Introducing Kittens To Dogs
It is important to socialize kittens with dogs at an early age. Here are my recommendations for the process:
1) Establish a safe room for the kitten(s). Give them plenty of time to acclimate to their new environment before introducing them to a dog. During the adjustment phase, spend extra time with the dog working on their obedience skills of sit, stay, down, come, relax and leave it. Use a head collar to provide extra control.
2) Allow the dog and kitten to experience each other's scent through towels and rugs. After one days use, place the kitten's towel in the dog's bed and vice versa. In my experience, the dog will spend much more time sniffing the towel and rolling on it than the kitten.
3) Feed the kitten on one side of the door while the dog has treats on the other side. The idea is to teach the dog to associate the kitten with good things.
4) Allow the kitten to explore the house without the dog around and vice versa. When both animals are comfortable with all of the above, it is time for a face to face introduction.
5) Before the initial meeting, tire the dog and the kitten out with vigorous exercise. For the first meeting, I let both animals view each other from a distance. Place a head collar on the dog and place them on a down stay with a handler. On the other side of the room, have another person hold the kitten in their lap. Allow the animals to look at each other. If both are calm and curious, move them closer together. Stop immediately if either displays signs of stress.
6) When both are comfortable with visual contact, allow them to interact. I usually place the dog on a down stay and let the kitten approach. Keep firm control of the dog via the head collar and leash. Reward the dog for calm behavior. When the dog is bored with the whole process, it is time for the last step.
7) Give the dog and kitten supervised access to each other. Start out with short periods of time and stay close to prevent injuries. Keep a blanket close at hand just in case you need to break-up a fight. Do not allow the kitten to play rough with the dog. Reward each for good behavior. Gradually increase the time they are together. Always make sure the kitten has an escape route if something goes wrong.
8) Some kittens will unmercifully pester their canine companions. Be sure to give the dog breaks by returning the kitten to their safe room. It is unfair to the dog to expect it to put up with a youngster who is constantly chewing on its ears or biting its legs.
Although I have had great success using the above steps, their are some dogs and cats who will never live peacefully with each other. So be careful when adding a new member to the family. Remember, a dog that is great with cats might not tolerate a kitten because of their immature behavior. Below I have included a video of my dog Buddy and the foster kittens. As you will see, he finds four of them curious but a bit overwhelming. Enjoy!
1) Establish a safe room for the kitten(s). Give them plenty of time to acclimate to their new environment before introducing them to a dog. During the adjustment phase, spend extra time with the dog working on their obedience skills of sit, stay, down, come, relax and leave it. Use a head collar to provide extra control.
2) Allow the dog and kitten to experience each other's scent through towels and rugs. After one days use, place the kitten's towel in the dog's bed and vice versa. In my experience, the dog will spend much more time sniffing the towel and rolling on it than the kitten.
3) Feed the kitten on one side of the door while the dog has treats on the other side. The idea is to teach the dog to associate the kitten with good things.
4) Allow the kitten to explore the house without the dog around and vice versa. When both animals are comfortable with all of the above, it is time for a face to face introduction.
5) Before the initial meeting, tire the dog and the kitten out with vigorous exercise. For the first meeting, I let both animals view each other from a distance. Place a head collar on the dog and place them on a down stay with a handler. On the other side of the room, have another person hold the kitten in their lap. Allow the animals to look at each other. If both are calm and curious, move them closer together. Stop immediately if either displays signs of stress.
6) When both are comfortable with visual contact, allow them to interact. I usually place the dog on a down stay and let the kitten approach. Keep firm control of the dog via the head collar and leash. Reward the dog for calm behavior. When the dog is bored with the whole process, it is time for the last step.
7) Give the dog and kitten supervised access to each other. Start out with short periods of time and stay close to prevent injuries. Keep a blanket close at hand just in case you need to break-up a fight. Do not allow the kitten to play rough with the dog. Reward each for good behavior. Gradually increase the time they are together. Always make sure the kitten has an escape route if something goes wrong.
8) Some kittens will unmercifully pester their canine companions. Be sure to give the dog breaks by returning the kitten to their safe room. It is unfair to the dog to expect it to put up with a youngster who is constantly chewing on its ears or biting its legs.
Although I have had great success using the above steps, their are some dogs and cats who will never live peacefully with each other. So be careful when adding a new member to the family. Remember, a dog that is great with cats might not tolerate a kitten because of their immature behavior. Below I have included a video of my dog Buddy and the foster kittens. As you will see, he finds four of them curious but a bit overwhelming. Enjoy!
HAHA...I love how they all decide to follow him down the hallway! "hey guys, it's mom! let's go!" So cute.
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Oh how sweet! More like Buddy is practically herding them, LOL.
You didn't waste any time, did you! I love the article, very well-thought out and appropriate, I wish more owners would spend as much time and commitment toward slow and gentle intros, as opposed to simply forcing them and ending up with a disaster.
