Kitten doesnt like resident kittens!

[Lora3]

Heyyy I'm new to mumsnet so hi!!

I've recently rescued 3 kittens in the space of a short time. I havent had cats before only dogs and always had 2 at once. This time I've gone further and got three! I adopted them all from rescue centres and reason being is because I can provide a loving forever home for them so why not 🤷🏼‍♀️

I adopted Sox on the 9th of August and he is now 18 weeks old. Then I adopted Teddy just two weeks later and he is now 16 weeks old. They immediately got on Sox was a tiny bit hissy but nothing much and instantly were best friends it was great. 2 days ago I adopted my third little baby Peanut. Peanut is 14 weeks. He is so adorable and very very affectionate with me and my little boy who is only 2 years old. He will run his head against mine and follow me around he licks my face and is just all round a bag of cuteness! However, he does not like the other kittens. I've tried to follow rules regarding introduction with blankets and towels and smells etc. Inttoducing them slowly but whenever I try Peanut is just hissing and growling at my 2 resident kitty's.

Teddy does nothing back and I feel he just wants to be friends,he is very laid back and chilled black kitty. Sox however has been hissing back today and they both get into a slapping match 😿 Sox is also a very affectionate black and white kitty but he is rather large cat!

All of them have had vaccinations and have all been neutered.

Will it always be like this?is this normal? Should I do something to help or just let them sniff and hiss till they figure it out? I really dont want Peanut to go back to the rescue if it doesnt work so it's going to be really hard if they never get on for the next 10-15 years 😿

Any advice would be hugely appreciated given I'm an amateur and possibly bitten off more than I can chew!🙈😹 THANKS

There will be great advice to come I'm sure but it would be aided greatly by some photos....

I'm surprised the rescue centre let you have 3. Cats are solitary and territorial animals and find it stressful sharing their space . My MIL has 4 cats and they all hate each other. We had a brother and sister - they hated each other for 15 odd years! At most they tolerate each other. You can try to have separate litter trays, feeding bowls etc in different locations, space for them to get up high out of each other's way.

Ncbaaybeee - I got Sox and Teddy (the first 2) from the same rescue centre and they were going to give me 3 but at the time my partner wouldnt agree to it! I got my third from a different rescue centre but they were aware and knew about my other 2 kittens. They all have 2 bowls each and I have 2 bowls for water. I have 3 litter trays and live in a large apartment so one in the hall, one in my room and one in the bathroom. I really hope they wint always just tolerate each other!😿😿 Sox and Teddy certainly don't they love each other and sleep together and play they do everything together I just hope that Peanut can eventually join in too.

Spiritlevels- I dont know how to upload photos 🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ if you advise that would be great 😹

It's very rare that unrelated cats truly get on I'm afraid to say.

I think you need to accept that your house won't be particularly harmonious. We have unrelated cats at the moment (one we've had since a kitten, one we rescued)!and they get on well enough, but the sibling pair I had before definitely got on better and had a much better relationship.

Why on earth did you decide to get three unrelated kittens in such a short space of time?

We have 2 girls (12 and 9) and a 1 year old boy.

My DP has had both the girls from kittens, and they have never, ever gotten on. Mainly becausr the old girl is bloody horrible at times! They have learnt to live in reasonable harmony but we've had to pull them apart a fair few times.

Boy and middle girl play and lie together sometimes (she presents she hates it but then goes looking for him), and old girl is much more tolerant of him that she is the middle girl.

If they can get by in relative harmony it's the best you can ask for. Cats are solitary and it's very rare they pair up and make friends if not related.

We have 15 cats from 4months to 15 years old, we generally don’t have any problems.

Cats aren’t solitary, and in the wild, choose to live in colonies so it’s perfectly feasible that they will all settle down in time. I’d get a fishing rod toy to encourage them to play together, you could also get a feliway friends plug in which might help

A couple of years ago a five month old kitten turned up on my doorstep and refused to go away - I did all the usual searching for his owner things but to no avail, so he moved in. At the time I had two much older female cars, the younger of the two is very grumpy and hated him on sight. Eventually she would tolerate him, but no more.

Then my oldest cat died and suddenly grumpy cat and kitten are best friends - she'll actually go and lie next to him of her own accord, they spend most of their time together on my bed.

