Courteous Canine, Inc - Sleeping With the Enemy: Dog and Cat Introductions

In the movie Sleeping With the Enemy, the character of Julia Roberts is stalked and nearly killed by her husband. Don’t let introducing your dog and cat turn into potential domestic violence. With careful planning and forethought cats and dogs can learn to live peacefully together.

One of the worst methods of introduction is also unfortunately, one of the most common. Just put the two together and hope they get along. Rarely is this method effective and can be especially dangerous when one of those creatures outweighs the other by 50 or more pounds and has a mouth full of dangerous weapons, while on the other side of the ring we have four paws with sharp daggers and lightning quick reflexes!

A vital first step is to be realistic in your expectations about the nature of the dog or cat that already resides with you, as well as the one you are planning to bring into the household. What are the characteristics, habits and training levels of both animals? This means, that if you have a cat and are planning to adopt a dog that has extremely high prey drive, you may have a problem. A dog with a prior record of cat killing is probably not a good match with a cat containing household, therefore it is important to understand the dog’s history.

On the other hand, if you have a sweet-tempered dog that loves everyone and adopt a dog-hating cat, this may also spell trouble. These examples explain the importance of putting thought into which animal you will adopt, rather than relying solely on the cuteness factor.

As stated above it is important to determine the training levels of both animals prior to introducing a new family member. Don’t forget that cats can also be trained, and, contrary to popular opinion, they learn well and usually quickly. Not only can specifically trained behaviors be useful when introducing the family cat to a new dog, trained cats are more inclined to consider what options are ideal in a new situation, rather than just react. You can teach a resident cat to ‘recall’ out of a situation before it becomes unpleasant, or go to their ‘house’ which can be a safe area for a break.

Safe areas for cats are very important to the wellbeing of everyone involved. These areas can be rooms that the dog is trained not to go into such as a closet, office, laundry room or bedroom. One way to accomplish this is to use baby gates that the dog can’t go through and reward the dog for staying on one side of the gate. Other safe areas can be shelving that the cat can jump on or beds the cat can hide under safely out of reach of the dog.

Another thought to keep in mind are the ages of both animals. In general, kittens and puppies will be more accepting of friendships with different species because they are more open to new experiences, so if you have an adult cat, perhaps a puppy will be a better choice over an adult dog. Having youngsters around could help revitalize a senior pet by encouraging mental and physical exercise, or could simply annoy them to no end. You should not expect your adult or senior pet to become a surrogate mother or baby sitter, and remember everyone needs a break from the kids to recuperate. It is the human’s job to ensure the youngster is getting enough mental and physical exercise, while the adult pet is enjoying the interactions. Proper introductions can help ensure peaceful experiences, while frequent stressful interactions will only encourage the opposite.

If you already have the dog, consider his training level. It is ideal to have rock solid ‘recall’ or ‘come’, and ‘stay’ behaviors before the introduction of a new cat. Another mandatory skill is ‘leave it’, where the dog leaves an object alone, in this case the cat, on cue. This will help keep the introduction and subsequent interactions under control. Another fun and useful behavior is a ‘kisses’ cue. If the dog is getting too excitable or doesn’t know what to do with this new furry friend, give a ‘kisses’ cue so the dog will know he should lick the cat and be gentle. Most dogs learn ‘kisses’ quickly by just saying the word and really praising them whenever they lick you. If you need to encourage your dog to lick, smear a bit of peanut butter or squeeze cheese on your hand. When they lick it off, say kisses.

When first bringing home the new kid, remember that this is a change for everyone involved so it is a good idea to keep everyone’s routine as normal as possible. This is not the moment to change dinner, walk, or play times and locations. When bringing in the newcomer, be calm and relaxed. Remember to smile, breathe and speak in a quiet, calm manner. If you have a cat, it is a good idea to have them in a carrier. Take the new pet to a predetermined calm room stocked with all necessary supplies, such as litter box, bed, toys, etc, where they can relax and start to investigate their new surroundings safely. The two animals should be kept separated initially while the newcomer becomes accustomed to their new home.