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Myself and my son are fostering two kittens and we have a 10.5 female golden retriever...she is not used to kittens so this article was very helpful. Thank you.
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sophie wants more videos of buddy and a kitten but daddy and broo say no to the kitten
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This is exactly the kind of article I was looking for! I found a kitten by the trash can just before thanksgiving so I brought him in the house with my papillon and mini dashchund - it did not go well. He terrorized them, the bites becoming more and more vicious, everyone chalking it up to 'kitten play' until they saw it in person. I feel like it was my fault because I didn't take the steps you've listed here to introduce them, I gave them a few days to sniff each other thru the door because that was the only advice I'd found. Maybe I did it all wrong, maybe he wasn't a 'dog' cat - I am not sure but I had to make the best decision for my family and let him go. He has since been rehomed to a fantastic family with an adult cat and 3 kids where he is thriving. I really loved having a kitten around and wanted to know the appropriate way to introduce them if I ever decide to bring another kitten in our home. I really appreciate this information and I am sure it will come in handy someday. thank you! i love the video of buddy and the kittens too. :)
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Thanks for the kind words. You sound like a caring person and I hope you try another cat when you are ready. -Dr. Nelson
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Very nice tips and thoughts on introducing cats and dogs. The number 5 tip I think is all new but effective step, especially for super active and young dogs and cats.
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I found your website while hoping to learn the best age to socialize the kitten to dogs. I am trying to decide between 2 kittens. Both are from loving homes and are well-cared for and are being handled by adults. The difference is this: #1 is already being exposed to dogs and children before the age of 11 weeks while #2 has not been exposed to dogs or children at all, so it would be up to me to expose the kitten to these factors. I will receive either kitten I choose around 12 wks old. I would love to know if it will make a substantial difference in the kittens' nature and ability to socialize with dogs and children to be confronted with them at the earlier age. Do you have any thoughts on this or do you know where I could locate further guidance about this question? Thank you so much Dr Nelson.
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Yes, early positive exposure to kids and dogs will make a big difference in how these kittens view the world. There are some critical socialization windows that occur before 12 weeks of age that have a lasting impact on the kitten. This does not mean that the kitten without exposure cannot be acclimated to dogs and kids. But it will take more work on your part.
If you love each kitten, I would recommend adopting both! It may not be possible to get both, but often kittens do so much better having a buddy. The less socialized kitten will adapt to dogs and kids more quickly with the sibling setting an example. I recommend that you set them up in a safe room for a few days to get comfortable with the smells and sounds of the new environment. The notion of a safe room is vital to cats and for more information on that concept, see my posts on Feral Cats. Once they are comfortable, slowly start letting them out for supervised exploration.
Congratulations on the new edition(s)!
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Thank you! I really appreciate your advice.
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I own a 10 years old Amstaff, now he is really more calm than in past. As I moved in a house with a big garden in country I would like a cat too. An 11 weeks old kitten is too old to introduce him to the dog? Thank you very much Silva
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Cats of any age can be successfully introduced to dogs as long as you introduce them slowly. Kittens less than 20 weeks in age are ideal. Until you know how the dog will react, always supervise the visits to make sure the kitten stays safe. Thanks for the question and good luck with the introduction!
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Loved your article! We are getting 2 new kittens....siblings both 7 weeks old next week. We have a 3 & 14 year old cat, 2 older labs and a 5 year old brittany. My concern is the brit. The brit has a very strong prey drive and has chased one of our cats but leaves the other one alone. He has gotten into a scuffle with a raccoon also. I plan on keeping all the cats in our "cat room" which is dog safe. How do I introduce the kittens to the brit without incident? I am thinking of using high rewards for him with real chicken as well as the leave it command. He gets a ton of exercise and is usually tired for the night but is not always the best listener if something has his attention. Honestly, I am a bit nervous about his reaction. What about his Gentle Leader collar? Would that help? Any suggestions are more than welcome. The shelter has offered many suggestions but the more I hear the more confident I am feeling.
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Congratulations on the new kittens. You are correct that Brittany spaniels usually have a high prey drive. If it moves, they want to catch it! I would strongly recommend a head collar, either a Gentle Leader or a Halti, to give you better control. You might also want to get a basket muzzle that allows the Brittany to drink and open its mouth but not bite or eat. Establishing a safe cat room is very important. I would never leave the cats and kittens out with the Brittany without supervision.
Since your dog is tired at night after a long day of exercise, I would start the introductions then. Follow the phases outlined in the post and slowly progress from one to another. You must be extremely careful with kittens as they do not possess the knowledge, experience and physical abilities of adult cats. Sometimes, they do not have sufficient fear either and proceed with reckless abandon into any situation. My kitten Mauka fits this profile. He simply does not understand proper cat protocol. This led to more than a few hisses from my adult cats.
