Old cat/young cat conflict - was fine, but restarted.

[RufusTiger]

So, Rufus had a great time in the cattery, but now he's home it's all back to square one.

We introduced him (now 15 weeks old, got him at 8 wks) very slowly to Jasper (4 years, a bit wary) and Maud (14 yrs, grumpy but seen it all before). Rufus & Jasper had a few stand offs, but all carefully monitored, and it had got to the point that he & Jasper would sleep on the same bed and wrestle playfully. (Believe me, I was watching and distracting as necessary, whilst letting them work if out ifyswim)

1.5weeks away on holiday - Rufus in cattery as so small. Maud & Jasper at home with cat sitter. Jasper is v outdoors cat, but had to be kept in for the duration for minor medical reasons.

Back now and Jasper is furious - he can go out again, but weather is rubbish. It's like he's forgotten Rufus (who hasn't forgotten him) and he's even growling at us (unusual). he's eating & drinking fine, and no obvious sign of medical issues.

Is he just pissed off that his life was relatively horrid for a bit, and he's forgotten Ru? Or could he have a low level infection, due to the very minor foot problem he had pre-holiday (despite no symptoms other than being out of sorts)? Is it a dwindling response to stress, as Mr RL thinks, or is unusual behaviour normally physiological?

(I'll book a follow up appt tomorrow, just hoping I haven't set back cat integration irrevocably).

I'd judge that Jasper has been royally teed off with your absence and the sitter and the new cat. In other words, it's a massive pro-active sulk. Is he spraying at all?

I'd start from square one as you said in your OP. As they acclimatised before, they should do it again but maybe more quickly with any luck. Is he getting much TLC?

Thanks cosietosie - we're going to separate them tonight, so Jasper has free reign + bedroom for maximum attention and Rufus has spare room + me. He is highly strung, and the holiday injury was rubbish timing. I'm home til school goes back, so can try to broker peace. Wasn't sure if cats got cross & stayed cross as other cats have been placid.

Oh they can become cross all right. (Or at any rate, I've had a few who could get into a right strop.)

We had an old cat who was a total softie and had always lived happily with our other cats- who died of old age. We waited a couple of months and got two kittens and tried to introduce them slowly. He turned into a growling, hissing monster who would go and sit at the bottom of the garden in the huff rather than be in the house with them.
I was beside myself. A friend recommended this thing- a plug in called Feliway. We had 3 downstairs. It is pheremones that soothe cat stress. I was very sceptical but over the space of 3 weeks everything just calmed down and one afternoon he let on of the kittens cuddle up to him and from then on they were all best friends. It was amazing. I would definitely recommend it.