Introducing a cat and dog - How hard can it be?
Discussion
Hi folks. First post here. I'm looking for a bit of guidance to help with a potentially tricky problem.
Setting the scene...
The current MrsC70R has a beautiful little French Bulldog (18mths), male and snipped. I have a lovely Battersea rescue housecat (3yrs), female and speyed.
We currently live apart but spend a lot of time at each other's houses. For the meantime, it would be helpful if we could get the pair to live in relative harmony for short periods. In the long-term, we are likely to be moving in together, thus bringing their (respective) comfortable worlds crashing down.
The complication...
The dog has been mothered to death, and is wilfully disobedient. For her sins, MrsC70R has compensated for going to work every day (a walker comes twice a day) by smothering the dog to death, and slightly neglecting discipline and training. This is in the process of being resolved, but it's a bit of an uphill battle with a boisterous, affectionate puppy.
The cat was a Battersea rescue after being abandoned by her previous owners (locked in an empty flat without food for 3wks), and is incredibly timid as a result. She's had a very easy life of roaming my flat (literally no interest in open doors or going outside) and sleeping in the sun, and generally doesn't want for attention.
The request...
I'm basically looking for some advice about socialising this pair, and working towards them 'co-habiting' over the next few months. A brief introduction (both held, at a distance of about 2m) was met with boundless enthusiasm from the dog, and abject terror from the cat.
We had thought of using a baby gate to segregate the pair until they get used to each other in the same space, but I'm keen to hear others' success (and failure) stories.
Thanks!
Setting the scene...
The current MrsC70R has a beautiful little French Bulldog (18mths), male and snipped. I have a lovely Battersea rescue housecat (3yrs), female and speyed.
We currently live apart but spend a lot of time at each other's houses. For the meantime, it would be helpful if we could get the pair to live in relative harmony for short periods. In the long-term, we are likely to be moving in together, thus bringing their (respective) comfortable worlds crashing down.
The complication...
The dog has been mothered to death, and is wilfully disobedient. For her sins, MrsC70R has compensated for going to work every day (a walker comes twice a day) by smothering the dog to death, and slightly neglecting discipline and training. This is in the process of being resolved, but it's a bit of an uphill battle with a boisterous, affectionate puppy.
The cat was a Battersea rescue after being abandoned by her previous owners (locked in an empty flat without food for 3wks), and is incredibly timid as a result. She's had a very easy life of roaming my flat (literally no interest in open doors or going outside) and sleeping in the sun, and generally doesn't want for attention.
The request...
I'm basically looking for some advice about socialising this pair, and working towards them 'co-habiting' over the next few months. A brief introduction (both held, at a distance of about 2m) was met with boundless enthusiasm from the dog, and abject terror from the cat.
We had thought of using a baby gate to segregate the pair until they get used to each other in the same space, but I'm keen to hear others' success (and failure) stories.
Thanks!
Not really helpful but when we introduced our elderly cat to our re-homed Frenchie we just let them get on with it, soon a hierarchy was sorted; the cat was the boss, and they got on, she was PTS a few months later though as she was 21 odd and not in great health.
We had another cat at the time who is still with us, she is so chilled she just didn't care and kept out of the way.
Probably helped though that we had a dog prior to Daisy (Frenchie), so the cats were used to a dog.
We had another cat at the time who is still with us, she is so chilled she just didn't care and kept out of the way.
Probably helped though that we had a dog prior to Daisy (Frenchie), so the cats were used to a dog.
Thanks for that. A few friends with dogs and cats have reported similar apathy when their animals were introduced, and I had thought of just letting them get on with it. However, given the slightly 'different' nature of the subjects in question, I thought it might be worth seeking some advice. My fear is that the dog will intimidate the hell out of an already timid cat, and undo 2yrs of hard work to bring her out of her shell. My hope is that a bit of discipline for the dog will help matters, but time will tell.
There will be lots of different approaches you can try.
However, how likely is it that the cat will tear the face off the dog?
Is the dog allowed on the furniture?
Do you have any glass doors? Does the cat have a cat tree?
The first thing I would be doing is keeping them in separate rooms but next door so each can smell the other. Then trade the towel/vet bed from their beds so they each smell of each other. Then introductions with the cat on the cat tree with the dog on the floor. Feed each of them a treat whilst they are near each other. Then remove one of them from that room and do this again each day for a fair few days until they are used to just getting the food and not so much in each other....
I basically got this to the position where I would sit on the floor and have the dogs and cats sat waiting for their treats from me, paying no attention to each other. But it took time and a fair few attempts before the cats would relax
However, how likely is it that the cat will tear the face off the dog?
Is the dog allowed on the furniture?
Do you have any glass doors? Does the cat have a cat tree?
The first thing I would be doing is keeping them in separate rooms but next door so each can smell the other. Then trade the towel/vet bed from their beds so they each smell of each other. Then introductions with the cat on the cat tree with the dog on the floor. Feed each of them a treat whilst they are near each other. Then remove one of them from that room and do this again each day for a fair few days until they are used to just getting the food and not so much in each other....