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Thank you for your response. I am still very anxious about this whole introduction. Gunnar,the brit, does not bother Toby, our 14 year old at all! So I know that he can leave cats alone. Should we have both kittens at one time during the introduction or just one? Also, one dog at a time? I would think that all three would be overwhelming and since they have that pack mentality this may be a bit crazy on my part! The labs are pretty laid back but one will whine and nudge our 3 year old cat. Ugh! Wondering if I am doing the right thing! Rescue is a good thing....introductions are not!
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I would recommend keeping the kittens together and introducing them to the dogs one at a time. Keep the kittens in a carrier so they can see the dog but are still safe. Once they are comfortable with that, put the dog in a crate and let the kittens approach the dog when they are ready. When they ignore each other they are ready to meet the dog on a leash. Give the dog the "settle" command so it is lying down and calm when the kittens approach.
Again, remember to introduce them slowing. If the kittens seem fearful or the dog becomes restless, stop right away and go back to the last phase in the introduction plan. And never leave the kittens or cats alone with the dog without supervision.
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Hi Dr. Nelson.
I got a new kitten about 3 days ago and it was absolutely TERRIFIED of me when i first got it. I'm not sure if that makes it semi-feral because it was brought from a friends house where the people don't pay any particular attention to the cats.(not sure about its age either but it eats solid food and it's about the size of a small rat)
today was a major turning point for us after three days of waiting patiently for the kitten to calm down. i followed some advise from the internet that said I should try keeping it in a small room like a bathroom at first, with a cage, food and water. we couldn't get a cage so i substituted that for a box with pencil holes, some bedding and a teddy bear.
the kitten however favored the gap behind the sink which i realized too late that i had to block. i noticed however that the food was being eaten and the litter box being used whenever i visited. i didn't see the kitten till today when i decided to try getting it out but settled for petting it through the gap...and then it started to purr!
i was so relieved because my research told me some feral/semi-feral kittens can never be tamed, and that it could take as long as 2-6 weeks to tame one. now that it is confident enough to climb into my lap for a petting session,(and even comfortable enough to accidentally do a tiny number two in my lap as well) is it okay to introduce it to my dog? when would be the appropriate time?
we've never had cats since we got the dog about four years ago as a puppy...also i live in Ghana by the way and I'm going back to college in about a week. I'm wondering if that's enough time to introduce the kitten to my mom, my sister AND the dog, and keep it comfortable enough not to runaway.(I'm the only cat person at home so it's highly unlikely for my mom and sis to play with the kitten, plus they think I'm crazy for putting so much effort into caring for it. also, my mom would probably want to keep it outdoors)
also i wanted to know if there are any serious cat illnesses that are not obvious by just looking at the cat since I'm going to have a hard time convincing my mom to take the kitten to the vet(which is really expensive here) even though it looks healthy.
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Thank you for taking in this little orphan. From what you have described, I think this kitten is a passive-response feral. With patience, it can become a loving pet that will get along with other cats and dogs. Unfortunately, it will take a lot of time and effort. Unless you can find someone who will commit to this kitten the way you did, its future is bleak. Since your mother and sister are not cat people, I would try to find someone else to adopt it.
As for cat illnesses, I always recommend doing blood work to check for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus, and a fecal analysis for gastrointestinal parasites.
I wish you the best of luck with this kitten. Hopefully, you can find a nice home for it.
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Hello, my husband and I are adopting a kitten (3months old) and we have a one year and nine month old Aussie at home (who has never had a kitten in the house before). The kitten, luckily, has grown up in foster homes with dogs, so I think that end will be easier. We will follow your advice here and hope for the best!! We are excited for the new addition and hope that our puppy knows we still love her and aren't replacing her. Thanks and we'll keep you updated (we get her later this week)!
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Congrats on the new addition! I hope they become the best of friends.
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My husband and I have a 3.5 yr old lab and a 6 yr old orange male tabby. We just adopted a pair of 3 month old kittens (brother and sister) and are working on intriducing them to my dog. I have the kittens in a "safe room"...a spare bedroom full of cat beds, toys, cat tower, food and water. They have been secluded in that room for several days now. (We all regularly go in there for "kitty play time")
My adult male cat does not seem thrilled with the kittens. On the few attempts to introduce them...the kittens eagerly approached him, and after a few moments...he hissed and smacked. However, it is not him I am worried about, it is my big, playful goofy female lab.
