# Introducing a puppy to cats!



## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

As the title says dh has finally given in and agreed we can look at maybe getting a puppy  

We have 2 cats who are both 3 and I really want them to get along, is it unrealistic ! ? Please tell me stories of your cats and dog getting along 

One of my cats tends to do her own thing and will come for the occasional cuddle but my other cat thinks he is a dog and loves human attention , even sleeps on my feet most nights.

We want a breed that is short haired and not too big. Anyone know any breeds that get on with cats well?

We are looking at getting a dog crate to do the introductions with as that is what the "experts" seem to suggest. 

Any advice/help greatfully accepted !  

xx
p.s am I mad?


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## NuttyJo (Jun 29, 2007)

ohhhh exciting!! 

not sure about the cat/dog situation but just wanted to agree with the crate suggestion - best invention ever when you have a puppy! 

good luck  

jo xxx


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## wouldloveababycat (Mar 21, 2004)

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=152888.0

This thread may give you some tips hun 

Cat x


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## AmandaB1971 (Feb 19, 2006)

Hi Suzie

DH had his 4 cats for nearly 8 years before me and Teddy moved in and whilst I won't say it was straightforward it wasn't that bad and now 31/2 years on you'd think they'd always lived together.  We found that the cats hid for a while and kept a low profile so we just didn't indulge their behaviour at all and left them to it and a bit at a time they became more confident and sorted out their own pecking order!

I would thoroughly recommend a cocker spaniel.  I know Emma will be along soon to rave about Lottie, but truly they are a super breed.  Teddy is gorgeous, he's my life and I love him to death but he's big and bl00dy hairy!   Spaniels are the best of both worlds similar temperament to GR's but not so hairy and much smaller!



Axxxx


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Thanks Amanda  We have been looking at cocker and king charles spaniels 

x


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## AmandaB1971 (Feb 19, 2006)

Both have lovely temperaments, especially with K to consider. I don't think you could go wrong with either. Only thing I would say is King Charles tend to yap a bit more! 

How could anyone resist one of these  

http://www.doggiemanners.com/picts/art-puppies-cocker.jpg

Axxxxxxxx

/links


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## Damelottie (Jul 26, 2005)

Yes - get a cocker      SueMJ would agree too










Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (any excuse for a piccie  )


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## Klingon Princess (May 10, 2007)

I've just introduced a 7 year old German Shepherd into a house with two cats, neither of whom had ever met a dog before.  We've had the dog just over a month now and while its been interesting, all three are still alive and the cats very quickly made it known to the dog that they outranked him.
With a dog as big as a GSD, a crate was impossible but we were assured that Rufus the (dog) had lived with cats in his pervious home.  He is fine with them although desperate to play with them and keeps startling them. As for the cats, as Amanda said, we just let them get on with it. Now they will tolerate him providing he doesnt move too quickly and startle them.  If he does startle them he gets his nose scratched.


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Thanks for your replies   Kehlan it is good to know that the cats are still alive  As the cats are my main concern as they are our furbabies who have been a bit spoilt ! I know that they will probably hide under the bed for a couple of weeks or so but am hoping that by getting a crate and limiting the puppy to downstairs that the cats will be ok as will have 2 other floors of the house that are dog free  

We have a lovely lady near by who breeds cocker spaniels and she has a litter due soon! need to speak more to dh this evening I think 

Rang my sis and she said ARE YOU MAD! (yes loudly  ) as I am only one of my siblings who has any furbabies of any sort 

x


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## Klingon Princess (May 10, 2007)

Suzie it does help that we have a cat flap in our bedroom door (which is far too small for the dog to get through) and this had resulted in our bedroom being a sanctuary for the cats as we do not allow the dog into the bedroom.  Keeping parts of the house dog free is a yuou suggest a very good idea. 
with our older cat, we did have to physically carry her downstairs each day to make sure she used her litter tray as for the first week or so she was too scared to venture out on her own.  We also picked her up and held her in ourarms for the dog to sniff at and get used to.  Because she trusts me she let me do this and slowly got used to the dog being around.
Trust me on one thing though, the cats will be fine... and will in fact quickly make it known to the dog that they are the bosses.


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## diddyskipper (Oct 13, 2008)

Hi Suzie,

I have 2 cats and then decided to get a dog.  Can I suggest you find a really good dog training school in your area, and start as you mean to go on.  Ask the trainer about how to get the dogs and cats to live together peacefully.  I didn't, I should have and now the dog and cats have to live in seperate areas in the house.  Honestly the cats don't mind, cos they sleep in our bedroom all day and go out at night, but the dog is segregated sometimes and I have had to buy 2 catflaps cos he bites the cat flap when he thinks they have just gone out it.  He stares at it waiting for them to try and come in.  

