Bringing Pup Into a Cat Home...HELP!

[DoberBaby17]

Okay, I live w/my parents (just outta college). Dave has his own home. The puppy will live in Dave's house, starting mid-November. Eventually, my cat and I will live with Dave. So...

Every time I go to Dave's, the cat comes with me (several days at a time). This way, she will be used to his place and comfy in it. Also, the house will smell like her. I'm hoping that this lets the new puppy know that another animal lives here, and has lived here first (maybe establishing a little seniority for my kitty). I'm just hoping to get some tips to help both animals cope with arriving at a new home and getting along together.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I just want to make this as smooth a transition as possible for the puppy and Madison (for Dave and I, too!)

[MSF]

If the puppy is a 'Puppy'
and the cat an adult cat with claws, Let them deal with the intor process themselves.
The cat will let your puppy know what is acceptable and what is not. He or she might get her little nose scratched a couple times, but the pup will learn.

Until the pup respects the cat I would only allow them together supervised and I would tell the puppy NO when he approaches the cat in a to rambuntoius (sp) manor.

My advice, chill out, be watchful and let them work it out for themselves. Don't intervien except to tell the pup NO or if things get a little out of hand.

[navarre1316]

And even if they don't get along at first, don't be discouraged, they will work it out.  Him being a pup will be soooo good!!  It's harder to introduce an adult dog, who hasn't been around cats.  My cat (adult) taught my GSD (pup) his manners when I brought him home!!  They were best friends and when I got another cat when the dog was older he fit right in.  Good luck!!

[mtaig12]

I had two cats when we got our first dog, Max (who was an adult at the time). One cat had experience with dogs, the other did not, and we didn't know whether Max had ever been around cats. We set up a room with a baby gate so that the cats had a "dog-free" space they could go to. After a few months, we took down the gate and they've been living together ever since. The cats and Max are not best friends, but they all tolerate each other, and Max knows to back off when the cats tell him to. They have been living together for 11 years, and one of my cats STILL hisses at Max when he gets "too close" according to the cat. (This cat also searches for Max if he's gone to the vet or is boarded, so hissing is her way of showing affection to him!) When we got Star (adult Great Dane), the cats hated us for a while, but they got over that too!

Here are my suggestions: If your cat typically free-feeds, you'll want to put thae food in a place the puppy can't get to (most dogs love cat food). I've typically fed my cats on a table (until recently when my oldest cat couldn't jump up on the table). You may also want to put the litter box where the puppy can't get to it as well (some dogs eat kitty poop!). Making these changes before the two are living together might be easier on the cat.

Good luck!
Tracy

[cataria]

Ahhhh, come on Heather... tell them about Daphne and Stone.... hehehehehehe

[navarre1316]

not funny ma!!  They are best of friends now, as a matter of fact Stone just dove off the high back chair and nailed Daphne in the butt!!  She is presently trying to turn the chair over to get at him!!  Oh the play fights of a cat and a dog!!

[cataria]

Yes, but what you went thru at first with those two... geezzz.  When Heather brought Daph home, it wasn't exactly love at first sight with Stone, her cat.  Heather had a war raging at her house for a short while.  I seem to remember numerous distress calls   But she's right...they did work it out and are now fine together!  I think it's a good testament to the fact that it can work out.