She did object to the next kitten who I adopted, but whilst she isn't particularly friendly with him still, she mostly just ignores him, and he's learnt not to bother her.

We had two cats who hated each other for years. They both moved in uninvited, rather than as any part of a plan. Our dog used to break up any major scraps they tried to have. The dogs got on fine with the cats, the cats just didn't approve of each other.

They'll work out a pecking order/ territory and sort themselves out soon.

I think you just have to give them time, OP.

Have you got a cat teaser toy they can chase? Ime kittens will be so focused on chasing the toy that they will ignore each other. Daily playing with them all together may help.

Other than that, make sure they have their own space, plug in the feliway, lots of dreamies and time and you might be ok.

If you're in a flat, will the cats ever be allowed out? I think having 3 unrelated boys as they get older might be an issue if they're cooped up indoors all the time.

Try felaway? It's a de-stressor hormonal plug in for cats.

I am a life long cat owner and I can say that occasionally cats are just one cat family cats. They are unlikely
To change.

But they can all learn to muddle along.

Only once in 30 years of cats did one permanently keep running away because he didn't want to live with the others. Mostly down to temperament,

My current Cat Brian is super mellow and when we foster other cats he is surrogate mum. But occasionally a foster day will despise him. He doesn't care.

Try felaway? It's a de-stressor hormonal plug in for cats.

I am a life long cat owner and I can say that occasionally cats are just one cat family cats. They are unlikely
To change.

But they can all learn to muddle along.

Only once in 30 years of cats did one permanently keep running away because he didn't want to live with the others. Mostly down to temperament,

My current Cat Brian is super mellow and when we foster other cats he is surrogate mum. But occasionally a foster day will despise him. He doesn't care.

I have a sister and brother and they stopped getting on once they were adults. Cats have strong personalities and personal preferences. But yours are only kittens so things might change given time.

@adaline as previously stated I got them because all of the horrible posts and stories they had been through and yes i knew it wasnt going to be a walk in the park and it wouldnt be cost effective but that is just a slight inconvenience to me compared to everything they and their mothers have been through. Knowing I could provide love care and an amazing home for them I couldnt just sit back and not offer that 🤷🏼‍♀️ so although it sounds crazy and it's not been easy I still dont regret it.

Thank you all so much for your feedback! I have quite a few teaser toys and I've just bought some new toys today too so he can get his scent out there (not sure that's how it works) I will definitely order one of the plug ins right now!

@FurnitureAndBackgammon yes they are all going to be outdoor cats,unless one of them chooses not to but I've been advised by the rescues to wait till they are 5 months old but they will definitely be encouraged to go outside. My flat is absolutely huge but I still wouldnt keep them in here all the time.

Today, new cat Peanut has been close and trying to play with teddy but then starts to hiss again. He just isnt settling the same as the other two did so maybe have gotten really lucky with Sox and a Teddy 🤷🏼‍♀️🥺 I just have the feeling it's not going to get much better and I'm never going to be able to leave them alone or anything.

Oh I'm glad they'll be allowed out when they're old enough

Don't worry it will get better and you will be able to leave them. They are only really little and as pickle says they will sort out a pecking order soon enough, it's only been 2 days!!! Don't worry about the hissing, as long as they aren't fully blown fighting, they'll be fine.

Oh and well done for giving them all a home, there are so many rescue cats needing homes.

@FurnitureAndBackgammon thank you!! I really appreciate that , you've actually made me feel alot better about it!

I keep playing with the toys on a rod with them and giving treats together at the same time. Sometimes it's okay and sometimes it's not its definitely improved from the first meeting. For now Peanut is in bed with me but 🤞 he will be in ne able to sleep with them in the future!

I am so scared and nervous about letting them out 😹 they are actually my babies I will be a nervous wreck! Haha. They will love it tho and I'm excited for them. Wish I could adopt more there are so many that need homes and so many that get overlooked specially the black and white ones and my Sox is just beautiful 😿 it should be law that you have to neuter your cats!

You’re doing a wonderful thing, Lora3. The rescue I foster for will not allow adoption of a single kitten unless there is already a cat at the home.

The rescue I foster for will not allow adoption of a single kitten unless there is already a cat at the home.

I'm surprised. My local Cats' Protection website is always advertising cats who require that they be the only cat in a household, and I imagine that many of the incumbent cats will not be at all impressed by the introduction of a new kitten!

