introducing my cat to two large dogs.. :( help!

Lil_Leah · January 2011

so, in april i will be moving in with my boyfriend who has two large dogs.. one chocolate lab and one australian shepherd mix. they're not used to cats, and my cat is not used to dogs.. i know when my ex's parents brough over a puppy once, pete (my cat) was scared to death. also, i dont know how justins dogs will react to pete.. what if they hurt him? im terrified.. i need some words of advice/comfort.. this is stressing me out to the max. if things dont work, i might have to give pete back to my ex, and that would absolutely break my heart.. i dont want to do that..

fitnesspirateninja · January 2011

Keep them in separate rooms at first. Slowly introduce them to each other by putting blankets or towels the dogs sleep on to the cat, and vice versa, so they can smell the other animal. Then maybe try putting them in the same room, but keep them in crates. Eventually you will have to let them work it out on their own, but don't worry too much. Cats can hold their own, and they can get to places a large dog can't (like up high on a book shelf, or under the bed). Always make sure the cat has a safe place to "escape" to. Also, call your vet and ask for advice. Or look stuff up online. Make sure everyone is up to date on their shots. Good luck!

ETA: You might want to try giving them blankets/towels BEFORE the move even happens, to start getting everyone familiar with each other.

feetypajamas · January 2011

What she said ^^ LOL

I have 3 indoor dogs, and 3 indoor cats... most of them have grown up around each other. They groom each other, and snuggle together, it's great. I wish you the best of luck!!!

LFern · January 2011

The advice the previous person gave you is excellent.

Definitely crates.

But I would let them see one another - not just the smelling of the blankets - they need to know that those scents are actually attached to someone in the home.

We always had cats AND dogs. The cats would simply hide until they were ready to deal with the dogs. When the dogs crossed the line -a couple hisses and a swat usually put them in thier place and then we would come home to find them sleeping together curled up on the couch!

Be prepared for territory marking. The dogs may or the cat may - it is simply thier way of trying to declare dominance. It's very stressful for cats to be moved - I ended up having to give ours away after moving from our house in to a duplex - she simply would not stop marking territory and it was ruining the carpet and furniture. . . sometimes they just can not adjust -

Good Luck and Much Patience to you!

Lil_Leah · January 2011

The advice the previous person gave you is excellent.

Definitely crates.

But I would let them see one another - not just the smelling of the blankets - they need to know that those scents are actually attached to someone in the home.

We always had cats AND dogs. The cats would simply hide until they were ready to deal with the dogs. When the dogs crossed the line -a couple hisses and a swat usually put them in thier place and then we would come home to find them sleeping together curled up on the couch!

Be prepared for territory marking. The dogs may or the cat may - it is simply thier way of trying to declare dominance. It's very stressful for cats to be moved - I ended up having to give ours away after moving from our house in to a duplex - she simply would not stop marking territory and it was ruining the carpet and furniture. . . sometimes they just can not adjust -

Good Luck and Much Patience to you!

even being neutered/spayed they would mark?? i know the dogs (females) are spayed and pete is neutered. i didnt know if that made a difference?

CandeesLand · January 2011

Start now with bringing something of the dogs to your place and something of the cats to his place. Bring the cat over to the new place starting a few weeks before and leave it in a carrier up away from the dogs but in the same room. take the cat home a few hours later and give everyone praise for good behavior. next time you can try opening the door on the carrier to see if the cat will come out and make sure it can hide/go back in the carrier and feel safe, and never leave them unsupervised! The dogs should be on leashes the first few times the cat is their and out so you can control them more easily. Always stay calm. We had to introduce a 3 lb bunny and an 85 lb yellow lab when my husband and I moved in together and this past fall we added another lab. Just take your time, the slower the change, the better they will be with it.

LorinaLynn · January 2011

It took one of my cats a full year, and another a year and a half to get used to my dog. They still don't like him, but tolerate his presence. Make sure the cat has a safe place to go. My dog doesn't go upstairs, so that's their safe place. Crates and babygates are good options, too.

Make sure the dogs are very well trained, especially to the "leave it" command. Labs and Aussies are very intelligent, obedient breeds, and should learn quickly. Go with your boyfriend and the dogs to obedience training, if they haven't already had it. Dogs don't generalize well, so they might not realize that a command from you is the same as one from your boyfriend. Same goes for learning that "leave it" doesn't just apply to treats, as taught in class, but the cats as well. You'll need to train them that, using the same methods as in class.

It would probably be safest to feed the dogs in their crate only, and feed the cat where the dog can't get at it. When I worked for a vet, we saw a young lab -- who grew up with cats -- grab a kitten and break his back because he got too close to the food bowl when the dog was eating. It was heartbreaking. They got along fine otherwise, and this was the only time the dog ever showed any sign of aggression. It only takes once.

Go slow, and don't leave them unsupervised in the same room until you're 200% sure they get along, and never during feeding time.

Lil_Leah · January 2011

It took one of my cats a full year, and another a year and a half to get used to my dog. They still don't like him, but tolerate his presence. Make sure the cat has a safe place to go. My dog doesn't go upstairs, so that's their safe place. Crates and babygates are good options, too.

Make sure the dogs are very well trained, especially to the "leave it" command. Labs and Aussies are very intelligent, obedient breeds, and should learn quickly. Go with your boyfriend and the dogs to obedience training, if they haven't already had it. Dogs don't generalize well, so they might not realize that a command from you is the same as one from your boyfriend. Same goes for learning that "leave it" doesn't just apply to treats, as taught in class, but the cats as well. You'll need to train them that, using the same methods as in class.

It would probably be safest to feed the dogs in their crate only, and feed the cat where the dog can't get at it. When I worked for a vet, we saw a young lab -- who grew up with cats -- grab a kitten and break his back because he got too close to the food bowl when the dog was eating. It was heartbreaking. They got along fine otherwise, and this was the only time the dog ever showed any sign of aggression. It only takes once.

Go slow, and don't leave them unsupervised in the same room until you're 200% sure they get along, and never during feeding time.

now im terrified.. if i came home to pete injured or..dead.. UGH! this is stressing me out a lot. i just have a bad feeling that his dogs wont take well to him.. the shepherd is just a goofy lovable 85 lb dog, but the lab can be a straight up b*tch, so she worries me a lot..

LorinaLynn · January 2011

Just make sure they learn leave it. http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/leave-it.html

It's the single most useful thing I've taught my dog. I got him to drop a chicken wing with leave it. I don't think anyone could get ME to spit out a chicken wing, but he did! :laugh:

Lil_Leah · January 2011

introducing my cat to two large dogs.. :( help!

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