Cat advice needed - familiarizing the new comer w/ the cat that has been in the home for 3 years....

I have a total of 2 cats. They are both friendly. We got our new cat almost 6 weeks ago. How can I get the 2 cats to get along? We always had 2 cats, they are both good w/ other cats, but the new cat is still hissing at my cat that I have had for 3 years. He can only go near her to sniff her head if she is sleeping. The new cat used to hiss all the time at him. Now it is just when they are about 1 foot away from each other. My poor cat that I have had for 3 years just wants to smell her head and give her a kiss on her head. I feel so bad for him, he just runs away . Will it just take some time? Do I tell the new cat "no" when she hisses at him? Will they just work it out and be friends? yikes! Sorry if this sounds so ridiculous! Thank you in advance!

Re: Cat advice needed - familiarizing the new comer w/ the cat that has been in the home for 3 years....

We were considering getting another cat and had our concerns with our current cat taking to the new addition. Our vet told us that we should put them in a room together, and that eventually, they will either get along, or just avoid each other, but that them fighting will eventually end. He told us it could take a couple of weeks for the adjustment but to let them figure it out. Good luck!

Re: Cat advice needed - familiarizing the new comer w/ the cat that has been in the home for 3 years....

They are still fighting over who is dominant. Your first cat is trying to give the new cat a kiss and that is saying in cat language that she is the dominant one.

It's only been a few weeks, give it some more time. Don't stop the fights, unless of course they get really violent. They are just working out what belongs to who. Do you have two litter boxes?

Re: Cat advice needed - familiarizing the new comer w/ the cat that has been in the home for 3 years....

I didnt want to scare you off because most of the time cats just work it out but its been almost a year over here and while its "better" it is far from blissful. Seems I have two dominant cats...silly me confused mushiness for passiveness

Re: Cat advice needed - familiarizing the new comer w/ the cat that has been in the home for 3 years....

Even two dominant cats can live in peace if you give them enough space and "area." This doesn't mean having a big house or separate rooms or anything like that, but making sure there is enough territory for each cat.

One thing that is very helpful is to have more than one multi-level cat perch/climber. It's also important to have enough litter boxes -- one per cat + 1 is the general rule. With two cats, you should have 3 litter boxes. If that's impossible, you need 2 at the absolute minimum. They should also have their own food and water bowls, not too close to each other. Even if they eat out of each other's food bowls, they at least have space from each other while eating at the same time.

Other than that, you really just need to let them work it out.

Good luck!