Resident Cat Behavior

[Babypaws]

I’m not sure where I should post this but here goes. I have resident cats, one is 13 years old, (Muffin) the other is 9 years old. (Blacky) They have never gotten along so my poor 13 year old mainly stays in my bedroom. I had a third cat (14years old) who recently passed away (in February). She got along with both cats and seemed more active because she was always roaming around. The 9 year old would sleep downstairs most of the day. But since she passed away Blacky meows a lot more and seems to want to spend more time upstairs. Sometimes she sleeps in my bedroom on a cat tree but Muffin really doesn’t like it and have noticed she won’t jump off the bed to get a drink etc. sometimes I hear them growling at each other and times when Blacky goes after Muffin.
When I hear it I break it up and make Blacky go out of the room. Because Muffin is 13 I don’t want her to get stressed out and have heart issues if that’s possible for cats.
Recently I have befriended a half feral mother cat and her 3 kittens. I brought them inside our porch and want to make them indoor cats. I’ve gradually let them inside part of the house (downstairs) and have closed off the other part with folding doors but have placed a gate so I could gradually introduce Blacky to them. But she seems scared of them and when she sees them she runs upstairs. My main concern is it looks like she’s hardly eating or drinking and have noticed she hasn’t been pooping. I started giving her 1/4 teaspoon of Miralax twice a day for two days now. Not working. She eats very little, about a tablespoon of wet can food. I don’t know what to do.....

 

[Mamanyt1953]

First, can you put mama and babies somewhere that Blackie can't see them? That's the first step. And you don't know if mama and kits have any disease that you do NOT want your resident cats to catch. They should remain in isolation until you have them vet checked. Although Blackie won't be able to see them, she will be able to smell them, and that's enough for now. Place her food and water sources far away from the new-comers. And consider taking Blackie in for a check-up, as well. She's not that old, but 9 is the beginning of the geriatric years for a cat, and a health check if her appetite is off and her litter box habits are not normal is always a good thing!

 

[Kieka]

It sounds like Blacky has had one too many changes for her taste. I'd probably secure the feral mom and kittens in a room as their "foster" room and look into rehoming options for them. They should be fully vetted and spayed/neutered before being introduced to Blacky to reduce chances for disease or the influence of hormones.

 

[Babypaws]

Update...The Miralax finally worked, relieved...as far as the kittens I have been keeping them and the mother cat to themselves in part of the house...I won’t be allowing them to get close to my resident cats until they have all their shots. I am getting the mother cat spayed and the kittens when they are old enough.
I don’t plan on getting rid of them. I have a gate up so they can slowly get acquainted with Blacky. I know it’s going to take time.....

 

[silkenpaw]

Kudos on getting all the new cats spayed/neutered. There will always be kittens, even without their contribution.

I think you have gotten good advice on introducing cats and on making sure any issues are not health related. Make sure Blacky is eating. Not eating can cause hepatic lipidosis in cats, a liver condition that’s not always reversible. I don’t know whether a few tablespoons of food a day qualifies as “eating” as far as the liver is concerned. I do know she needs more to maintain her body.

 

[Babypaws]

Kudos on getting all the new cats spayed/neutered. There will always be kittens, even without their contribution.

I think you have gotten good advice on introducing cats and on making sure any issues are not health related. Make sure Blacky is eating. Not eating can cause hepatic lipidosis in cats, a liver condition that’s not always reversible. I don’t know whether a few tablespoons of food a day qualifies as “eating” as far as the liver is concerned. I do know she needs more to maintain her body.

Since my post I noticed Blacky has eaten some dry food. I feed them all both can food and dry.... she never ate a lot to begin with but is healthy.