New kitten advice please

Emilly

Hi all
I have two cats Santa aged 9 (male) and Wilma aged 8 (female).
We aquired a new kitten last week, she's 9 weeks today. We have had her for 7 days, and Wilma is just not liking her at all. Santa will tollerate her, but Wilma is actually scared. Her eyes go all wide and she cant settle anywhere in the house, she has spent most of the time outside, last night we had to put the new kitten (molly) into the living room and close the door so Wilma would come in the house as it was raining and she wouldnt come in.
I am feeling like it was a bad move getting the new kitten, we have said we should give it a month and see if Wilma changes and stops being scared, otherwise we might have to consider rehoming Molly.
Any ideas? Should be expect Wilma to stop being scared anytime soon?
Thanks in advance
Emilly

CatSlave

Good luck! My Whiskers is terrified of my kittens to the point that he refused to come out from behind the sofa for weeks on end. We only knew he was there as the sofa took to purring and miaowing and the food bowl kept getting kicked out. Gradually Whiskers has learned to accept the kittens (although still scared of the bully of them!) and over the last week I have caught him sharing his food bowl etc with them.

One thing I did notice on the down side (sorry introduced three kittens to 6 males) was that my boys did spray quite a lot at first but that is settling down now.

One thing I found seemed to help was making a point of putting the kitten down and takin gone of the older cats up for a cuddle; gradually I brought the kittens up as well. I wanted my boys to know they were still loved and this seems to have worked.

Luv Kazzie

Slave to Fudge, Toto, Whiskers, Cupid, Sooty, Pluto, TicTac, Splodge and Felix X

Emilly

Thanks, they seem to be getting on alot better now, Wilma the one who was really scared will even stay put on the bed if the kitten gets on. They certainly dont like her but wont hiss unless she dives on thier tails and they just stay out of her way now.
Was cute to see them all on the bed together the other day, even if Molly was about 2m away from them, I'm sure they will edge closer and closer and like each other one day!
Em

Santa (British Blue X) aged 8
Wilma (Tabby) aged 7
Molly (moggy) aged 9 weeks

Elaine, Santas Sister and Wilmas Mummy (British Blue X) died 2006