I adopted two baby girl calicos in November, with a slow introduction to my resident cat (male). He was not impressed from the start but after keeping them apart and having scent swaps and all that jazz he was slowly accepting and tolerating with a minor case of hissing now and again. They were eating their supper together within weeks when my eldest seemed like he wanted to join the kittens during their supper time.l which was a great step forward. They have all their meals together now - fine no problems when they are eating, he will even let the kittens run up against him without any hissing or yowling (they bloody adore him so clearly they find it hard to stay away and not love him)
However, over the last two weeks he has taken such a u turn! Seems stressed and bothered when they are in the same room, will hiss, meow at them even when they are on the other side of the room, and tonight he even randomly ‘ran and ambushed’ one of them. We have tried feliway optimum and supervised time which has made him seem slightly happier with the pheromones, but only if hes on my knee and I’m stroking him whilst the kittens are around - He seems totally happy and purry and in need of belly rubs and comes in for a few kisses. But if I move more than touching distance away from them he starts with the kittens and the grumpiness it’s been exhausting. I work from home so at times when they are all awake and he is home I’ve had to put my work down and tend to him.
Please tell me this will get better in time it’s driving me nuts! Is there anything else we can do? I knew there was a chance they wouldn’t like each other, but he has tolerated many cats and is normally super friendly so we didn’t think we would have too much problems. The kittens will keep their distance now if he hisses which is good they are learning to give him space, but they get excited when he comes home from his strolls and tend to want to be near him and I think that’s why he’s getting stressed again.
Picture in trade of advice and own experiences!