My poor old lady cat..

[Cynner]

Is being knocked about by my two younger make cats. She desperately wants to come abed with me ( I am laid up with a leg injury). Every time she trys to snuggle in, my kitty boys pounce and swat her off. My dh locked them out of bedroom to give her some alone time, but the boys wailed and fussed badly. They also chase her from the food dishes..I am sad for her :(

Really ignore them - or shut them in another room and ignore them all over again for long enough to give her a good cuddle time. They should learn manners sooner or later.

Also - put her food dishes in your bedroom until they're better behaved.

PS - and when you're not in your room, shut the door so that they can't get into it. Hopefully, then, it will go off their mental map of available territory.

Thanks, cozie. I know this is what I need to do even if they are obnoxiously loud! Had not realized the level of jealousy happening in our cat family. My poor old girl really is too tiny and gentle to fend off the big boys.

I had this with a senior cat many many years ago. We got two kittens (litter brothers) who settled so well that they started ganging up on him and the poor old boy was terrorized.

Be firm. They'll stop soon enough if you or DH say NO in a firm voice and thereafter ignore the caterwauling. Realists all, cats.

This exactly how our cat family enlarged. We took two litter mates from shelter, and they happily settled in. Am convinced they believe they are kings of all they survey, even me. We shall commence with firm behaviour retraining today.

You'll need to be very firm and consistent. Remember that you'll have to get past the 'She won't let us in so that room must be the most attractive place in the house' phase!

Best of luck, anyway.

Thanks very much, Cozie. Your advise was so practical and just the kick I needed to get my little girl back in the nest..

It will help a lot with her if she feels safe. (If she knows they won't come in, she'll block out their yelling a little and relax some.) Might also take some wind out of the little rascals' sails if they realize that they're not necessarily Numero Uno and wingman.

To a degree, it's just them being kittens and backing each other up. Shame that she's not a big feisty type who would knock some sense and manners into them in a cat way - but you are where you are. A bit more age on them and neutering (if not yet done) should also ease the situation.

They were both neutered before leaving shelter. I do think it is a matter of the two of them forming a gang. They are also almost twice her size. As we speak, she is tucked up next to me, one of them is outside banging on the door..

Ignore them, ours does an impressive range of miaows when we lock him out of the room going from questioning tones to near death whimpers.

He perks right up when you abandon what you are doing to let him in.

Go/limp over to the door if you can, rap on it to get the naughty one's attention (and so that she knows it isn't her) and say NO! in a firm voice. Then go back to bed and ignore.

(If you can't get to the door, lean as far as possible towards the door away from her, say NO, and then given her lots of cuddles so that she's reassured she hasn't been bad.)

Fluffy, that is what he sounds like just now! Although, my husband just told me, he occasionally stops to flop on ground as if in state of despair..

I know that 'near death whimper' well, fluffy. Mine have always had it down to a fine art (with added pike and tuck) because being shut out of the bedroom for a quarter of an hour is standard kitten chastisement in the cozie household for such terrible sins as biting/nipping in bed. They amend behaviour pretty quickly.

He's the leader then, cynner. Keep going and keep strong.

I want to thank you both for talking such common sense..I knew the boys were becoming spoilt, but this lie in, has shown me just how miserable to her they have become.

"flops on the ground in a state of despair" made me smile.

Such drama queens arent they?

Drama indeed! I finally got up to go to the loo and both the boys followed me expressing their displeasure at the entire situation! My sweet girl kitty has slept happily beside me for hours....and they are FUMING!

Let them be - it will do them good to know they're not the cocks of the walk. They'll be happier for some firm structure in the long run as well.

Yes, I think you are very right. Strangely enough, my children howl about being too firm with them! Most likely because the cats don't ask for large sums of money, nor do they refuse to eat what I make for tea..

You might just find, as, well that your girl, having been elevated to 'special place in the bedroom' and given individual attention from you again, becomes a little stronger in her dealings with them. You never know.

I would love for her to be able to stand up to them. They are very rough with each other though..don't want her to get smacked around :(

They'll calm down a bit as they mature - and you don't need her to biff them up anyway. Just to be able to get happily on with her business and ignore the goings on.

Best of luck - and ignore the 'pitiful' entreaties.

Thanks Cozie..you have given me such support.