How precious!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I have some pics that I should share as well. I think I'll do that. Thanks for the inspiration.
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KD

Wonderful photos! I just want to pet them all!

Your cats are cool. Love those pics.
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Hi, there,

Wittesea, your cats are gorgeous!

I am a newbie - just found this site today... I have acute painful peripheral and polyneuropathy. This promises to be a wonderful place to network and learn.

I wandered over to the Pets forum, because I have a question... I have three cats, a 9 year old female, a 4.5 year old femal and a 3 month old male. The kitten was just introduced into the house about 12 days ago.

The gang seems to be getting on well: no hissing, no brawling... but the "middle" cat - the 4.5 year old, has started to withdraw from me, and seems depressed (although she does run around with the baby some...). Any suggestions for restoring her spirits, speeding up the acclimation would be greatly appreciated...

I have included pics... First one includes the older two females, Luci and Gigi; the other is the kitten, Bailey. My cats are all three the same breed: Chartreux.

Thanks!

Kurt


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Kurt,

Welcome to NeuroTalk
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You have beautiful cats!

I have also had introduction issues with my 3 cats.

When I introduced Guinness (the youngest) to the family, Winston (the oldest) didn't really care and didn't really react. He had already been through his reaction phase when we introduced him to Marbles, so he was fine.

But Marbles (the middle one) reacted a lot when Guinness came into the house. They got along with each other very well - but Marbles and Guinness were competing with each other for my time and attention. They are both lap cats that want to cuddle and be with me and near me, but they didn't want to share my lap so they would chase each other away from me.

One of the things that helped them to stop was that I designated certain areas for each cat at their "lap and cuddle" place.

When I was on the couch I would call Marbles and give him my attention and I would shoo Guinness away, and when I was on the computer I would invite Guinness and shoo Marbles away. Since I spend equal time in both places they both got equal attention, and they eventually both learned that they can share me without fighting and chasing each other.

At this point, both Marbles and Guinness will cuddle with me no matter where I am sitting. Often I have both of them on my lap
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But during the transition, they both needed to know that they were both still loved and they could both still get atttention without competing with each other.

I also made sure that I was inviting them to sit with me and inviting them to cuddle me... sometimes that meant searching the house for one of them and picking him up to bring him to sit on my lap to get his "turn" to get my time and attention. This was a bit of a pain in the butt at times because of my physical stuff (using a flashkight and crawling on the floor to find a cat that is hiding under the bed is not easy!!).

But it was worth it because in a short amount of time they all realized that I had plently of time and attention for each of them and they all realized that I want to give them that time and attention.

I hope that helps, and I hope that your 3 become good friends without any problems.

And Welcome to NeuroTalk
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Take care,
Liz

Thanks, Wittesea, for the welcome, for sharing your experience and for your suggestions... my experience is that the middle cat is having the difficulties... so I am going to try exactly what you suggest. Will le tyou know how it goes!

really bond to male humans. When the "new male" came, she might be more
attentive to him than you.

We have a middle cat female very devoted to my husband, but when a male
kitten came she really transferred to him. Even after he was neutered she was very attached to him. But then a year and half later he died (sad story won't go into it) and she became very very depressed. Eventually ended up back on my husband's lap! She mourns my husband now every time we go on vacation...when he splits his leave and goes back to work. She assumes he is never coming back. We go thru that every summer.
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What always works for us however is a special treat once each day for each
cat. I make it different for each one so there is no competition for it.
And they get them at different times. Food speaks very loudly to
pets. Your female may perk up quickly with a simple bribe! (and we also make it nutritious).

You have beautiful kitties, Kurt.
I hope they all can learn to get along soon.|
Take care~