Introducing Dogs & Cats
Introducing your dog and cat is all about patience, space management and being aware of how all animals are feeling.
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Steps for introducing your dog and cat
Introducing your dog and cat is all about patience, space management and being aware of how all animals are feeling. Follow these steps when introducing your dog and cat:
• Introduce your animals in stages. First, introduce them through a closed door and allow them to smell each other through the door, but don’t allow them to be in the open together.
• Give each animal a blanket that smells like the other animal. This will help them get used to each other’s presence.
• After two weeks of blanket swapping, consider a face-to-face introduction. To prepare your dog, take them on a long walk to get rid of excess energy. Then, when you’re ready to introduce your animals, you have two options to ensure everyone is safe: leash both animals or use a baby gate or pet gate to keep them physically separated. Either option works, and the key is providing each animal with a steady flow of treats / rewards throughout the encounter. This will help them develop good associations about each other.
• Practice relaxation exercises. These structured exercises can strengthen your dog's ability to stay calm and recover from heightened states of excitement or anxiety, especially when interacting with the family cat, which can trigger prey behavior.
• If either animal shows signs of stress, separate them immediately. You will also want to take a step back, resume giving each animal a blanket that smells like the other, and retry a face to face introduction in the future.
• Move at the pace of the more tentative animal. Do not move to an off leash experience or allow both animals to free roam until both animals are ready and you are confident that everyone can stay safe and happy.
• Offer both animals a safe space. Even after your dog and cat are living comfortably together, continue to offer each animal a safe space to retreat to whenever they need a break. For your dog, this could mean a crate or mat. For your cat, this could mean a bathroom or laundry room equipped with food, water, a scratching post and bed.
What to do if your dog chases or fixates on your cat
If at any point your dog barks, fixates on your cat, or tries to chase them, take a step back in the process. This means separating your animals, going back to the blanket swapping stage outlined above, and taking additional steps to:
• Provide your cat with vertical spaces. Clean off a bookshelf, the top of the refrigerator or offer your cat a cat tree to make sure your cat always has a place to jump to. This will help keep your cat safe in the event that your dog chases your cat.
• Give your pup appropriate outlets for stalking and chasing. Flirt poles, scent hides and treibball are great options to explore.
Why dogs chase cats
There are a number of reasons that dogs chase cats:
• Their natural instinct to chase. Dogs are natural hunters and many have an innate desire to chase things. As a result, when they see a cat move, they want to chase it.
• They want to play. Some dogs are looking for a playmate. In this case, they chase cats because they think it’s a fun game, and actually want to play.
• They are protecting their territory. If your dog feels like a cat is infringing on their territory, they will chase the cat away.