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Questions
- Introducing Cats and Dogs to Each Other
- Give Them Both Enough Time to Settle
- First Impressions Count
- Allow Them to Explore Each Other’s Areas
- Visual Introductions
- Give it Time!
One of the most common tropes we see and are taught is that cats and dogs are mortal enemies for some reason. They’re waging a war with each other trying to dominate our affections. Except they’re not. Sure, many people are either ‘dog people’ or ‘cat people’ but what about the ones that love both dogs and cats? Do they have to deny themselves one or the other? In reality, it’s not entirely black and white and many families have both dogs and cats living in perfect harmony.
Introducing cats and dogs can be tricky and if not done right can go awry, but if you take the right steps to create a positive association then you can have a happy household and be able to proudly declare yourself a dog AND cat person!
Introducing Cats and Dogs to Each Other
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Successfully living with both cats and dogs is all down to having good introductions and starting their relationship off right. If their first introduction ends in your moggy being chased up onto a table by your pooch, then they’re not likely to make better decisions on their own.
The trick to introducing cats and dogs to each other is mostly down to the speed and management of the exposure. It should be gradual, and you should try your hardest to make every stage successful. A successful interaction doesn’t even have to be nose to nose, it can be much more subtle and as long as nothing negative happens, you’re well on your way to creating a positive association between them.
Give Them Both Enough Time to Settle
When you first bring home a new pet, both your established pet and your new animal may feel quite on edge. It’s an important time for introductions even during a period when it’s beneficial to keep them totally separate. Your new pet will feel totally lost in a brand-new environment with very different smells and a new routine.
Likewise, your existing companion will know something has changed. Suddenly there might be a room they’re not allowed in when they could have free roam before, and you keep vanishing into that room for long periods. Not to mention they will more than likely be able to catch a whiff of their new future friend on you.
It’s important to have this period of separation to allow them both time to settle. Neither pet should be given preference and while separated it’s important to give them both lots of time and affection so nobody feels left out.
First Impressions Count
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You will never get a second chance at making a first impression so making sure you get that first interaction right really sets the tone for the rest of their relationship.
Introducing pets should always be a gradual process and it’s important to remember not to get excited and try to fast track it. The dream of having both your cat and your dog cuddled up on the sofa might be tempting to try and hurry along but you’re more likely to set it back and cause difficulties if you put pressure on their interactions.
Taking it slow means you have the time to create a rock-solid foundation for their future friendship!
Scent Swapping
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Both dogs and cats are very olfactory driven. Smells are one of the most important senses for both species so once your existing pet and your new companion feel secure in their environment, scent swapping is a great way to soft-launch their companionship.
Even though this may feel like a very slow way to introduce your beloved pets, you can still cause a pressured and negative interaction if you force this step in any way. Scents should be placed across the room from your cat or dog so they can idle over and explore it in their own time. Putting a strange animal’s smell in their bed might just set them off on the wrong foot so it should be placed away from their own items.
Scent swapping works by taking an item that smells of your pet and allowing your other pet to explore it at their own pace. Blankets that they’ve slept on are great for this as they hold lots of smell for them to get used to gradually.
Allow Them to Explore Each Other’s Areas
Once they’re used to each other's smell and it doesn’t cause an immediate alarm, you can progress their exposure to each other by letting them explore their areas. They should be allowed choice at this stage, like opening the door and giving them the option to have an explore or stay in the safety of their own room. They might not even want to the first few times, but they will usually gain more confidence until they’re ready to snoop around their future friend’s space.
While they explore, they should still be shut away from each other to make sure they feel safe and comfortable to sniff around without being disturbed or worried. It’s all about gradually increasing how safe they feel around each other, even before they meet.
Visual Introductions
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Once they’re happy with each other’s smells, ‘in-animal’ introductions are the next step. In the spirit of keeping things positive and rewarding calm interactions, you should be armed with tasty treats for both your dog and your cat! Treats will take a little pressure off interaction with each other for short periods.
If you have a puppy that is still learning their manners, you may want to initially introduce them with a barrier in between. Baby gates are a great way of limiting contact while allowing them to have some minor interactions. If you have a puppy and they’re used to a playpen like the Cheeko Easy Up Play Pen, this can be a good way to keep some of their energy contained while allowing your moggy the freedom to explore.
If your pooch or kitten isn’t used to being contained, putting them in a carrier or a pen could be stressful and cause a negative association with their new friend so they should only be contained if they are happy and comfortable in a pen or behind a baby gate. All early meets should be supervised to help manage the situation.
Give it Time!
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Once they’ve had a few successful brief meets, these can be extended until you can allow your dog and cat to exist in harmony! The process should never be rushed, even after a few meets you don’t want to leave the house and give them both access to each other until you’re sure they’re comfortable.
If you’re not sure if they're ready for unsupervised time alone, it’s always better to be safe than make the mistake of rushing their friendship. They’ll get there in the end, some may just need a little more time than others.