Can I Keep This Kitten?

[janebee4]

Our "spayed" cat had 3 beautiful little kittens and they are now 4.5 weeks old. We've found homes for 2 and I desperately want to keep the third.

Aside from mum cat, we have another cat, Kev, who we adopted at the same time as mum. They were in the same pen at the RSPCA and they said they got on well so we thought all would be fine. Turns out Kev does not like Jaffa and for months he would chase her, bite her, pin her down etc. We tried separating them, clapping hands at him, trying to distract with treats and toys etc. but nothing worked. When we found out Jaffa was pregnant we separated them for her safety and they haven't seen each other since. We keep her in the kitten room when Kevin is inside, and let her wander around the house when Kevin is out. I'm hoping when she's spayed he might calm down as, even though he's definitely neutered I guess he can still smell her when she's on heat.

He's not the brightest spark and it took him a while to work out which room they were in but he's now sprayed twice (only very small amounts) on stuff that's near their door, and he's never had an accident in the house before. Sometimes he's fine and just ignores the room and the meowing but he's become a lot more sketchy and egdy lately. It will be hard enough reintroducing him to Jaffa, let alone a new addition.

Any advice on this would be really appreciated, and also if people think I just need to let go and get her a nice new home I need to hear that! DP is sad about it but more rational and thinks ultimately we need to find the kitten another home as it's not fair on Kev, and we had him first. I just really want to keep her

Sounds like Kevin is going to go for Jaffa whether or not you keep the kitten. What if he likes the kitten and still hates her?

Yeah he definitely will and we'll have to do another slow reintroduction. We got them at the same time so I sort of feel like they should be the priority, and adding a kitten to the mix will be even more stressful for him.

Google Jackson Galaxy for some ideas on reintroduction

It sounds stressful for all involved!
Looking at logically I would try and rehome either Kevin or Jaffa, it’s not fair on either of them to feel so stressed. Can they be in the same room at all?

Easier said than done when you have grown fond of them though!

I havent seen any of your kittens for ages! I think i lost that thread. I dont think the kitten will make much difference tbh. Keep it 🙂

I think we're going to try to re-home a kitten rather than Kevin or Jaffa, and just reintroduce them very very slowly. If they can get to a stage where they just tolerate each other I'll be ecstatic! Jaffa had an accident in the living room over the weekend and even after I cleaned it up, when Kevin smelled it later on he peed all over the wall . He never did this before the kittens arrived so I think sadly they're the problem for him.

EachandEveryone ah hello! Here's an updated kitty photo

Oops it didn't load before. Hopefully this works.

Are you quite sure that he has been neutered, and that it was successful?

Do any of the kittens look like Kevin? (just asking...!)

Get a water pistol, if he goes near her squirt him.

Cats have 'own' territory and shared. Both need to be able to ge about literally without crossing paths, cats crossother cats territory high up if they can, hence why you see them walking on the top of fences.

If you can make a high pathwayfor Jaffa, using book cases, furniture, toy box, anything to hand both will be happier.

Cats also 'time share' outside space so if one goes out in the garden i the morning and the other in the evening they will probably tolorateit as a shared space.

Cats' Protection sponsor PhD students to undertake research on cat behaviour, try calling your local help line, you will get some advice but they can also ask the experts and come back to you.

sashh thank you that's really helpful, were decorating at the moment as well so the house is a bit upside down but hoping to put some higher walkways up. Kevin loves sleeping on the top of our wardrobe!

Kev is definitely neutered, Jaffa had to stay indoors for the first month after we got them as she had a foot injury, so if Kevin wasn't done she'd have got pregnant a lot sooner.

When I took a stray cat in, my (neutered) boy cat lost the plot a bit when she went into heat. He’d never sprayed in the house before but started then, was always following her around and trying it on (biting her neck!). He really didn’t like her for ages, even after she was spayed. He’d try and fight with her after she used the litter tray.

Now they tolerate each other, but keep to their own territory in the house. They’re better when they’re outside though.

Male cat also doesn’t spray anymore, but he does ‘threaten’ to, if I don’t let him out or follow him the second he wants me to. So the connection of spray/react has stayed with him.

I think it’s very possible once things have calmed down in general, Kev will also.

I think I’d be tempted to rethink and rehome Kevin , it sounds like he might be happier in a single cat household .

boringly that gives me hope! We have talked about potentially having to face the reality of rehoming Kevin if nothing improves but we want to have Jaffa spayed first and see if that improves the situation. If not, we'll need to consider that as an option as much as it would break my heart

They did sometimes get along, so I just want to hold onto the hope he can be more tolerant once she's neutered!