Her and the cat "tolerate" each other, they are not best buddies, but I am ok with that. I have been slowly trying to get to a point to introduce the kittens to my dog. I have on several occasions cracked the door to allow my anxious dog to smell the room and the kittens and vice versa. She hasn't gotten upset or acted aggressive in any way...but she desperately wants to meet the new creatures. The young female kitten did hiss at my dog. I am so worried about the right wat to allow a physical introduction. The kittens have never seen a dog, and a 90lb black lab can be terrifying I am sure, and I don't want my overly excited dog to terrify them! Do you think it is possible to get a kitten who is obviously not happy at all with the dog...to eventually not be so terrified and resort to hissing and smacking at the sight of the dog? (hissing and smacking will excite my dog I am sure).
This evening with the help of my husband, I think we will attempt the "across the room visual" to see what happens...
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Congratulations on the new kittens! What a wonderful addition to your family. Your kittens are the perfect age to make friends with your dog. Right now, your lab is extremely curious about them because they are new. If you follow the instructions outlined in this post, she will eventually view them as part of her pack. Be sure to tire her out with exercise before attempting to introduce them. As for the kittens, it is normal for them to hiss until they know this dog is trustworthy. Hang in there! In my experience, labs are usually great with cats.
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Hi, I was wondering if you can please give me some advice! I have an 8 year old Jack Russell/Dachshund mix that I got about a year ago from some people that were moving and could not take her with them. She is the sweetest dog ever and is very attached to me and spoiled. Just this past week I adopted a kitten from a veterinary hospital. The kitten had been around dogs while he was being fostered. I brought the kitten home and made a huge mistake in introducing the two too fast and it was a disaster. The dog totally took off after the cat and really scared him, had him cornered and pinned. I live in a small one bedroom apartment btw. Since then, I have been keeping the two seperated-the cat in a large dog cage when i can't supervise. The dog has been staying in the living room when I have the cat in the bedroom. The dog seems to just be curious about the cat but I won't let her near him and the cat is getting braver about moving around the apartment. Is there any chance that the two will be able to coexist or did I completely ruin that chance? I am absolutely sick about this. The cat hisses and growls when the dog looks at him but not as bad as before. The dog doesn't come near the cat as long as I am holding him or he is in the room with me. Thanks so much in advance! I really love this kitten and I love the dog too!
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Please do not be too hard on yourself - I believe this will have a happy ending. If you start over and go very, very slowly through the steps to introducing the animals outlined in the blog, I believe it will work. Be sure to reward both of them (especially the dog) in each other's presence. We want your dog to associate the presence of the kitten with getting a treat so eventually, the kitten becomes a good thing. I can tell how much you love both of them so please stick with it.
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Thank you so much for your kind words and advice. It has been almost two weeks. I have been working really hard with the pair and things are so much better now. No more growling, hissing, they just sniff each other! The dog is still jealous but not being mean at all! Your advice helped so much. However, there is one problem-the dog likes to eat out of the litter box? Ewww! Any suggestions on that? I thank you so much! I am so glad it had a happy ending like you thought it would. Midnight (dog) and Yoda (cat) thank you also!
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Great job with Midnight and Yoda! As for the litter box, please check back tomorrow as I will do a post on the subject.
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I found a stray kitten an hour or two ago. Couldn't find her mother anywhere.. My husband and I brought her home, gave her a bath in diluted shampoo to get the majority of the dirt off of her. Pulled off a few ants, a handful of fleas.. We're going to take her to a groomer/vet tomorrow. My question is this: My husband has a seven-month old Dachshund pup who hasn't had much interaction with other animals since we got him. We gathered them together by the scruffs, the dog did a lot of sniffing but didn't growl or snap at her, mostly curious to see an animal that didn't bark and that was surprisingly smaller than him. The kitten hissed only once in warning when he got a bit too close for her comfort, and proceeded to ignore him until I pulled her away. I'm certain that I'm the first human to ever touch her, and that she's never been near a dog before, and it only took a bit of coaxing to get her to come to me. She ate gladly ate the tuna I gave her, after guessing she was probably 4-5 weeks old. Is it a good idea to keep trying to put the cat and dog together, despite the dog's natural urge to hunt and be a bit more rough than normal?
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This is the perfect time to introduce these two youngsters. Go slow and give the kitten plenty of time to rest. She needs time to adjust to the new environment. Never leave them together unsupervised until the kitten is older and the two of them have established a relationship. Congratulations on the new kitten!
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Dr. Nelson:
We have a 4.5 year old pit bull/whippet mix, who is a great dog with kids and people, but has never been great with other dogs, no bites, but gets really vocal, squeaking, hair up on the back, I think she is very unsure. When we leave in the morning she is like glue to you. We just got two 8 week old kittens that have been raised thus far with a German shorthair . I am following your steps and so far so good. We have the kittens in my daughters room and a gate up down the hall in case. She did see the kittens in my kids arms and then they just went back in the room and she remained calm so I rewarded her. I figure this process will maybe take 4-6 days before I supervise them meeting with our dog . Someone suggested I use the muzzle that allows them to drink, but not bite. I am thinking this is a good idea as our dog has gotten a rabbit or two, a ground hog. Does this sound right? I will go back to the step before if anyone seems stressed or anxious.
