Adopted stray male cat - other 2 male cats not pleased (kitten, felines)

[VermontCatLover]

Hello!

I have 2 male neutered cats, Lexy and Crawford. They are indoor cats, about 2 and 5 years old. There is a house across from mine that had 3 cats living in it. My cats watched them out the window and when Crawford was allowed out, he often got into altercations with them.

The people who lived in this house were hoarders with drug problems. They recently abandoned their home and their pets. I found one of their cats starving and dirty and coaxed him into my house.

I was hoping to find him a home through the local Humane Society but they did not have an opening until January. But the moment this timid, frightened cat sat on my lap and purred, I knew I was a goner.

Loki now has a clean bill of health ($1000 in vet bills later) and is a transformed cat. *He is worm-free, giardia-free, flea-free and no longer anemic. His coat is shiny and soft and he is quite the constant groomer.

The hoarders lived in flea infested filth, cat feces everywhere. So this all must be quite a change for him. I imagine he had to forage for kitchen scraps and compete with 2 other cats and 2 other dogs for food and attention. Not to mention the months on his own once they left.

So here is the problem. I did the slow introduction over a period of weeks and the 3 boys tolerate one another well enough. Lexy was the top cat prior to Loki's arrival but there has been quite a shake up.

Loki is the boss and Crawford can't stand him. Craws yowls And Loki growls. They sometimes come to blows. Only one scab so far. It occasionally escalates but think it is more posturing than violent. I do trust them enough to leave them alone together.

I have feliway. I feed them separately because Loki is ravenous. I Try to give all of them attention and playtime.

I have a suspicion that Crawford will never accept Loki. Lexy is ambivalent but he does not love being cat #2.

Especially since Loki will not let anyone else play when he is around. Which is funny because Lexy used to bogart the toys from Crawford. And now the tables have turned.

Loki is a sweet cat. I try to be gentle with him as he can be temperamental. But seeing him blossom into a healthy happy cat has been such a treat for me and my vet. But I don't want to upset my first 2 kids by keeping him.

I know there is no definitive answer regarding cat psychology but does anyone have advice? How long should I try this situation out? At what point should I Try to find Loki another loving home? *He is a beautiful cat so I bet I could. But if we could be one happy family, that would be even better!

Thanks!

[jasper12]

Sometimes some cats will never get along, and just live a non peaceful co-existence. We got Mickey when Pierre was 9 yo, Pierre (nuetered male) started marking everything. He hated Mickey. Hissed at him, bit him, Mickey liked Pierre, and eventually as Pierre got older, Mickey would groom him. Pierre died at 19, towards the end, he tolerated Mickey.

[texan2yankee]

As a long time cat foster volunteer for a local rescue, I can so relate to your story of nursing a mistreated, frightened, homeless cat back to emotional and physical health, falling in love and wanting to keep him. However, sometimes the most loving, selfless thing to do is to be willing to let the rehabilitated cat be adopted into a forever home with someone else.

You have done a wonderfully kind thing for Loki, VermontCatLover, whatever you decide to do. I loved reading your post.

[VermontCatLover]

Thanks very much!

Mickey and Pierre sound like a sweet pair. Did Mickey change when Pierre died?

Texan2yankee - yes, I think you are right and I am just trying to figure out how Long to wait before looking into that. I know a sweet couple who just lost their cat, thought they may be a good match.

I can't blame Crawford for disliking Loki - he has been fighting with him for territory for a long time. Lexy and Loki do wrestle but there is no hissing involved so I think it is playing.

I'm going to avoid the humane society if I can since they have so many cats to rehome already. But I do want to do what is best for all 3 felines. And I think Loki deserves a good home after his earlier trauma.

Thanks for doing what you do texan2yankee. Seeing unloved kitties with no homes breaks my heart. So good to see people doing the right thing and sharing their homes.

[jasper12]

Well, the irony, is that when Pierre died, we got a kitten, because Mickey, at age 15, did not like children, and I had kids by that time, so we got a kitten for the kids. Mickey was not sure why we had to get a kitten...he did not like the new kitten much. But he never started marking. And he was nicer to the kitten, than Pierre ever was to him.

Just put an ad on CL, that is where I got my last cat..and he has a great forever home.

[VermontCatLover]

Well Mickey sounds like a sweetie. No wonder he managed to win Pierre over! Cats are such curious creatures.