After 14 Months Will My Cats Ever Be Intergrated?

[RufusGizmo]

I have been on this site before with my four cats for various reasons, but i am losing it. i brought home two kittens last october, and have two older cats. we also moved homes at the same time. the cats generally can coexist together, but the older ones still hiss at the younger ones, and still sometimes pounce on them. (no one has ever been hurt). the young ones are super aggressive, and non-stop while the older ones are 13. my sweet 13 year old never hissed a day in his life and has starting hissing at the little ones. it is breaking my heart. obviously after all this time, they are all staying, but can it ever get better, or is this it? they can all be in the same room, and be fine, and sometimes the little guys are able to approach the older ones, and rub against them but that is it.

 

[susanm9006]

If a slap or two and hissing is all that the older do, and everyone is using their litterbox and not hiding, I honestly would be satisfied with that. Thing might improve as the years younger mature- they are still really kittens at one - but even if they don’t, no one sounds really unhappy. I just wouldn’t feel badly if they don’t become friends. Some times the age gap is just too large.

 

[jen]

It sounds like they get along just fine and as expected. You have rambunctious younger ones who annoy the older ones and they let the youngsters know by hissing. There is nothing at all wrong with that and you should be happy they are communicating. It would be like asking a bunch of kids to hang out with teenagers and never expecting a peep of complaints.

Your cats are integrated just fine. Stop stressing and let them be. No one is going to get hurt. They are just communicating.

 

[RufusGizmo]

Thank you so much. That is what my husband keeps saying but the two big ones got on so well together, which they still do for the most part, I feel like I disrupted their lives. I just want them all to be happy. Sometimes I just don’t get cats I feel like they should all be best friends by now

 

[jen]

They could all be best friends and still bicker. You can't force anything on animals, or people for that matter lol. It just doesn't work that way. My cats grew up together and were in the same house for 15 years, and until the day the first one passed away they would sometimes look at each other wrong and hiss or growl or swat. Cats are finicky and territorial and weird. It is what it is. They are fine and loved though and that is all that matters.

 

[ArtNJ]

Jen is right -- sounds like the older ones think the young ones are a PITA when they start flying around, chasing and pouncing. And, once in a while, they forcibly insist on some respect. Pretty normal. Often it only gets better when the youngsters slow down. I'm guessing you'll get closer to toleration, and while there may still be some growling at times, it should be a lot less, and you may even have some small victories too -- maybe some grooming, a short play session now and then.

Don't forget to play with the young ones. As they get older, and their energy decreases, playing may actually make a difference. (When they are young it is like trying to drain the ocean with a thimble.)

You could also watch a "My Cat From Hell" or two. I'll give you the cheat sheet -- he recommends watching where they fight, and adding some elevated cat space there. Meaning cat trees unless your a carpenter or have money to burn. There may be something to it...even when my current two didn't get along hardly at all, the older one would sometimes enjoy a short play session with the younger when she had the high ground (a chair). High ground seems to make cats feel safe.

 

[RufusGizmo]

Thanks for all the replies unfortunately they fight around me. When I get home from work they swarm around me so then they are all excited and too close to one another. My husband is retired so they don’t care about him, lol. In the morning they have a little problem cause about midnight my husband puts the little guys in basement so I can sleep because they won’t let me. I’m up by four and the basement is nice and finished but when they first see each other again they go. At it a little we try and keep the little ones up all night when we can but....

 

[ArtNJ]

Gotcha...so its situations that excite the little ones. Makes total sense, very normal. Maybe encourage your husband not to play with/greet any of them for 10 minutes to reduce excitement when he comes home and gradually ease into interactions.

 

[RufusGizmo]

Total situation the big guys have a lot of places to go and the little ones know kind of not to mess with them in their space. I guess I’m just over anxious. The little ones actually want the big guys to like them and walk up to them and roll over and make little meeping noises with little success unfortunately

 

[RufusGizmo]

i want to thank everyone that responded. I am looking at the cats differently, and starting to see there are many positives between them. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, there have been no major issues. maybe now if i stress less it will have a good affect on them as well. thanks again!

 

[Kflowers]

yep, your cats actually like each other. The older cats are teaching the younger ones manners. This is a good thing. It's difficult for humans to teach cats manners, other cats do it - snap! The younger ones clearly adore the older ones, there is no fear, just 'let me be with you!!!' And the older ones clearly like the younger ones - no blood and they are paying attention to them.

You're good to go.

 

[RufusGizmo]

yay! its been a rough year!