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I think a basket muzzle is a wonderful idea. It will provide an extra level of insurance to protect the kittens. Basket muzzles come in two types, a thick flexible plastic and a wire mesh. If you get the wire mesh type, make sure it is well padded around the edges to protect your dog's face. It sounds like you are doing everything right. Please give the process whatever time your dog needs to make it a success. The prey instinct is strong and it may take a long time to retrain your dog's behavior pattern. Good luck!
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I only wish I had researched this earlier. Went to PA for Thanksgiving, my oldest son, 17, is a cat person. We took out "rescued" yorkie/terrier mix, love of our lives with us to PA! She was smaller than the cats there, and of course, the HUGE farm dogs! But, she showed them who was boss! LOL! Then, the kittens were found in the barn. We brought one home (about 8 weeks old), of course the dog sniffed and followed her everywhere for the first 2 days! But, I thought things were good, now 4-5 days later, my dog (named Baby Girl) won't play, doesn't want to stay outside (like usual), only wants to sleep. She's very lethargic all of a sudden and I do not know what to do! I'm literally crying over this! I've tried loving her, holding her, but she just doesn't respond like she used to. I'm going to walk her later today, see if that helps, maybe put the kitten in my son's bedroom this evening, and try to spend one on one time, but right now, I don't know if Baby Girl is sick or depressed! I feel horrible now! I thought a "kitten" would be a good play mate and they'd grow fond of each other. Baby Girl is 3 years old! We rescued her from an abusive family when she was 1. Now I feel like a horrible person. This is breaking my heart! Right now, Baby Girl is laying on my bed (she's been there for 4 hours this morning), doesn't seem to want to go outside and "get the squirrels"! Something is definitely not right! What to do?
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I am concerned that Baby Girl contracted an illness from her visit to the farm animals. Please take her to your veterinarian right away for laboratory tests and bring a fecal sample just in case she picked up a parasite. Giving a kitten a home for life is wonderful. When Baby Girl feels better, I think they will become wonderful friends. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
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Hello,
We have an 8 month old Australian Labradoodle. She is well trained for her age, super smart and of course playful and energetic. Until recently we had a sweet quiet 18 yr old cat. The puppy did very well learning to leave the cat alone bc the cat did not want to play! We always supervised them and kept the puppy on leash and gave her lots of positive reinforcement for not chasing, lunging etc. they sniffed eachother nose to nose occasionally and could both be lying down in the same room ignoring each other. Neither seemed stressed.
Sadly, we recently lost our cat. We would love to rescue a cat and are trying to figure out the best way and timing. Should we wait until the puppy is older? Or is it a good time now since the puppy is used to being restricted/leaving her alone rather than reteaching her at a later date? Any advice? We really appreciate any insight you could offer because we want to be fair to our puppy and to a future cat.
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I am sorry for the loss of your beloved cat. Since your puppy is used to cats, you may adopt another whenever you are ready. Introduce them slowly as you did with your prior cat. Give the new cat several days to adapt to the new environment and establish escape routes before letting them meet. As you did before, always supervise their interactions until they are comfortable with each other. Again, my deepest sympathy on the loss of your cat. Please let me know how it goes with the new addition.
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I'm sorry I left a detailed question a few minutes ago and left out my final question - it seems like you recommend young (-12 wks) kittens ideally for dog socialization. Would that be your suggestion in our case as well? Thanks so much.
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Animals are like people in many ways. As they age, they become more set in their ways so to speak. This is not to say that older people and animals can't learn new skills, just that it takes more convincing. In general, it is easier to introduce youngsters to each other which is why I recommend introducing animals to other species at the earliest age possible.
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I am excited to see your post. We adopted a boxer/lab mix in April and want to get a kitten. We are just so unsure how our dog would be with a kitten because she sometimes plays rough and is protective. Our dog is very smart and trainable, so I think we can do this!
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Good luck and remember to go slow with the intro.
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OK, we have had our kitten for 5 days and have done the blanket sniffing and have been giving the dog treats when she sniffs under the door or is sniffing the blanket. How do we know when it's time to go on to the next step--the visual? I want both of our pets to be happy and safe!
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Sorry for the slow response. Many animals get sick over the holidays. When both pets react well to the smell of the other it is time to go to the visual part of the introduction. By reacting well, I mean no hissing, growling cowering, etc. Congratulations on the new kitten. I wish you many years of happiness together!
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hello found your advice on introducing a kitten to the family dog helpfill and will put your advice into practice
thank you
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Ok, we have had our kitten for 4 days and have let them sniff blankets. The dog knows there is something in the other room and sniffs under the door and occasionally barks. I give her treats sometimes while she is sniffing. When do I know it is time to move to the visual contact?