It is best to start introductions slowly and proceed to the next level only after both animals are comfortable. How can you tell if they are ready to move on? Obvious signs are an absence of hissing, growling, or barking, but also look for relaxed muscles and play behaviors. Scent plays an important role for animals learning about each other so let them have access to each other’s area. If the new cat has been staying in a bedroom, let him other areas of the house to investigate, while letting the resident dog into the bedroom to sniff around. When it is time for kitty to go back to his room, switch again.

Gradually, let the dog and cat see each other, ideally through a barrier such as a crate, sliding glass door, or baby gate. Keep all sightings positive and end before any tension begins. Perhaps have the cat on one side getting treats or playing with a toy, while you practice easy behaviors such as sit, or attention with the dog on the other side. Pay the dog with super valuable prizes, like treats or games that he loves. This can be done with one person over a baby gate but two would be needed if it is through a sliding glass or screen door. The idea is to have the presence of each animal equal good things happening for both animals.

When both are able to enjoy the encounters it is time to meet face to face, or rather face to butt. Some dogs can actually be afraid of a cat initially, especially when cats have a tendency to stare right at the dog. This is a very threatening behavior for dogs. Butt sniffing is a more polite greeting for dogs and cats also partake in this ritual, so it can be a helpful way to start a meeting. Letting the dog sniff also turns those staring kitty eyes away, so the cat is less threatening, very important if your dog is nervous about the cat. If there is any tension, go back a few steps in the process until everyone is relaxed. Stressed dogs may yawn or blink excessively, refuse to look at the cat, muscles may be stiff and their hair may stand up on the back. Stressed cats may also demonstrate stiff movements, arched back, hissing or swatting. Be aware of these signals. If you think your pet is stressed, he probably is.

Very gradually you can increase the amount of interaction between the two as long as things are proceeding nicely. Keep in mind that an adult dog can injure a cat even if it is unintentional, and a nasty cat scratch across the nose can cause a dog to dislike his feline companion, possibly forever. All interactions must be supervised and, as mentioned previously, the cat should have multiple areas that are safely out of reach for the dog. For example cat trees that lead to tall book cases or shelving that the dog can’t get to, underbed access if the dog can’t fit, or maybe even a pet door too small for the dog.

Rewarding desired behaviors is one of the keys to peaceful coexistence of any species. Rewards consist of anything the animal likes and wants to receive. This can be toys, play, food, access to people, other animals or anything else that your dog or cat enjoys. Far too often we ignore nice play and then react to displays we don’t approve of. For example when the puppy is chewing on his toy we ignore him and when he chews on our shoe we jump up yelling and chase him around the room. The chase game for shoe chewing is probably much more rewarding than being ignored for dog toy chewing. If the cat comes up, sniffs the dog’s toe, and the dog stays calm, reward both animals for nice behavior. Don’t forget that you can reward for ignoring the other animal as well. For example, if the cat likes to run full speed through the room, which makes the dog bark and chase wildly after her, start working on rewarding the dog for ignoring the cat’s motions by rewarding him really well for any bits of calm behavior. Some examples of desired behavior may include the dog remaining in one place as the cat runs by, not barking, or even listening to a ‘leave it’ cue. Be creative in finding good behaviors to reward and everyone will have fun.

Most cats and dogs can get along given a chance, but this does not mean every dog will get along with every cat. After all, do you like every person or dog that you meet? Probably not, but you are still capable of polite interactions with them. Proper training and introductions can go a long way towards meeting this goal with cats and dogs, but be realistic. Do your homework, prepare, proceed slowly and be understanding of both animals needs. It may even be necessary to consult with a professional to design a behavioral modification program. Sometimes the two will simply tolerate each other, and we will have to make allowances for that choice. Other times, they will become best friends. Doesn’t that make it all worth while?

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