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The most important piece of advice is to take things slowly. Cats require more time than dogs to acclimate and get comfortable in a new home. A woman touches noses with a kitten during an adoption event. Cats need more time than dogs to get acclimated to their new surroundings. "Adopting kittens who already know each other will also be easier than introducing a new cat to the home later." If your family is open to adopting more than one pet, consider asking the staff at the shelter about taking home kittens from the same litter.
At the shelter, ask if there are any cats that are known to live well with dogs. “If I have friends or family come to stay at my house, my first question is ‘How does your dog get along with cats? ’" she said. If the answer isn't promising, she'll put her cat in another room and talk through logistics. Paasche's brother has three dogs of his own, including two older ones.
Give the Cat a Safe Room
Plants make a great addition to the home, bringing both colour and mood-boosting qualities. However, some varieties should be avoided in the home if you have cats or dogs. I'm Julie, the cat teacher, and this is my assistant, Jones.
Before you bring the cat home, choose a room to isolate the cat in for the first few weeks. Place a food and water dish, litter box, toys, a scratching post, and a cat bed in this room. First-time introductions between dogs should be done on neutral ground, outdoors. The humans should plan ahead in case pets need to be separated, including considering baby gates, particularly when dogs are eating.
Before Your New Dog Comes Home
This will reinforce good behavior and help them learn to follow your commands. Don’t try to force them to interact with you or other family members if they’re not ready yet. This area will help them feel safe and secure in their new surroundings while giving them time to get used to the smells, sounds, and sights of their new home. Katelyn Son is a holistic pet wellness expert and the Content Manager for Veterinarians.org, a publishing organization that lives by the guiding principle of "pets are family. Lily Velez is the Head of Digital PR at Veterinarians.org, where she oversees a newsroom that is at the foreground of breaking news and trending stories in the animal wellness and pet space.
I’m positive that he must have had a home at some point. At some point before we met, he was TNR’d and he spent three winters in one of my shelters, so I know I haven’t abducted anyone’s current pet. And he’s extremely vocal, which is unusual for a true feral. These days, he’s loving, playful, getting better around new people all the time, and in the best health he can be, all things considered. Again, always make sure that your cat has escape routes and is able to quickly and safely remove themselves from any situations they may find uncomfortable. It is highly recommended that all dog-cat interactions are supervised by a responsible adult, no matter how positive the relationship between the two.
Introducing a New Pet Into Your Home
Create a safe space for your cat away from the dog’s designated area. The easiest way to achieve this is to split you home in to a “cat zone” and a “dog zone”. Be mindful of where your cat spends the majority of its time already and try to establish this as the “cat zone”.
Once Kitkat became comfortable in my company I installed a cat flap and they both come and go as they please. Kitkat loves being outside and is becoming quite the hunter! Add a second food and water bowl for your cat in a different area of the house and give them a temporary litter tray as well. Add an additional litter tray if they already have one in the home. This takes the pressure off the cat to leave their safe space to go outside to go to the toilet before they are ready to meet the dog. If your cat has a preference for going to the toilet outdoors, try to ensure they still have safe access to do so.
The More Behaviors, the Better - with Hannah Branigan
When they meet each other for the first time face to face, your dog and cat should be held so that they cannot attack the other. It is typically best to do this when there are two people present. Have one person hold the cat while the other keeps the dog on a leash.
Get a box big enough for the cat to stand up, turn around, stretch out and lie down in — but keep it cozy! Place the box next to the wall or in a corner where the cat can see the door to the room. Place a sisal, cork or corrugated cardboard scratching post next to it. Finally, clear off a shelf for the cat to perch on to view his new world.
So I have a cat already but me and my family are looking at bringing in a new kitten we saw from an animal rescue site. As mentioned earlier, the key is ensuring these dog interactions are positive. If you have friends or family members who have "cat-friendly" dogs, start there, and ask them to come to your home and bring their dog.
If your dog's body is relaxed, it may mean that they are comfortable with the cat's presence. You should be able to easily distract your dog from the cat.If the cat and dog are ignoring each other, it means that they do not mind each other's presence. While they may not be fully comfortable with each other yet, they are not aggressive towards one another. Phoebe Yung of Brooklyn adopted a pandemic pup, a rat terrier named Moose. She and her husband travel with Moose often, including long trips to Europe. The holidays have them driving to Montreal to stay with relatives — including two young children — for six days.
Let them get used to each other’s scent prior to introducing them. We would recommend that you prepare supplies for each pet and not let them feel like competitors for food, toys, or other supplies. Bales suggests placing some of each animal’s personal items—like beds—in the other animal’s space during this time period so that the cat and the dog become accustomed to each other’s scents. You can repeat this process until it’s no longer stressful for both animals. Once your cat is calm, eating well, and using the litter box consistently, it’s time to make the introductions. Put your dog’s leash on, and using treats, have him either sit or lie down and stay.
However, cats are subject to inspection at ports of entry and may be denied entry into the United States if they have evidence of an infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans. If a cat appears to be ill, further examination by a licensed veterinarian at the owner’s expense might be required at the port of entry. In case your household includes more than one person, you should make sure that your family members are on the same page as you. There are many things that should be discussed so that both the family members and the pet feel comfortable.
Introducing Your New Cat to Your Dog
Gently move them with the lead if necessary, then reward them with a treat. Allow them to choose to look at the cat if they want to, and then repeat this process. Cats bury their waste by nature, so training your cat to use its litter box will be easy. While some cats may be happy to sleep on other furniture in the house, they will feel more secure and comfortable if they have their own bed.
When you decide to adopt a cat, your home or apartment needs to be safe for the animal. Objects such as poisonous plants, toxic foods like garlic and onions — plus household chemicals — should be completely out of reach. Welcoming a cat or kitten into your home is like bringing home a curious toddler. Animals can easily transmit parasites or diseases to one another. To prevent this from happening as much as possible, make sure your resident pets are up to date on their vaccinations before introducing a new cat or kitten to your home.
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