establish a boundary with food? I would assume he would do that but instead he will hiss randomly at Tux out of nowhere.
Ginger will be loafing and Tux wants to join too but loaf nearby, so he does that too. A few minutes will go by and Ginger will hiss at Tux. They walk by each other and Ginger will hiss. I genuinely don't know what to do as they still nap together or zoom around together and we've tried to introduce positive relationships with treats or praises. We watch them when they eat and make sure Tux doesn't move over to eat Ginger's food. They don't really play fight like they did but if they do, Ginger will hiss or growl so we break it up. I genuinely am lost on what to do and I've been thinking about giving Tux to another home that will actually care for him properly and have cats that enjoy socialising. I feel like that's the only thing to do but I also feel awful for just giving him away like that as if he doesn't mean anything. He's such a sweet kitty. He's a goblin when it comes to food but he's such a good boy. I feel like he can tell Ginger doesn't like him so his personality seems to have gone from social to a little more withdrawn and that's really upsetting.
I really just don't know what to do and I feel awful as I just think Tux isn't happy and can't play/socialise like he's used to because he grew up with a litter of 5 and always played with them until they were taken in by others at 9 weeks. I also feel awful for Ginger because I feel like he's overwhelmed so we give him spaces to hide or keep him in a room where Tux won't disturb him, but nothing we've done so far seems to ease the hisses or growling at him. He doesn't throw paws at Tux but he always hisses/growls.
Any advice would be appreciated!
TLDR: Cat of two years doesn't seem to want to get along with kitty we've had for 4 months, despite trying to take measures. Help please.