My perfect life would be if he could have the run of the house with them, it was my mistake, and he is now 5, and I now take him to training and have done for the last year, but the trainer says I will never be able to trust him alone with them.  We have managed to find a balance, but it would have been so much better if I had done my homework at the beginning.

Hope you enjoy your new addition!!!
M


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Thanks for your post  

I have already checked out obedience classes/training and will definitely be taking the puppy as soon as he is old enough to go. I have a year of work now adoption leave so have time to really concentrate on trying to get it right. 

My worst fear is they wont get along and will be stuck in the middle of a cat/dog war! 

Guess I will never know unless we try 

x


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## diddyskipper (Oct 13, 2008)

Hiya,

The cats will be fine, and when you get the puppy it will be smaller than them which is good.  I would speak to the training school first so that you have an idea of what to do before you start the training so you are not back tracking later.  The cage is a good tool, but should be used to train the puppy not segregate from cats, otherwise you will end up like me.

I wish on the first day I brought him home, I had left them in the room with him and let them get to know each other.  And that I had continued doing that while he was diddy and finding his feet.  The best thing would have been if he'd annoyed them being boisterous and they had given him a good whack, so he would know they are equals, now he is 10 times bigger than them so no chance of rehabilitation.

The best thing is to relax, and let them communicate, and in animal talk they will find their boundaries, and the way they do it is by telling each other off with a bark or a hiss.  I have the best trainer ever and we normally meet on a Friday afternoon for his one on one training, but I'm not going this week as we are on hols, but I'll speak with her next week and let you know what she says.

M


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Thank you   We are going to get a little harness also for when he is in the lounge hall and kitchen downstairs fora couple of weeks as the books say to let the cats be around a puppy it can help to have the puppy on a harness so if he does gets too excited if a cat comes near he can be sat down so the cat can investigate him

Enjoy your hols

xx


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## pipgirl (Jul 11, 2007)

Hi 

We did same, introduced our cocker spaniel to our 4 yr old cat (male neutered) and they have been fine ever since..they spat occasionally over food and strokes but nothing serious, its all noise, and yet they snuggle up together on the couch on cold nights .

I even caught them both sleeping in our bed once, when they were hiding from the hoover.
Our dog will chase away rivals cats who come to our house to fight with our cat too...shes very protective when she wants to be!

My advice is, dont leave them alone at first, stay with them in same room for first few hours where neither can ecape and stroke and pariase (treat them) together. Only treat when they are being nice to each other and cuddle them when together so they come to understand they have to share.

I always worried more about injury to the dog than the cat, as their scratches can blind a pup if they get infected...but needent have worried!

Good Luck.

Pip


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## diddyskipper (Oct 13, 2008)

Just re read my post and it sounded like I said leave em in a room and go .... sorry, really meant to say be in there with them!!


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## Damelottie (Jul 26, 2005)

I'm always far more worried about Lottie's eyes than I am about her hurting any cats/kittens. She's had some cats be awful to her in the past, and she never bothers them at all  . Don't leave your new pup alone with them Sooze


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

I won't !   I am planning on being here for a week (yes no going anywhere!) when the pup comes home. It will have crate to sleep in at night so can keep cats away from it. One of my cats is huge ( over a stone!) but a complete wuss! so think it will go no where near the puppy for a few days but it can be bought with food  so have that to my advantage! Jess on the other hand will prob hiss etc for a few mins and then run off and hide on wardrobe for few days!

Oh wish I could fast forward a few weeks and see them happy together!! 

x


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## Damelottie (Jul 26, 2005)

They might just all be fine together.
Poor Lottie got terribly ganged up on by my nieces cats. I wondered what they were all up to in a room on their own. Lot was lying on the floor looking very sad, and the kitties were sat one on either side of her head. She didn't dare move I don't think


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

aww poor lottie ! sorry but that did make me chuckle 

Even when we are out the puppy would have hallway / under stairs to itself with the crate in so cats couldnt get to it.
Any how plan on taken the puppy every where I can 
x


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Spoken to the lady and we are going to have a chat with her the weekend after this as then we can see a litter of puppies she has just had with one of her other cocker spaniels  
Litter wont be born until near christmas so would be bring home late feb/early march 

x


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