The solution is nigh

The lovely gypaetus and my vet in Vienna both gave me good advice re. introducing Lola to ze boyz. Before that happens she has of course to be tested for FIP -- if she carries the virus, the plan is dead -- and if she's clean, we'll start the experiment. Just as I'd thought, we'll begin by putting her in a solid carrier and putting her in different rooms in my flat, first for maybe half an hour, after a few days for a bit longer, and if things look promising, the real experiment may begin, i.e. the three would meet without walls and bars between them.

I also wrote Alexandra a mail today, first telling her that everything's fine here, then suggesting that absences must be coordinated in advance (mentioning summer and Xmas), and finally telling her that I still think a second cat would be the best solution, but that I'd talked to a couple of people about the threesome possibility. And that we ought to discuss the overall situation once she's back.
The answer arrived a short time later, with a detailed schedule till the middle of June, and she promised to have the FIP test done next week, so we can start the threesome project, which she'd like very much.

I think I did it right, because IMO it's better to prepare people and give them time to think things over -- now she's made a commitment re. schedule planning, and she knows that I want to discuss the situation, so I suppose The Conversation will be easier this way, given that there's no evil intent on either side.

Cat-crazy person that I am, I really, really hope that the FIP test will be as negative as the introductions will be positive. If that goes well, I think ze boyz might really benefit from a younger cat spending time with them -- hell, Cornelius might lose weight, and if he can lord it over not one but two other cats, Lucius might feel a bit better about being the beta cat. The good thing is that the whole plan doesn't entail much risk -- after two or three sessions in the carrier it should become clear whether there is any chance of friendship or not, and since Lola won't be allowed to leave the cage until it's as safe as can be, there won't be any injuries etc. Maybe ze boyz will be slightly pissed-off, but I guess we all can live with that. (So long as they don't pee in my shoes)

Keep your fingers crossed, people. (Says the woman who had sworn never to have more than two cats. But I clearly hadn't considered the possibility of an intermittent threesome. Why am I convinced that in the end I'll be stuck with three cats?)