My wife and I have a spayed female cat that has allowed us to live with her for a couple of years after we found her starving at my wife's workplace. We agreed to take a female kitten from the wife's sister and then in the interim we purchased a house. The couple we purchased the house from had a 3 year old neutered male cat that they were reluctant to take to their new home due to him being an "outside" cat and a nearby road (translation the lady wanted a cat and the gent didn't want one inside) so we agreed that he could keep his old house with new "staff".

So the mix is we have a 6-7 year old female who's miffed at being moved to a new house, miffed at having a male cat around and just really displeased to the point of hissing and growling at the arrival of a three month old kitten. We have a 3 year old male cat who just wants to be everyone's friend and a kitten who's into everybody's business.

Life is good in the country and I've lived with cats for years but only one at a time. Anyone have any hints on settling the older female down? (Short of mood altering drugs)

And FWIW the male and kitten seem to get along just fine as long as she doesn't pounce in his tail.

There is lots of advice like cage the newcomer for a bit.
But I find they just have to sort it out among themselves, I look after Eight cats now.
Some love each other, others fight like hell.
I've never had an adult cat kill a kitten, though you can see sometimes they sure would like to.

The male may soon rip the female a new one. In door cats only think they are tough.
Then the female will pick on the kitten.

We've had two cats since they were kittens, male & female
Last Nov we had a stray hanging around, he decided to adopt us. Have no idea where he came from , was wearing a collar.
At first the fir would fly, the female cat would get after him. The two males would get into it once in awhilt but for the most part they would just tolerate eachother. They've all pretty much seffled down, barring the occassional scrap. I don't know what triggers it.
I have two dogs, Punkin (new cat) & Murphy (big dog) became pals right off. Usually each night after supper they'll be waiting on the back porch and we do a walk. Make a circle up through the woods, about a mile. Kinda funny, one area is a bit swampy and Punkin will get really vocal as we're walking along like he's cussin' me out for getting his feet wet.





Punkin & Murphy.


Phil

The Tom is a very large and lanky fellow, I'd bet he could do a lot of damage in short order. So he is supervised closely when indoors, but he has been spending the night inside more often instead of "catting around" at night and he's been a good sport so far. I believe he may be looking at conversion to "indoor" cat.

Phil,

We also have an older Lab cross and she intrudes herself between the cats if things get tense. So far she's been a pretty good referee.

It's the females you need to worry about.
Every psycho killer Cat I've ever had has been a female, Toms fight other Toms but some Females I've had will attack anything.

That makes me feel safer, the Tom was playing with the kitten last night and startled her when he play pounced so she "hissed" him up. I actually believe his feelings got hurt, the look on his face was "but she pounced on me first!".

The old female is a lover and not a fighter (or hunter or player) so we may be safe on that account. The kitten was stalking my wildebeest flat skin so she may bear watching.

We actually ended up the night with everyone (except the Lab) on the couch in cat/human/cat/human/cat order. Things may be settling down

Let them be, once they have the dominance issue decided all will be well. They may never really get along but will end up tolerating each other over time. It's just the way they exhibit their "Catitude"

thndrchiken,

I believe you're dead on the mark. The Tom and kitten romp with each other every evening till they pass out, while the female cat sits someplace high and deems them to be beneath her in more ways than one. But the amount of hissing has dropped to next to nothing.