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I have 2 dogs ( rottweiler X's) a male and female. both friendly and easy going - i have no doubt that introducing a kitten will go well with the steps above. would a male or female kitten be better in this situation?
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Good question! In my experience, either sex is fine. Congratulations on the new edition. Please send a picture of all three if you can. I would love to see them together.
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So far so good. We ended up adopting a 7 month old female kitten (Whisky). All has been going well - we have had Whisky for just under 5 days and are into step 5 :)
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That's good news. Keep up the good work.
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What should we do if progress regresses? It has been to the point where they get nose to nose for a period of time before she gets uncomfortable and hisses very quietly and walks away and other times where she will happily walk around the dogs and even go up to them and sniff them. we have had the dogs in a few times and the last couple of times she very rarely allows them near her and she seems to sit in a spot where the dogs need to pass to walk out side, then hisses very differently/aggressively (not so much a warning) and tries to claw at them when they walk past. both myself and the dogs get very confused with this.
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In my experience, cats are very "situational" in their trust which explains why sometimes she is comfortable around the dogs and other times, she hisses. She is sensing some kind of difference that alarms her. When my dog is playful, my cats avoid him like the plague. The rest of the time, they sleep on his bed with him. The clues can be subtle and difficult for us to discern.
When a pet regresses, go back in the steps of introduction until the pet is comfortable. Give them twice as long in each phase before moving to the next. At the first sign of anxiety, stop all interaction. Cats will usually dilate their pupils and twitch their tails prior to hissing. Remove the dogs when you see this. Also, make sure the dogs do not block the cat's escape route. In my experience, cats would rather run than fight with dogs.
Lastly, cats love high places where they can survey their kingdom. If you can, set up several different elevated play/sleep areas where no one will bother her. Ideally, she should be able to move from spot to spot without ever touching the floor. I have used this set up, high for cats and low for dogs, with great success in other cases of cat on dog aggression. Good luck!
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So glad I found you! Our cat (14 years old) recently passed and we are starting to plan for a kitten. We adopted a border collie mix at 1 1/2. Our cat was already older and very large. There were no issues. Our 2nd dog was adopted as a puppy. Again no issues. The dogs have killed rats, a possum, a squirrel, birds, and a bunny in the backyard. We will follow your steps for sure! I have been very worried they would kill a kitten. Should we use the muzzle as well?
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Yes, I would take all the precautions possible to make sure an accident doesn't happen. I like the softer, plastic basket muzzles. If you get a metal one, be sure to pad the area that contacts the dog's face. I am sorry for the loss of your cat but excited that you are planning for another. Good luck!
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Hi, we got our cat off a farm and then a year later our dog, they had a very close relationship and loved each other, even slept together occasionally, unfortunately our cat died a month ago. Our dog has seemed quite sad since. We're ready to get a kitten but have no idea how he will react. Do you think it would be okay or is it too soon?
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My condolences to you for the loss of your cat. Animals can develop close relationships just like people. When their beloved friend dies, I have seen and heard of behaviors that make me think they are going through the stages of grief. First they will look for their buddy and be a bit temperamental. When they stop looking, lethargy sets in and they mope around the house. In my experience, pets are ready for a new buddy when they stop looking. Depending upon the age of your dog, a cat who likes dogs might be better than a kitten. Perhaps it would be good to take the dog with you and let him/her help you decide. Again, my deepest sympathies for the loss of your cat.
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Hi I am thinking about getting a kitten but I have a dog (labrador/pointer mix) that is 3 years. She was obviously never brought up with cats as everytime she sees one, she goes into attack mode. Actually the cats that I had before I got her, were attacked regularly. At the time that we got her, it just so happened that both the cats and Jessebel were poisoned and the cats didn't make it, her aggression towards them didn't help either. So what I am asking is, is there something that I can teach her that will make her less aggressive towards cats (don't want the neighbours cat landing up dead)and is it a very bad idea, knowing the history to get a kitten. I really don't want to make the poor thing anxious at such a young age. Thanks for listening!
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With this level of aggression toward cats, I do not recommend getting another one. While some dogs with strong prey drives can be desensitized and counter-conditioned, I doubt that will work with Jessebel. As for the neighborhood cats, they should be kept indoors to keep them safe and protect the environment. Pet cats have decimated the songbird population. Unfortunately, some people still let their cats out and I applaud your concern for these cats. The safest approach is to keep Jessebel in a kennel when she is outside unless under direct supervision. Another option is a basket muzzle. I hope that helps.
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Hi, My son is getting out of the navy soon. He is sending his 3 adult cats to stay with me in the meantime. I have a 7yr. old dachshund. Any suggestions to help make this transition would be greatly appreciated.
