Introducing Your New Dog to the Family Cat

Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/introducing-new-dog-to-your-cat/

So you’ve decided to add a dog into your feline-friendly household. Maybe you’ve done the research on which breeds are most apt to get along with cats, you’ve checked out local shelters, and you’ve found the perfect dog that should fit right in with your furry and human family members. How can you make sure that you get everyone started on the right foot? There are a few important steps in the process.

Picking the Right Dog

While there are certain breeds that are generally good with cats, individual dogs can vary. That’s why it’s important to learn about a possible new dog’s attitude toward other animals. A shelter may already be able to offer you information on a particular pup’s experience with cats. If they’ve already lived with cats or haven’t shown any aggressive tendencies when they’re around one, that’s a good sign. However, if they’ve shown a propensity for chasing cats or a strong prey drive, you may want to look elsewhere.

cat dog greeting each other - Introducing Your New Dog to the Family Cat — PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK / ALEXANDR

Another thing to keep in mind is the energy levels of both pets. If you have a senior cat, a low-energy older dog would be a good fit. Matching an older, calm dog with a rambunctious youthful kitty won’t be so fun for the dog, and if you have a senior cat, a hyperactive dog can cause your cat distress. The change of adapting to another animal will already be jarring enough, so matching energy levels and personalities will go a long way.

Keeping the Pets Separate

Once you’ve officially decided on a dog and made sure you’re well-versed on new dog tips, you can begin mixing scents before he arrives to your home so you can get the introductions going early. You can do this by swapping bedding for both animals so they can get to know each other’s scents before they’re even roommates. As you’re getting your home prepared, now’s also the time to start setting up a safe space for your cat. Put their food, water, favorite toys, and beds in a comforting room that the dog won’t be able to access. Also, be sure that your home has plenty of vertical space, like a tall cat tree or cat shelves, to which your feline can escape if she feels overwhelmed.

cat dog happy with each other - Introducing Your New Dog to the Family Cat — PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK / ALEXANDR

When your new dog arrives to his forever home, allow him to explore the home separately from the cat. He can get to know your cat’s scent even better and acclimate to his new surroundings. Periodically, over the next few days, you can then swap them out. Let the cat investigate the rest of the house, where the new scents are, and confine the dog in a room at this time. This way they’re both safe from any possible bad interactions when everything is so new, and they’re getting to know each other gradually.

First Introductions

If your dog is crate trained, that’s a good place to start with a first introduction. Bring the cat into the room with the dog’s crate, but don’t force any interactions. Let them investigate each other at their own pace. It’s also best to ensure that they’re both in a calm mood during this first meeting. Throughout the process, remember to be kind and encouraging to your cat and distract her with pets and affection. Give your dog a toy to use or treats that could also serve as a distraction so he doesn’t become hyper-focused on the cat. The goal is to get them to be relaxed together in the same room.

dog meeting cat boy - Introducing Your New Dog to the Family Cat — PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK / LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS

Once you achieve that level of relaxation, you can progress to having the dog on a leash while the two interact in the same room. Be sure your cat has an escape route, especially vertical space, in case she becomes too overwhelmed. As long as each is behaving kindly toward the other, give them lots of praise and encouragement. If the dog stares too much, use food or a toy to distract him.

If there is any fear or aggression from either pet, you may need to separate them for a time. Then continue to try these supervised, leashed interactions until both animals can remain calm around each other.

Getting Used to Each Other

Once both animals have consistently mastered the leashed interaction, the next step is allowing an unleashed interaction. Don’t be overly concerned if it takes a few weeks to get to this point. When they’re “freely” meeting, ensure that you and a family member or friend are able to step in if things don’t go according to plan. Also, keep your dog’s leash on, just let it drag so it’s available if you need to step in. Again, ensure that your cat has vertical space to which she can retreat.

cat dog on sofa - Introducing Your New Dog to the Family Cat — PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK / ANGELMAKER

As your pets interact in this way, keep an eye on how your dog responds to any warning signs from your cat, like hissing. If he takes the cue and moves off, give him a reward to show that he did the right thing. If he continues to encroach on the cat’s space, distract him and move him further off. Be mindful of how they’re responding to each other, and repeat these supervised interactions for as long as it takes until both animals are calm and you are certain they won’t harm each other. This may also take a few more weeks.

On the Way to Friendship… Or At Least Tolerance

Now that they’ve mastered the unleashed interaction, you can start to leave them alone unsupervised. Be sure that your cat continues to have its own space that the dog cannot access. Even after they have been alone together without incident, continue to monitor for any tension between the two.

If you follow these steps, in time, you may have a formidable feline-canine duo running the house together. At the very least, they’ll be cordial members on opposite sides of the aisle.