The introduction process...

[TheGonnagle]

So, last February our elderly boy cat died, leaving just 13yo girl cat. She has been alone since, but has got progressively more and more needy, until we decided that she must be lonely.
On Friday I went 'for a look' at the Cats protection league.
Yesterday I collected our 5yo boy (and the 15yo elderly gentleman who I was worried no one would want to rehome after his owner died).
Everyone has a safe space, and the feliway is pumping out enthusiastically. We've swapped blankets and the boys are already tentatively (low level hissing occasionally) getting on a bit.
Madam is deeply underwhelmed. I know that time is our friend and a little and often is the way forward but does anyone have any tips so I can make this easier for her?
Gonnaglegirlcat sends her thanks.

[TheGonnagle]

Anyone?

[TheGonnagle]

Well the good news is that the boys are sitting in the same room together, pretending that they can't see each other but no aggression at all today. Madam, on the other hand, goes batshit if they dare to venture downstairs. Still, progress....

[GRW]

How lovely that you took the elderly boy as well. It sounds like it's going well so far. Can you share a photo of them?

[TheLongRider]

I can't advise specifically as my various cats have mostly been fine at the introductory stage and it was only afterwards that we had problems.

If your female has been queen of the household for sometime then she will not be happy with the intruders. We have had females before who were definitely head of the house and once the males copped on things were okay. If one of your new boys decides that they want to be top mog then you'll have problems. If they accept her rule things will settle down quickly. You won't know until you get a real idea of the boys temperament.

[TheGonnagle]

She's been queen since she was weaned! She's a proper princess, always had her own way with our previous tom (bless his lovely self) and that will undoubtedly continue! She's been struggling with arthritis as well which has made her very cantankerous but we're getting there with her pain relief and it seems to be improving. She ran down the garden after the neighbours cat and swore loudly at him which is much more like her old self.
Elderly boy is super chilled out, just loves his fuss and sleeps a lot. He came downstairs earlier to tell me his bowl was empty and seems happy with his lot.
Youngboycat is a total loon. He's spent the whole day playing with his new blue pom pom and catnip mouse upstairs and just walks slowly backwards away when he sees madam!
The boys are still hanging out together in dd's room.
I'll attempt some photos but I'm a bit shit at such things....

[TheGonnagle]

Here they are...

[TheLongRider]

In which case I'd expect a lot of huffing and puffing and "Get Orff My Land!" behaviour from your girl cat. The boys will eventually understand that it is just posturing and will let her get on with it.

She might be more off with you her humans for doing this to her. Once she realises the boys are here to stay she might be ok. It's not easy being a cat owner...

[TheLongRider]

Oh they're lovely! If that's the old black and white boy on the bed I can see why you adopted him. The young fella is the ginger and white who looks as if he'll be a handful.

I'll commiserate with you on being the owner of a feisty black cat, we've got one and she's only 2. We'll have many more years of being under the black claw !

[TheGonnagle]

Believe it or not TheLongRider, the one on the bed is the ginormous 5 yo. Elderly boy is half way down the stairs.
Madam is the black cat on the sofa. Her house, her rules!

[TheLongRider]

Ok, one out of three ain't bad.

This is our overlady.

[TheGonnagle]

Your overlady looks just like ours!!

[TheLongRider]

Oh yes she does! All of the attitude, none of the charm.

As I said above, she's only two and is my DD's cat. Everyone else is held in various levels of contempt. I think she's hilarious which does nothing for her opinion of me.