New kittens and depressed cat

Question
Hi,
2 days ago we adopted two adorable black, 8-week old kittens, one male and one female.  We already have an extremely spoiled female cat, Karma, who is 2.5 years old.  I am keeping the kittens in my bedroom until they get comfortable around the house and until Karma gets comfortable with them.  A few days before bringing the kittens home, we gave Karma a blanket with the scent of the kittens, and she sniffed it and seemed completely fine.  After having the kittens home for a few hours, we put them in a crate and brought them into the family room where Karma was sleeping, and left the crate on the floor.  Karma hissed a few times and took shelter under a table and watched them...I thought this was a pretty normal reaction.  The next day (this afternoon), Karma was sleeping in a bathroom towel closet, and so I took the opporunity to let the kittens explore the rest of the house.  Before I could catch her, one of the kittens ran into the bathroom.  I ran after her and picked her up, and when Karma saw this she started hissing and ran under a bed.  I put the kitties away and went to see if Karma was ok, but she hissed and growled at me when I went near her.  Now, after a few hours, Karma is still looking very depressed and listless, and hisses and growls at me when I try to pet her.  She only does this with me, no one else in my family.  I find this very upsetting, since she is my "baby" and she has never hissed at me before.  I am feeling incredibly guilty for bringing these kittens into the house.  Do you have any advice?  Will Karma be upset with me forever?  and what's the best way to continue with introducing the kitties to Karma?

Thanks so much for your help,
Steph  

Answer
Hi Steph.  Cats definitely have a jealous streak, and they definitely can hold a grudge.  They have the emotional intelligence of a 2-year-old child and certainly become disgruntled when they feel attention is being drawn away from them, or when they feel they have to share THEIR property.  It really is not all that different from bringing a newborn home to a toddler.  Some jealousy is to be expected.  And while it's heartbreaking for you, it's normal.  Cats are generally forgiving creatures, and I think she'll have forgiven you within the next few days.  In the meantime, try not to take it to heart.  Hissing usually isn't as bad as it sounds.

You should continue introducing them in the way you are doing now.  Limit visit time to 15 minutes, a couple times a day.  And make a place where Karma can go that the kittens can't.  She needs to be allowed somewhere where she can go without feeling threatened at all, so she can take things at her own pace.

Try giving Karma extra treats, toys, and attention.  If she's too upset with you to take treats from your hand, let her see you leave them for her.  If she won't accept petting, just speak gently to her.  While this may sound silly, squint your eyes at her.  This is the equivalent of a smile to a cat.  If you do it a few times, she'll probably do it back.

I suggest to use mealtime to your advantage in this situation.  Enjoying a tasty meal is a positive time the cats can have together.  Start by feeding Karma and the kittens at opposite ends of the room.  Move their bowls a little closer together at each meal, until they're a few feet away.  They'll all come to associate each other's presence with an enjoyable experience.

Another thing that I suggest to every cat owner while introducing cats is a product called Feliway.  Feliway is a synthetic facial pheromone, a hormone cats release through their cheek glands that helps comfort and relax them.  During introductions, Feliway helps reduce stress and prevent anxiety and depression.  The product is available in a spray bottle or a plug-in diffuser.  I recommend the diffuser, since it's easier to use.  You can learn more and order through their site, www.feliway.com.  It's also available at pet stores.

If she stops eating or is withdrawn for more than another day or two, I'd suggest to get her to the vet, just to make sure nothing physical is going on by coincidence.