I basically got this to the position where I would sit on the floor and have the dogs and cats sat waiting for their treats from me, paying no attention to each other. But it took time and a fair few attempts before the cats would relax
HTP99 said:
we just let them get on with it, soon a hierarchy was sorted; the cat was the boss,
This. BUT make sure they both have room to get away, don't force them into the same space. My Mum and Aunt once introduced their cat to a new puppy by holding them up to each other. The cat lashed out in panic and the pup was blind in one eye for the rest of it's life.Jasandjules said:
There will be lots of different approaches you can try.
However, how likely is it that the cat will tear the face off the dog?
Is the dog allowed on the furniture?
Do you have any glass doors? Does the cat have a cat tree?
The first thing I would be doing is keeping them in separate rooms but next door so each can smell the other. Then trade the towel/vet bed from their beds so they each smell of each other. Then introductions with the cat on the cat tree with the dog on the floor. Feed each of them a treat whilst they are near each other. Then remove one of them from that room and do this again each day for a fair few days until they are used to just getting the food and not so much in each other....
I basically got this to the position where I would sit on the floor and have the dogs and cats sat waiting for their treats from me, paying no attention to each other. But it took time and a fair few attempts before the cats would relax
This basically relays a lot of what I've read on the web, and was the advice I had thought to follow. Glad to hear that this works in the real world as well as on the web.However, how likely is it that the cat will tear the face off the dog?
Is the dog allowed on the furniture?
Do you have any glass doors? Does the cat have a cat tree?
The first thing I would be doing is keeping them in separate rooms but next door so each can smell the other. Then trade the towel/vet bed from their beds so they each smell of each other. Then introductions with the cat on the cat tree with the dog on the floor. Feed each of them a treat whilst they are near each other. Then remove one of them from that room and do this again each day for a fair few days until they are used to just getting the food and not so much in each other....
I basically got this to the position where I would sit on the floor and have the dogs and cats sat waiting for their treats from me, paying no attention to each other. But it took time and a fair few attempts before the cats would relax
vanordinaire said:
HTP99 said:
we just let them get on with it, soon a hierarchy was sorted; the cat was the boss,
This. BUT make sure they both have room to get away, don't force them into the same space. My Mum and Aunt once introduced their cat to a new puppy by holding them up to each other. The cat lashed out in panic and the pup was blind in one eye for the rest of it's life.As others have said, make sure the cat doesn't feel trapped. Your idea of a gate seems like a good idea. Cats tend to feel safest up high so a cat tree where the cat can look down at the dog from a place of safety is ideal.
When we brought home our rescue dog we kept her on a lead and allowed the cat time to get used to her. After a few days we misjudged things and allowed the dog off lead and her first instinct was to chase the cat. Luckily in our case the cat is a Bengal and he stood his ground and very quickly established that he was the boss and has been telling the dog what to do ever since.
We have 2 other cats, who are much more timid. It took at least a month for them to feel comfortable around the dog. We kept the dog's focus on us by doing lots of training with treats until everyone settled down.
It was stressful at the time, but these days I often come home to find the dog and a cat curled up together.
Good luck!
When we brought home our rescue dog we kept her on a lead and allowed the cat time to get used to her. After a few days we misjudged things and allowed the dog off lead and her first instinct was to chase the cat. Luckily in our case the cat is a Bengal and he stood his ground and very quickly established that he was the boss and has been telling the dog what to do ever since.
We have 2 other cats, who are much more timid. It took at least a month for them to feel comfortable around the dog. We kept the dog's focus on us by doing lots of training with treats until everyone settled down.
It was stressful at the time, but these days I often come home to find the dog and a cat curled up together.
Good luck!
Erasmia said:
As others have said, make sure the cat doesn't feel trapped. Your idea of a gate seems like a good idea. Cats tend to feel safest up high so a cat tree where the cat can look down at the dog from a place of safety is ideal.
When we brought home our rescue dog we kept her on a lead and allowed the cat time to get used to her. After a few days we misjudged things and allowed the dog off lead and her first instinct was to chase the cat. Luckily in our case the cat is a Bengal and he stood his ground and very quickly established that he was the boss and has been telling the dog what to do ever since.
We have 2 other cats, who are much more timid. It took at least a month for them to feel comfortable around the dog. We kept the dog's focus on us by doing lots of training with treats until everyone settled down.
It was stressful at the time, but these days I often come home to find the dog and a cat curled up together.
Good luck!
Thanks kindly. That all makes excellent sense!When we brought home our rescue dog we kept her on a lead and allowed the cat time to get used to her. After a few days we misjudged things and allowed the dog off lead and her first instinct was to chase the cat. Luckily in our case the cat is a Bengal and he stood his ground and very quickly established that he was the boss and has been telling the dog what to do ever since.
We have 2 other cats, who are much more timid. It took at least a month for them to feel comfortable around the dog. We kept the dog's focus on us by doing lots of training with treats until everyone settled down.
It was stressful at the time, but these days I often come home to find the dog and a cat curled up together.
Good luck!
condor said:
Is probably a good idea to make sure the dog understands/obeys the 'leave' command too.
Yeah... him responding to even the most basic commands was pretty much non-existent when I met MrsC70R. Thing are moving in the right direction, but slowly. It's hard to undo 18mths of bad habits so quickly!Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff