Introducing Your New Cat to a Dog Household

Introduction

You may have heard the phrase, to fight like cat and dog, but this need not be the case! It is also true that cats and dogs can be perfect housemates and live in perfect harmony, even becoming inseparable friends who nap together.

Achieving this can take both time and patience. The personalities and temperaments of the two animals will have an effect on how long it will take before they live peacefully together.

Try to have realistic expectations - cats and dogs introduced from kittens and puppies are more likely to get on much quicker than 8-year-old cats and dogs who have never shared a room with the other animal.

Introducing a new feline member to the family is a special and exciting time but can be a little overwhelming for all concerned. By following the below tried and tested steps, you can work your way to a blissful household!

Kitty Confinement

Firstly, we need to let kitty get settled into their new home and surroundings for a couple of days, ideally in a safe room, before being introduced to the dog.

This will also give them time to become comfortable with you. Keep them in a separate room from the dog, with food, water, toys and litter tray. Animals rely greatly on their sense of smell, as they use scents to communicate and also collect information.

Swap your pet's beddings to familiarise them with each other's scent, stroke each pet and let the other sniff your hand. Try putting each animal's bowls on either side of the door (not too close), then feed them at the same time, so they can smell each other, associating their scent with something happy - eating!

If your dog gets pushy during kitty confinement and wants to see behind the door, make sure to distract them with treats and toys until they feel more relaxed and less interested.

Exploration

Once your kitty is out of confinement, it may still take some time before your new feline friend feels confident in their new home, so give kitty the entire house to explore without the dog. 

Put pooch in their favourite room (where they're most relaxed), or get someone to take them out for a walk, so it is less stressful for kitty.

This way, the cat can familiarise themselves at their own pace with the surroundings and scents and become comfortable.

The First Introduction

Slow, gradual introductions help reduce fear and aggression in both pets.

Keep it casual and relaxed since both animals need to be calm. You could take your dog for a long walk beforehand to wear them out. Put a lead on your dog and keep a firm grip on both animals, but with a loose lead on our Canine chap, if one seems too excitable, aggressive or uneasy, stop immediately and try again later.

Do not force it - let them sniff one another and reward each animal for their good, calm behaviour with treats and a little fussing. After a short while, separate them again and make a big fuss of each animal in separate rooms. It's a good idea to have someone with you to praise both animals at once, if not, you can do this separately. You should aim to keep the introduction meetings short to keep stress to a minimum.

If you are quite nervous, you can start with a visual introduction and have them on either side of a baby gate - that way, they can see each other from a safe distance.

Repeat!

The introduction meetings should take place 2 or 3 times each day for the first few days to familiarise themselves with one another.

Be patient, as, in time, they will be able to interact freely without any signs of fear or aggression. Once they are calm around each other, you can then let the cat move about freely and have the dog lie down whilst being given treats and rewarded with plenty of "good boys!".

If your dog jumps up, your cat runs away or becomes aggressive, stop and try again with the first introduction steps. You may find it takes a couple of weeks until both animals are comfortable with each other to have your dog off the lead around your new furry member of the family.

Remove Barriers

Allow all your animals full access to the house, without a lead, but still supervised. If you notice your cat or dog is feeling anxious, allow the barriers to be placed again.

You can also install somewhere high up where kitty can retreat and feel safe, such as a tall cat tree or scratching post for a quick escape. This will also be a good idea in the home, even when you feel comfortable enough to leave them alone unsupervised.

Placement

Unfortunately, dogs will eat pretty much anything, including cat food, and can even stretch to cat poop! To avoid this nasty habit, ensure that you keep the cat food out of reach of the dog in a cupboard or high up, and place the litter box somewhere the dog doesn't have access to, such as behind a baby gate or a room with a slightly open door that the cat can fit through, but the dog can't.

Extra Tips to Try

• If the introductions are not going well, it may be wise to seek the professional help of a trained behaviourist.
• Make sure not to use negative reinforcements with your cat or dog, only positive ones. You want them to know good things happen in the new animal's presence!
• Do not leave the animals unsupervised together - particularly if your new feline friend is a kitten
• If you have more than one dog, introduce each of them to the cat individually

We hope these helpful tips come in handy for your new furry member of the family. 

Need a Professional Cat Sitter?

When you need a cat sitter, do not hesitate to find your local cat butler.

Sandra James

Owner & Founder

The Cat Butler was set up by Sandra James in recognition of the fact that a stay in a cattery can be unsettling for many cats and also their owners.