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I bet you can't wait to see him! Dachshunds usually do well with cats if you introduce them slowly. The advice given for kittens also works with adult cats. The key point is to set up the cats in a safe room and then gradually let them explore the rest of your home without your dog. The cats need time to find safe places to hide and establish escape routes. I want to thank you and your son for his service. My dad was a Navy CB.
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Thank you soooo much for your guidance and expertise. Just adopted 2 sibling kittens and set them up in the bathroom (safe room). I have 2 Alaskan Malamutes who love to chase rabbits and cats. I did a brief introduction last night of each dog to our new feline family members. Both very curious, one will be fine, the other was shaking and salivating. I will be following your protocol and also getting a basket muzzle for the Pavlovian dog. Besides taking it super slow, any other recommendations?
This posting has been a true Godsend.
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Thank you for the kind words. Most Malamutes have a very high prey drive which is why they are tricky with cats. I am glad you are taking precautions to protect the kittens. My only other piece of advice is to make sure the kittens have multiple escape routes back to the safe room so if one route is blocked, there is another way out. This is especially important with 2 dogs. Also, make sure the dogs can't access the safe room. One of those door chains used at hotels works well for this. Lastly, provide other safe areas for the kittens. If the kittens always run for the same place, it won't take long for the dogs to figure this out and be wait for them. Never underestimate a Malamute. They are really smart! Good luck with the new editions.
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I have a 2 yr.old kitty and 2 yr old malamute, they have been together since both were 8 wks (dog) 12 weeks (cat), cat is declawed (last declawed kitty)..they play VERY rough and seem to enjoy chasing and wrestling with each other...I wanted to add an older cat but shelter didn't tell me whole story about first cat and under estimated age by years...sweet kitty but I had to return him (I was heartbroken, wanted to give an older cat a home, but feared for dogs eyes and cat's life). I have now adopted an almost 4 month (estimated) kitten from an Orphan Kitten Project out of Davis, CA fostered by an almost newly minted vet. She has two malamutes, one a 6 mo. old pup and four cats. I thought this would be great. I have been doing all the intros fairly closely to your suggestions and the new little one and the older cat seem to be starting to accept one another. The dog is so excited I have resorted to some Ace. (he reacts to very little, given for grooming, he is 90 lbs, I give a quarter tab for a 5 hr. groom)... He seems to want to play with kitten the way he plays with his other companion which is way too rough..I have put up crates so that I can contain him calmly in different rooms while kitten is out of "safe room"...I am afraid that when she smacks him (which she will) he will be startled and bite hard out of instinct rather than aggression. A kitten from the neighborhood got in the yard months ago and he tried to play with it the same way and it scratched him and I rescued the kitty...no injuries were had (other than a scratch on his nose and kitten was fine)..that is his extent of experience with claws on kitties. My fear is that he will slap a paw on her and hurt her badly not meaning to. His training seems to go completely out the window when he sees her. I have many kitty escape places both in the house and in the back yard, tunnels, gates, under beds, barriers, etc. It has only been 4 days (barely) but I feel really nervous about the process. I have introduced small kittens to wolfdogs successfully for all the years I had them (30 for various animals) but my husband was alive so there were more human hands. It hurts my feelings to hurt HER feelings by keeping her in safe room at night, but I think currently that is safest for all. Am I too impatient? I probably am, but it seems that the kitten/wolfdog intros went so much faster (of course memory is selective at my age). I truly wanted to add a couple of cats but I'm thinking the dog may be too young and energetic and set in the way he plays with the other cat? Maybe I'm looking for reassurance that I'm too impatient and that this will take some longer than 4 days. Thank you for any input you can provide. I appreciate everything I have read here so far.
Diane
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Yes, you are expecting too much far too soon. Four days is nothing to a cat. Let the kitten learn about his new environment first and where all the resources are located (food, water, litter boxes and rest areas). After he is comfortable, then start introducing him to the other members of the family. During this time, make sure the Malamute is well exercised to dampen his curiosity. As my professor told me in veterinary school, "A tired animal doesn't get into trouble." Good luck!
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Thank you so much for your response...Kitten pretty much knows where the getaways are, but she is much too confident...especially since the last mals she lived with were an older (mix) and a puppy (little older than WHiskey when he met Casper)...I have litter boxes added in a few other rooms in case the dog is out she will still have a litter box to use!! and you are right, a tired animal is much easier to control...now if this rain would just stop so we could go OUT and GET tired...and I see a message right above mine where there are TWO mals and new kittens!! I probably should have put the skids on the play the resident cat and the Mal have been doing for two years...I mean it is really rough and half the time the cat starts it...by jumping on the dog!! Or chasing him....this is both inside and outside...well we shall work out way through this....hopefully.
Thanks again for your help!
Diane
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Thanks so much for posting this article. I'm hoping it helps in my situation.
