Its sad they think their ambush was any kind of gotcha for the Zell, they embarassed the shit out of themselves.
I still jokingly ask if someone even said thank you when presented with a basic reasonable inquiry I cant answer or want to ironically/arbitrarily rebuff
Thats honestly mostly a discipline issue. My oldest (first) still occasionally unduly swats or attacks the third most recent but its increasingly rare as everyone ages and I discourage it every time very thoroughly to the point she knows its bullshit that needs to stop.
On the balance, it will almost never be unworth it provided you own and exercise exclusive disciplinary response to each outburst consistently.
They dont have to like or love each other but they can certainly learn to coexist relatively peacefully and ultimately neithher will ever be able to express the loneliness inreferred to previously. There is always another cat, even if they arent crazy about each other for even a good while initially.
Things will balance out, just requires considtency and letting the agressor known its not cool when it happens
I hate to frame it this way but I had this more or less but i know from when the third buffer cat was missing for a night that it still resolved the issue.
When my third cat was missing snd it was onlu the two (who hate each other), it still prevented thr daily lonely yowl (she was spayed so it wasn sexual)
This just isnt the point you think it is. Even if the cats fundamentally dislike each other, there is still a conserved sense or community that prevents them from acting like you have left them all forlorn and alone. Its just my experience
Cats do not see humans as their counterparts in the same way that prevents the likd of expressed lonliness i experienced, even with many toys and a very cat-optimized environment
I'll just say its super easy for a single cat to get lonely and for you to not be enough to keep it feeling socially engaged or entertained or whatever. They are very much social creatures, even if they dont like each other and obviously they as beggars dont get to be choosers but its something I recommend, even if you have to stagger it out (get used to the workflow with one cat then surprise it with a mate later)
I kind of wish I had been in a circumstance to immediately get a second (my first likely would have been better socialized and less rough in playing which i cant do with her because she goes for blood in the absence or a playmate early) but then my third would not have ended up in the roster so it all works out either way but I do recommend it if they are all neutered/spayed and shots etc are up to date
Try not to take it personally, like yes they want to move cats so theres room for new arrivals and all that but its not a bad idea for the cats' wel-being and taking pressure of you to be its chronic focused entertainer.
There is also a deep joy in watching the two of them develop their own little world between them, seeing them chase each other or compete for shit, and establish their little internal "Pecking Order" that you get to be a fly on the wall for. Its like free AnimalPlanet or some shit haha, little domestic Lions
Love this. Might actually watch a debate if the R doesnt back down. Should be an engaging and even-handed affair