Introducing your new puppy to your cats!!

[ganesh]

Anyone got any ideas about the best way to do it.? My cats are still kittens and have never seen a dog up close before but they've been chased indoors by one before.
I'm not sure,but I think they'll be terrified,and I don't know whether to worry more about the puppy getting scratched or the cats hiding behind the sofa for weeks!
Any animal psyclogists out there?

[frilly]

HI.
I have introduced Dogs to cats several times and i find it easier to do it over a good few days. First of all i hold the dog whilst in the same room as the cats. just for a few minutes. Let the cats see the dog and let them approach if they want. If the dog is too giddy, however, take him back out of the room. Try this several times on the first day. The second day let the dog in the same room as the cats but make sure the cats have a place to get away to. Do this once or twice the first day for a couple of minutes and then as days go on make it longer and more often.
It worked for us, hope it does for you.
Good luck.

[ganesh]

Thanks for your advice.
You mean putting the puppy on a lead and hanging on to her while the cats investigate.? Sounds like a good idea but it'll be hard to keep them in different rooms all day,won't it?

[frilly]

I leave the puppy loose in the same room as cats ... make sure the cats can get away if they want. You might even find the puppy is more scared of the cats.
Its just for a few days... or you can put either the dog or the cats in a cage whilst unattended until they get used to each other

[clair3934]

This link is very helpful

http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/natu ral_cat_behavior/introduce_fido.html

[ganesh]

Thanks,all sounds very sensible .,the article is more about a dog that knows a few commands rather than a puppy but I guess we can work round that. I get the general idea and I hope it works. I have done it before but last time I had the puppy for a few weeks before the kittens arrived. It went really well but the puppy was a little jealous at first. It's the other way round this time so I don't know what will happen.

[pmjblue]

had a similar experience, but my car when bollistic, and I thought they would never get on. I was worried sick the cat would scratch the dogs face. I kept them apart, and let the cat sniff round the puppy while he was asleep (which is regular with puppies), then taught the puppy some basic commands, like NO ! - soon got on fine, and were left together. Now have the opposite, my parents have a tiger cat, who chases dogs, gets on their backs and scratches faces and eyes - could never trust the cat, and my dogs are terrified. To think I found him after being run over and saved his life, how ungrateful!