I have 5 dogs, all under the age of 3 (the oldest is 3, and the youngest is 8 months) and all rescue mix breeds. I foster puppies regularly, so there are constantly puppies around the house. I've been wanting to, for some time now, add a kitten to the mix. However, I have a few concerns. Only my one dog grew up with cats, til about 10 months of age when we adopted him. But still I worry about him, because he spends all day chasing everything from lizards to squirrels in our garden. My other dog we rescued from our shelter at the age of 1 year. So we unfortunately know nothing about her past. She has a very sweet nature but takes longer than our other dogs to adjust to new puppies. I fear she may not accept the new kitten at all. Our 8 month old only has 3 legs, and she is severely under socialized. She get's on very well with all the puppies we bring home, but she does have a jealous streak and she isn't able to be as gentle with minus a front leg. She was very sick up until about 5 months of age, so unfortunately we missed out on all the crucial puppy development. I'm not too worried about my other 2 dogs, the one seems to ignore everything that goes on around him to focus on his ball and the other we got at 2 weeks, and has grown up with a wonderful gentle nature.
How do I go about introducing a kitten to them? Should I introduce each dog separately, and then gradually all together? Also, there will be puppies in and out of the house, how do I properly socialize my kitten to be used to the foster pups?
Thanks so much for all your advice!
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You obviously love animals and have done so much to help them, thank you for your work. With 5 young dogs (one with a high prey drive) and foster pups, I would not recommend bringing a feline into the mix. I am afraid that the hunter will target the cat and the other dogs will follow. Unfortunately, I have lost some of my feline patients to this kind of situation. I am also concerned about the three legged female. Because of her rough start in life, she has formed an extreme attachment to you. I would caution you to save a significant amount of time to devot to her every day. She needs it. Thanks for writing and all you do for animals!
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I am so glad I found this post!! My boyfriend and I have a 2 1/2 year old chihuahua and we will be bringing home 2 kittens on Saturday. My pup is very attached to me so I am a little nervous and these steps really give me hope! I have a particular question about step 5. Which one of us should hold onto our dog for the visual meeting? I have raised him since a pup and he is so attached. I think that if I hold him, he will be more aggresive if he feels theatened by them. But if my boyfriend holds him and I have the kittens, I don't want him to be distressed. Which is the "better" route?
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I think you should hold him and reward him with a tasty treat for being a good boy. Keep his attention focuses on you.
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Thanks for your article. We have two rescue dogs that are both part terriers. They both like to dig but only one seems really interested in catching anything. We have seen him with something in his mouth at times. Last week we found two abandoned kittens in the hayloft of a small barn in our garden and brought them in. They are now about 3 weeks old we think. We have kept them apart from the dogs, although they know something is there. We are worried that they will think they are a snack - esoecially ad they aren't much bigger than the mice they try to dig up! Should we be worried or if we follow your plan will they get along? If they are going to be a problem we could try and rehouse the kittens once they are off the bottle, although we would like to keep them if possible. Also the kittens are very young - what age should we start introducing them? Thanks so much for your help.
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Thank you for taking in these orphan kittens. I would start the introductions now with one dog at a time. Hold the kitten in your hands and let the dog sniff it through your fingers. Reward the dog with a tasty treat for good behavior, i.e. not biting. Most dogs will sniff for 3 to 5 minutes before they are bored with the kitten. By giving treats, you are teaching the dog to think of kittens as good things (treats) as opposed to prey. I have had great luck introducing kittens and dogs with this technique. Please let me know how it goes.
P.S. Only allow supervised interaction between the dogs and kittens until the kittens are full grown and you know how the dogs will react.
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Hi I have a 3 year old chihuahua and have recently got a kitten she is 8 weeks old, the dog has no problem with the kitten but she hisses at him and try's to attack him I keep them seperate and try introducing them on a daily basis, I'm worried she is going to hurt him as her claws are sharp, could you suggest a methered to stop the kitten attacking the dog.
Many thanks
Rachel.
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Congrats on the new addition! I am concerned that your kitten does not feel comfortable in her new environment, (She doesn't know the rooms yet, she hasn't established places for rest and play, she doesn't have escape routes to a safe place). She has adopted the motto, "the best defense is a good offense" with your dog. With kittens and cats that attack dogs, I recommend giving them more vertical spaces to call their own. Ideally, the kitten should be able to circle the entire room without ever touching the floor. For example, she could jump from sofa to table to chair to kitty condo, etc. This gives cats a sense of security.
Establish a safe room for the kitten where the dog is not allowed. Give her at least a week to get comfortable, then let her explore your home on her own terms. Keep the dog crated when she is exploring to keep him safe. As her confidence grows, start the introductions. Put both of them on a leash just in case. When they are together, give the kitten treats so she begins to associate good things with the dog. Also, play with her during this interactions to keep her distracted. Lastly, watch the kitten for signs of anxiety and back off when observed. Let her dictate how fast or slow to proceed. Good luck with her!
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