September 10, 2004

How to introduce a cat to a house with a dog


Q: We own a dog and my children really want a cat, too. What’s the proper way to introduce them?

A: Dogs and cats can learn to get along with one another in the same household if you follow these simple rules:
—Don’t allow your dog to approach the cat initially. You may think that your dog just wants to be friends, but a cat will tolerate so much sniffing before she decides to run with Fido right on her feline heels. Dogs like to chase small creatures—that is part of their hunting instincts. Keep your dog in a down/stay position whenever the cat is in the room. That way he is under control while the cat can gain some confidence around him.

If your dog ignores your verbal “NO” or “OFF” commands, then keep him on a leash in the house until you can learn to verbally control him. Just let your dog drag a six to ten-foot leash around the house behind him so you can stop him easily.

You can also use a squirt bottle to douse Fido in the face should he try to get on Fluffy’s case. Praise your dog as soon as he stops chasing the cat. If you cannot get a handle on Fido’s behavior, a good quality training class can put you back in control of Fido so Fluffy can enjoy her new home too!

—Allow the cat to hide. Do not force a meeting between the two. Allow Fluffy to investigate Fido on her own time—just make sure Fido is not allowed to chase her at ANY time. Give her a quiet room to escape to with her food, out of reach of Fido as well. It may take as long as eight to ten weeks before your cat will adjust to sharing her home with your dog.

—Keep Fido and Fluffy separated when you are not home. Until you feel that Fido is not going to terrorize the cat, then do not leave them alone. Either put the cat in a room with the door closed (make sure the cat has a litter box in there as well as some toys and water) or put your dog into confinement (such as a crate placed in your house).

—Reward any positive interaction between the two. Every time Fido lets Fluffy approach him or lets Fluffy walk by him without chasing her, PRAISE him and say in a happy voice “GOOODDD DOGGG! WHAT A GOOOOD BOY YOU ARE!”

—Give Fido an outlet for his chase behavior. Make sure Fido gets plenty of exercise to help keep him calm. Teach your dog to chase a ball, Frisbee, or squeaky toy rather than the cat. Do not allow your dog to chase ANY small animals. That will only undermine training Fido to leave your new cat alone.

If you continue to have problems even after you have tried the above recommendations, you can go to the Ask the Behaviorist page at http://www.hssv.org/behavior/ask.htm, or call the FREE Animal Behavior Helpline at (408) 727-3383, ext. 753.