Introducing a New Dog

Introduce Cats to a New Dog

As some of you know, I have my wonderful assistant Ruthie, and she always has great cat information for me since she has fifteen cats on her eight-acre farm. Ruthie has been working with a breeder to rescue a dog named Skye. On December 29, we all welcomed Skye home.

This gave me an idea for a great tip this week: How to introduce your cats to a new dog. I have enjoyed Ruthie’s stories, and there are some great lessons and tips in them. Above all, try to take several days to two weeks to introduce everyone. I understand that this may not be possible in some situations, but the more time you can take, the less stressful the situation will be for you and your cats.

Find a Secure Place for the Dog

Start out with a secure place in your house for the dog. I suggest a crate or Vari-Kennel. The dog is crated and can’t get to the cats, but the cats have full run of the house, and they're able to see and smell the new dog. Make sure you have gates to block off the room that the dog will spend the most time in, so that the cats will be able to get away from him if necessary.

The kitchen is usually a good room to use, as it tends to be centrally located in the house. Make sure all cat dishes are off the floor and block off the room where the cat litter boxes are because some dogs can't them. If the litter boxes are in the kitchen, you should consider moving them or segregating them so the dog can’t get to them. The biggest thing to remember is that you need to be patient.

It's important to make sure you have plenty of places for the cat(s) to get away from the dog. If you have a tall cat tree, consider moving it into the room where the dog crate is so the cat gets used to all the sounds the dog makes (i.e. snoring, huffing, barking, moving in the crate). This may sound trivial, but if your cat isn’t used to living with a dog, this is a major household change, and you need to make the transition as easy as possible.

Don’t force the cat to interact with the dog; this will only make the animals angry and unhappy with you. It could also lead to inappropriate marking of the house because the cat will try to let the dog know that this territory is theirs. Also, it is very important to crate the dog for the first several weeks, if you are not going to be home and be able to supervise everyone.

I don’t normally suggest feeding your dog in their crate, but in this situation it is a good idea until the cat has a better chance to get acclimated. You want the cat to leave the dog’s food alone, and if the dog thinks his food is going to be taken away by the cat, he may become aggressive. This way, everyone is safe.

Keep a Lead on the Dog

It is also good to have a six foot lead on the dog at all times during the beginning. The purpose of the leash is that you have something you can grab to get control over the dog if there is an issue with the dog chasing the cat. This gives the cat a chance to get away quickly. Make sure when you are getting ready to walk the dog, that you have a tight grip on the leash. If any of the cats are outside waiting to come in, you don’t want the dog to lunge at them and chance getting swatted with a paw full of claws or bitten on the nose.

Using these solutions will help keep the peace in your house and enable you to keep your sanity. Remember to be patient and try to keep your temper in check. It can be a frustrating time, but as Ruthie has been telling me, it is well worth the effort.

“Remember the animals in your life are not just your pets they’re your friends” WNR

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• Thanksgiving Leftovers Cat Treats
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• Disaster Preparedness