Behavior change in my grown cat

Hello, my 5 year old female tordie named Fearless has changed her behavior and her weight. I have 2 grown female cats, Zoe and Fearless, and one new kitten 16 weeks old named Lizzie. Her behavior change seemed to begin when I got the kitten. She has become very very calm. She is more affectionate with me. She just seems to act much older than she did 2 months ago, before the kitten arrived. She doesn't seem to want to play as much. She does play with the kitten though. She is acting like the kitten's mother.

Fearless never used to like to be picked up. Now she doesn't seem to mind me doing so and holding her for a few mins. When before she would jump right away. She used to play very hard and long and that has changed the most. She pretty much only play fights with the kitten now.

She has also gained weight...I can tell because she was always kinda sleek and now she is filled out and thick. This has all very recently happened. Again, since the kitten arrived.

Could she really believe that she is the mother? Please anyone, any opinions I would love to hear.

I think she definately seems to be taking on a motherly role to the kitten. That is great, she can keep him in line hopefully hehe. I would watch her food intake, what brand are you feeding? How much? Are you free feeding? That will all factor in on her weight gain.

She likes this indoor formula dry food with greens. I actually have not seen her eat more than usual. With the dry food I fill up a bowl for everyone to share once a day. I also sometimes give them a can of Friskies Ocean whitefish, because they love that.

The problem is I think at the beginning she would eat the kitten's high protein food.

She just doesn't seem like the same cat anymore though. She used to be so wild and now she seems so calm. Hehe, now she only is concerned with the kitten. She grooms the kitten and follows her everywhere. They play fight all the time. It's funny to watch them.

After Daphne came, Sebastian actually lost 8 oz the first month because he gets more exercise playing with the kitten. He could stand to lose it. Sounds like Lizzie has been good for Fearless. Older cats can teach the babies how to be cats.

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