Introducing A Puppy To Cats?
November 9, 2009 by admin
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I have two cats who will be around a year and a half next month when the puppy arrives. She is a lab/greyhound cross and will be 8 weeks at the time. I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on introducing them to each other. It is also the first time i will have trained a dog other than a border collie so any advice on how they may differ would be excellent.
Just a small side note, i know someone at some point will try to lecture about neutering. A friend of mine is a vet and the pup is already registered with them, is booked to have her vaccinations the day after her arrival and also has her spay pre booked. She is a shelter dog and i don’t want to add to the unwanted pet problem.
Thanks!!
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Background: I have 2 pit bull mixes (large) weighing in at 93lbs and 82lbs, a cat at 13lbs, and a hatchling Sulcata tortoise (a few oz.). And they can all eat side by side one another without any drama or food stealing. And they’ve actually slept in the same bed together… very funny to see.
We introduced our smaller pit-bull (at 8 weeks) to our cat. You don’t need to let your cats come up and smell the puppy. They’ll be able to smell that puppy right when you come into the house. Our cat wanted to severely injure our puppy at first. If your cat(s) does this, just make sure you let your cats know, you would like a boundary around you puppy, say like… an invisible bubble. You can make this happen by letting your puppy run around the living room and every time the cats get too close, touch them firmly on their upper shoulder. It’s not a push, don’t push your cat away…take it like a quick firm bite with your hand to your cat(s). After you do this a few times, your cat(s) will understand that getting too close to the puppy will result in discipline (not punishment, this is not meant to hurt the cats in anyway or form, its just something a mom cat would do).
You must do the same with your puppy…its more important…as the puppy will out grow them quickly. You must let all pets know, you are in charge when it coming to a new pet in the family.
Once the cats get use to the puppy (about a week or so), feel free to let them go up to it, smell it, even rough house with the puppy (I know most cats will just ignore the puppy at this point). This is all about building a relationship of friendship and not one of predator and prey.
After about a month, let you cats do whatever, I know that sounds strange but once all parties are use to each other…it won’t be about hurting each other. It’ll be about boundaries and limitations. Generally cats will hold there own when it comes to a new animal in the house. They will want to be the regulators and will tell a puppy what to do and what not to do with small swats of their paws. This is fine (like stated earlier, after about a month or so), if you don’t let your cat (s) do this, then the puppy might see them as weak and play with them roughly when it gets older (very important this doesn’t happen).
Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do fine; you have a “softer” dog breed than I do. Just think “I’m in charge! I pay for everything they have”.
My dog loves to eat cats! Just kidding.
1. At 8 weeks a dog isn’t trained. There will be conflict.
2. Lab/grey sounds like a decent mix to have around cats.
I think that leashing the pup & allowing him to 1) smell the cats, 2) see your care for the cats will be a good first step.
Remember dogs are pack animals, so the Alpha sets the tone.
My father’s girlfriend recently had one, she was rather peaceful so I imagine that kind of dog will get on well with your cats, she wasn’t very obedient but she was old and was not trained very well but I think overall you’ll be getting a good dog.