We have three cats (female 12 years old, male 9 years old, and a 10-month-old male) and are thinking about getting a dog. The thing is, none of our cats have really interacted with dogs before, so we’re worried about how they might react. We don’t want to stress out a new dog or traumatize our cats, but we’re curious if there’s a good way to figure out if adding a dog would work. Any advice?
We went through this recently but from the other side: we had a 3.5-year-old dog and brought home a 2.5-year-old cat. We made sure the cat was used to dogs by checking their history at the shelter. The introduction process was slow. First, the cat had a whole room to himself, and we let them smell each other through a baby gate. Gradually, we allowed supervised visits and made sure the dog’s excitement didn’t get out of hand. Over time, they learned to respect each other’s space. It was a lot of patience and effort, but now they coexist peacefully.
Go slow, and don’t turn it into a chaotic meeting. Let them take their time to check each other out.
Pick the right dog! Look for one that has experience living with cats or doesn’t have a strong prey drive.
Be patient. Some cats need more time to adjust than others, so let them move at their own pace.
Separate them at first. Baby gates and plenty of soft talking help a lot.
Patience is everything. Younger cats might adapt faster, but older ones will need more time. If you’re rescuing a dog, try to find one used to being around cats. Keep the dog confined to one area at first and give your cats access to their safe spaces. Let them explore each other’s areas without direct contact. Using a baby gate is helpful to create cat-only zones. Scent swapping with blankets or bedding can make things easier. I have four dogs and two cats, and they all get along now, but it took time.
When we brought in our 2-year-old large dog, our two cats were around 5 years old. The dog was used to farm cats, so that helped. We set up a pheromone diffuser and made sure the cats had their safe spots where they could eat without being disturbed. Over time, they got along well, and the dog respects their space. A year later, when we brought home a second dog who was also used to cats, the introduction was even smoother.