Two Kitty BFFs and Two Kitty Enemies

[linkworshiper]

I'm at a loss. My new kitty, Liam, is the sweetest little guy. He loves to lay in arms and laps and he's taken to his middle brother, Hammy, very well. Liam loves to groom Hammy and nap next to him. They play together and do all the stuff you'd hope Kitty brothers would do.

Meanwhile, my oldest kitty, Reginald, is less thrilled with Liam. I can tell if he's jealous or just being a jerk,.but Liam always runs away from him. They don't do any of the bonding stuff that Liam and Hammy do, though Reginald and Hammy play and nap together (but separate from Liam). Today was my last straw and I'm at a loss.

Liam was in his favorite little spot, which is a cubby. As I was preparing to leave, I saw Reginald dart towards the cubby, but didn't think much on it until I was outside and locking up. Through the door, I hear RWWWWOOOORRRRRR, so I rush back in and Liam has vanished and Reginald is looking mighty guilty. I stuck Reginald in the bathroom with food and a litter box for while I'm out, but I dont know what to do. I'm now very worried about what happens when I'm not home and how to put a stop to it.

Let me add that normally, Reginald is a finicky fraidy cat. He literally jumps if you turn on a lamp. It's a mystery toe because Liam is very calm and chill, while Hammy is the usual troublemaker.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Well, these "heated discussions" can happen, even with cats who generally get along just fine. I do understand that it is troubling, though. I'd suggest just watching them for several days. If you can set one of them up in a bedroom while you are out, that won't hurt a thing. If this continues, make notes about anything that might be a trigger, and we'll work from there.

 

[linkworshiper]

It's been going on for about two months now. We got Liam around Xmas time. I'm never quite sure what starts it, but what I see is either Liam running away from Reginald or Reginald going out of his way to antagonize Liam.

 

[FeebysOwner]

How old is Reginald? The older the cat, the worse a new cat can be to them. What kind of introductions did you do? It sounds like there was a 'copacetic' situation before Liam was introduced, so there are many factors that could be playing into Reginald's behavior. For one he has to 'share' Hammy with Liam, for two If he wasn't gradually introduced to Liam, he has not yet gotten over the 'intrusion'. Two months is not a lot of time for an older cat to get used to a new one.

I don't know if any of these TCS articles will help - and you may have already seen them all - but, if not, they are worth taking a look at.
Do Cats Get Jealous? (and What To Do About It When They Do) – TheCatSite Articles
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles

 

[linkworshiper]

How old is Reginald? The older the cat, the worse a new cat can be to them. What kind of introductions did you do? It sounds like there was a 'copacetic' situation before Liam was introduced, so there are many factors that could be playing into Reginald's behavior. For one he has to 'share' Hammy with Liam, for two If he wasn't gradually introduced to Liam, he has not yet gotten over the 'intrusion'. Two months is not a lot of time for an older cat to get used to a new one.

I don't know if any of these TCS articles will help - and you may have already seen them all - but, if not, they are worth taking a look at.
Do Cats Get Jealous? (and What To Do About It When They Do) – TheCatSite Articles
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles

Reginald is almost 9. He grew up with another kitty that moved away with a roommate, then moved into a house with two dogs, where he was very antisocial. When we moved away from the dogs, Reginald seemed lonely, so we got Hammy. Hammy is super active and Reginald is super not, so we figured a middle ground kitty would be good for Hammy when Reginald wasn’t up for play. It half worked I guess.

The introduction went as well as you could hope. I kept Liam in a dog kennel in the bedroom for his first week and slowly let the other cats in gradually after that week alone. Hammy was eager for Liam but I can’t remember how Reginald was. I put up cat shelves for Liam who likes to jump. Those were the biggest changes.

Anyway I’ll look at these articles! Thanks!