HELP! Grumpy cats!!

[mrslynch]

I have a 4 year old cat named Vimto (nicknamed Grumps!), she is very loving with me and my hubby but is VERY grumpy with other cats. She is 4 years old but this only became an issue after she had kittens a year ago. At first everything was fine, she was a very attentive and affectionate mother so we decided to keep one of the kittens (Gizmo), but once the others had left she started to growl at Giz most of the time. We weren't overly concerned as some cats just don't get on and they would quite happily sleep on the same cushion, eat out of the same bowl etc, and there's no fighting or scratching she just growls.

The problem is, we have ended up rescuing two new kittens, and Gizmo is reacting to them the same way her mum reacts to her, except on a larger scale. I know it takes time for cats to get used to each other and bonds to form but she hisses and claws the kittens if they go near her. We used to have another cat who sadly died after being run over 6 months ago her and Giz were very close so I hoped that she would form a similar bond with the kittens. This doesn't seem to be happening though.

I really don't want to have to re-home any of them as I love them all so I wondered if anyone had any tips/techniques to try and help them all get along better? I've searched the web to no end but not really found anything to help, it's all about how to introduce them which is obviously too late now! It would be lovely to live in a house where they all got along and no-one hissed/growled at anyone else... Or am I asking too much?? HELP!!

 

[ondine]

Welcome to TSC, MrsLynch.  You may have to start from scratch with introductions.  Cats are territorial and Gizmo has not accepted the newcomers.  Can you give the kittens their own room for a few weeks?  If you put up a screen door at the entrance, it will give them visual access without physical access.

If that's not possible, make sure they all have their own space.  Cat trees add vertical space and would be ideal if Giz and Grumps want to get away from those rambunctious youngins!

Keep in mind that they may never get along.  But they can learn to co-exist.  I have six cats who do not like one another at all.  But they know this is home and each has his or her own private space, so when the tension amps up, they can all go decompress.

We even have a time-out room for when they can't calm themselves down.  It is usually used by only one cat, though.  He wants so badly to be boss cat and no one else agrees!

 

[mrslynch]

Thanks Ondine

Yeah I tried separate rooms but Giz and Grumps are outdoor cats and use the living room window to come in and out, our back door is all glass so without spending quite a lot I couldn't get a cat flap. I tried them in my bedroom but as soon as I leave the room they cry (I mean SCREAM!) constantly. They've come from an appalling home so I'm trying to help them realise they won't be hurt here, they can be loved and feel safe and that cuddles are ok.

I toyed with the idea of keeping the kittens in the living room through the day and leaving the back door open for Giz and Grumps then taking the kittens into my room at night... But me and Giz have a routine of 'morning snuggles', she comes in every morning and buzzes me awake to get her morning cuddles we've done this since she was big enough to jump on my bed and I really don't want her to feel that she can't do this anymore.

The kittens are still wary of upstairs so through the day the other two have a sanctuary of sorts, Grumps will go to my room and Giz has her hideout in a dog kennel in the garden (we had it given to us for our old dog and Giz took up residence the minute it was put in the garden!  She has her own blanket and everything in there)

I'm resigned to the fact that Grumps will likely never get along with them, and in all fairness she tends to give them a wide berth anyway, it's only Giz I'm really concerned about. If they aren't paying attention to her she'll go up and give them a sniff but as soon as they turn around to see who it is she hisses and gives them a good tap on the head. If she comes to me for attention and a kitten comes over she's straight out the door...

I'm guessing I'm just going to have to wait it out, but I wanted to post just in case there was a miracle cure or something thank-you for your help though, and your profile picture is ADORABLE!!

 

[vball91]

Are they all spayed/neutered? That does help somewhat with the territorial attitudes and since Giz and Grumps are outdoor cats, they definitely should be spayed.

I would definitely start introductions over. Keep the kittens away from Giz and Grumps for now. Definitely do not leave them together unsupervised.

 

[mrslynch]

My 2 are, but the kittens aren't old enough yet, as soon as they are I will be getting them spayed. I'm a bit of a stickler where neutering is concerned. I had to remove the kittens at 7 weeks old because of the way they were being treated and have formed a strong bond with them.

I have left them unsupervised, like I said Grumps gives them a wide berth and Giz seems to be warning them not wanting to harm them. If I thought for a second she would try to hurt them then I would separate them straight away but this doesn't seem to be the case. I wasn't very clear when I she claws them, it's more like warning taps and it's always claws in, never out. I'm just concerned that she's not very happy about them being here and wondered if there was anything I could do to try and ease the tension between them all.

I think you may be right though and I'll have to start from scratch introducing them all. Thank you for your help