Question by Wren: Trouble introducing a cat and a puppy?
Okay…here it the deal. I have a 3 month old Jack Russel Terrier puppy. He has lived with us since he was 8 weeks old, having the run of the house. This weekend, due to circumstances beyond our control my mother has had to move in with us. She has a 7 year old cat. Both myself and my husband despise indoor cats, but there is nothing we can do about it. This cat will run and hide from everyone except my mother, and refuses to come around if other people are present. I tried to introduce the two of them yesterday, but the cat puffed up, hissed, swatted the dog and ran off. I tried to get my mothers help in doing this and she seems totally unconcerned about it, thinking they will “work it out”. I managed to keep the cat closed off his room for the rest of the day, but today a door got left open and in went the puppy. Now I have a cat hiding under my daughters bed, and puppy that wont stop barking at “the new play toy” and a husband thats ready to explode from sheer aggravation. What in the heII can I do to introduce these two so the puppy doesn’t get his eyes clawed out and the cat does have a heart attack?!?!?!
So I should discipline the puppy every time he acts inappropriately with the cat. Thus telling the puppy that the cat is more important, and any interact with the cat will result in an unpleasant end for him. Perhaps I wrong, but wont this make the dog totally *hate* the cat and resent it? Right now he just wants to play with it. He has never seen a cat before. I agree that he can’t be allowed to run wild, which is why I am trying…but it’s hard when the cats owner refuses to do anything.
Best answer:
Answer by Kathleen
Seriously, you and your husband need to relax.
The cat has been utterly traumatized by such a big move. Cats do not adjust well to change. They never have, and they never will. Since the move only occurred this weekend, you will need allow the cat some time to come to terms with the changes in his living arrangements.
Your puppy has to be corrected and taught that the cat is not to be treated that way. It’s not acceptable. He should be verbally interrupted and physically corrected with a sharp yet light touch to the side of his neck (like his mother would do to correct him) every single time he behaves inappropriately with the cat.
As long as the puppy gives the cat some space, the cat will adjust and learn to deal with his new surroundings but everyone will have to be patient. Your mother is right, they will eventually work it out but the cat does need to be protected from the dog. You do have to respect the cat’s age as well as the fact that it’s the one that’s been taken from its home and dropped somewhere new. Not only is there that but now there’s an obnoxious little puppy chasing and barking at it.
We went through a similar thing last December. We have a resident cat and brought in a foster dog. The dog had to be verbally and physically corrected every time she behaved inappropriately with the cat. It took about 2 weeks for her to learn to ignore the cat. Now they sleep together at the foot of our bed. Obviously we have kept this foster dog because she’s so incredible. This goes to show you there is actually hope but it takes vigilance to make sure the dog doesn’t drive the cat crazy or there will never be peace in the house.
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Tagged with: Introducing • Puppy • trouble
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I had the same problem a while ago, we had cats for ages, then we adopted a puppy, one of the cats didn’t really care but he is very well natured, the other, older one hated the dog she would hiss and attack it.
I agree with what your saying about disciplining the dog, it seemed a bit unfair, especially if the cat was the one attacking him. But he does need to be taught that the cat is not a toy.
At first we tried keeping them separated for a while, but the dog thought it was a game to run up and play with her. Eventually we gave up on trying to get them to play nice, and just let them do what ever they liked to see how they would act, i don’t mean we let them attack each other, we just let them be, and stopped trying to discipline/separate either of them.
It took around a month, but the dog got bored, and the cat got use to having the dog around. All i can say is wait… not very helpful advice i know, but its all i’ve got
Also the cat is probably very stressed, about the change and the dog, give it a little time to get use to it all, try to keeping them separated as much as possible for a little longer.
Two words: Cat souffle.
Ask in Dogs…they’re on your side there
I introduced my kittens with my inlaw’s little puppy (they’re about same size). They first showed the sign of being nervous and such, then they also simulated swatting the dog (like slapping his cheek, sorta), then started cornering the puppy and tailing it and stalking it… But soon enough the kittens got tired because the puppy was too energetic and was running around EVERYWHERE in the house (going up and down the stairs three floors do get tiresome for them), and soon they accepted that even if they don’t like the puppy, they’ll live with it. Oh, and the puppy ate the kitty’s food and drank out of their bowls and my kittens were such cowards, they just kept meowing and angry growling, but no show of attacks or hisses or anything like that. They just kinda came running back to me and started meowing with sad faces (that’s how I found out puppy was eating their food), so I just gave them more food and they were happy again.
Good Luck!
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