@AuntyElle thank you 🥰🥰

@WatcherintheRye I think some cats do like to be the only cat and some are fine with other cats. Some just prefer human company to cat company just like with anything I actually prefer cat/dog company than human!😂

My situation has definitely improved!! Yesterday Teddy and Peanut were rubbing up against each other and this morning Sox and peanut are chasing each other round.

I spoke to the rescue I got Peanut from yesterday as I was so worried and she said not to worry as all this behaviour is very normal. She said that Peanut may not be as close to the other two as they are but that's because he already has his best friend in me as he seems to like my company more. But I'm very hopeful considering the improvement since the first day!

I dont know where all this limit on number of cats you can adopt is coming from alot of kitten s are adopted as a pair because kittens are playful and better in pairs most of the time. Considering all mine are kitten the rescue think that it will be done so I'm happy with that. They know what they're talking about.

Thanks again for all your advice and I'll keep you updated!

My local Cats' Protection website is always advertising cats who require that they be the only cat in a household

That's cats, not kittens. When they're very young it's better for them to not be alone.

Well done, OP it seems to be getting better already and it's only early days yet. In a couple of weeks you'll wonder what the problem was

I had a pair of supposedly 'inseparable' sisters. They didn't like each other much unless they were scared. One died and I got a new cat fairly quickly as I felt she's got in well. She's completely unrelated, but gets on very well with my remaining cat. Remaining cat is incredibly protective of her.

Thank you @FurnitureAndBackgammon I still dont regret it haha my kitty's are my babies!! And whatever its takes they are staying put with me!😂

@Toddlerteaplease I think they're all so very different which is what's great about them they all have their own personality 😻

I just wanted to add this, it might if nothing else give you hope. We now have 12 cats. (6 English, all related, 6 German all unrelated, 6 girls, 6 boys, we emigrated to Germany 5 years ago) We got our last kitten nearly 2 weeks ago.

We have one pair of English cats, Aunt and Niece who are inseparable. We have an Alpha female who holds down the fought. Our 6 German cats, are 1 girl (a rescued Savannah cat) and 5 boys. The boys, are so accepting of newbies. We got Teddy and Tux who are brothers, not very close but certainly don't dislike each other. We then got Zelda, who was our wild card, an adult cat who was abandoned, clearly has issues and is now so grateful every time you come back in the door, and she slotted right in and cuddles up with Teddy who is her bestie. Then we got Remi, our Ginger and again he just slotted in, cuddles up with Teddy and Zelda. This was with an introduction over a couple of weeks, the new comers go in our bedroom and come out for supervised visits until the bedroom door can be left open. Then we got Nova our white Maine Coon, he was different, within 36 hours he was out and about and no-one batted an eyelid, again cuddles up with Teddy, Remi and Zelda. And 2 weeks ago we got Yoshi, he is still being supervised but is already cuddling up with Tux! and Nova.

So my message is, give it time, give the newbie their own safe place and let them go at their own pace.

How are they all getting on?@Lora3?

I just wanted to come on and say thank you to everyone that answered me on this talk. My 3 precious babies endedd up getting on like a house on fire within a few days! It really didnt take long i was just panicking. Unfortunately i had the worst news ever and on the 3rd of January my gorgeous baby cat Sox was run over and killed at just 6 months old. My first ever cat love and cat loss. Im heartbroken, shocked and in total disbelief. My anxiety is through the roof and i dare not even let my other 2 fur babies outside. I need help if anyone can share some words of wisdom? The road Sox was killed on is not a busy road at all and my street is a dirt track road set back from where he was hit and ive only ever seen them play in the gardens behind my house. should i still let the other two out? Should i move? Should i rehome them? Am i a bad cat mum? My hesd is all over and ive not stopped crying since!

Oh that's so sad.
My cat was run over in April, she wasn't even 2 and, same as you, the road isn't even a busy one. But I could never have kept her in, she loved it outside and used to paw at the windows to get out.
It's such a hard decision deciding whether to let your other cats out or not.
As they are still so young I would be inclined to keep them as house cats for a while until they are older because you'd never forgive yourself if something happened to the other 2, or could you get an enclosed run for the garden?

Try not to blame yourself, it's just one of those things that happen, you're not a bad cat mum. You gave him love for his short little life and that's more than some poor animals ever get.