10 year old cat change in behaviour since we got 2 kittens

[VanessaShanessaJenkins99]

We have had the kittens round 8 week but in the last 2 -3 weeks our 10 year old female cat has been acting strange - she would always sleep on our bed in the day time, sleep outside our bedroom door at night right up to around 3 weeks ago - the kittens are in a spare room at night away from her - but she has started spending her whole day sat on a tea towel in the kitchen - she has been sick a few times but also pooped 3 times in the kitchen - her litter tray is upstairs - today i have cleaned her tray out and put fresh litter in it and put her and the tray and some food in our bedroom with the door shut and the litter tray in the en suite- shes gone in it but she was sat on the window sill when i went to check on her - its not like her to not be flat out on our bed ! Is it likey to do with the kittens being here or shall i get her in at the vets? Xx

Seems most likely to be the kittens that are causing it. Personally I wouldn't introduce kittens to an established cat, particularly not one that's 10 years old, seems rather unfair.

We did so much research before even deciding to get them - she seems fine with them, they all sit with us of an evening on the sofa, she lets them lick her and wash her - just seems odd that shes changed 🤔

It might be the kittens in terms of changes of behaviour/sleeping area, but they aren't going to make her vomit several times. I'd take her to the vet.

When I introduce kittens to older cats, I ensure the older ones have their own space away from the kittens for as long as necessary, sometimes that is a few weeks, sometimes longer. I see you're doing that at night with the kittens kept in the spare room, but you need to do it in the day too - i.e. I would not confine the older cat, I would let her stay in her usual places and keep the kittens away from her.

When we are not here the kittens are seperate - we did the introduction so slowly so not to upset her- like i said she has been fine for the first 5 weeks at least but these past few weeks shes been different- ill book her in with our vet tomorrow xx

She's probably just peed off about the kittens. As they get bigger they'll establish a hierarchy and her nose may well have been put out of joint.
That said her behaviour could also indicate a physical problem. Cats are great at masking pain, and if she perching on tea towels and window sills rather than relaxing in her normal spot, as well as vomiting, then you'd be best to get her checked.

Ill call the first thing and get her booked in xx

Don't assume it's the kittens. While they could be responsible for a change in behaviour and even a change in toileting habits, they're unlikely to cause her to vomit.

I hope you get her seen soon and try not to be too disheartened by some of the comments. Ten isn't ancient for a cat and many older cats happily accept kittens into the house with zero problems. Our 9yo boy loves our kitten and they can often be found spooning in a box

I hope the check-up helps. It does sound more like she’s under the weather than reacting to the kittens.

Our 11-year-old has gone from being a sedate old gentleman to scampering excitedly after toys with our kittens.

He bumps heads with them, waits patiently for them to wake up and doesn’t mind them batting his tail or poking their heads in his food bowl.

We think they’ve given him the kittenhood he didn’t have himself - he had a very bad start in life and it’s something of a miracle he survived it.

The introductions sound perfect and it seems unlikely her symptoms/behaviour are due to the kittens.

I hope you've got a vet appointment now, and they can give you an answer as to what's wrong.

And you are surprised by this behaviour?

I knew what might happen when I got a kitten but I was still taken aback by how many surfaces my 13 year old girl managed to piss on despite having lived with cats and kittens before with no problems.

They get on fine now but I can't get the smell out of everything.