Whereas canine and cats are well-known for not getting alongside, canine and cats dwelling collectively are literally attainable and quite common. For those who’re trying so as to add one other member to your pet household whereas already proudly owning a pet cat or canine, you’re in all probability questioning what’s the easiest way to introduce them to one another with out inflicting any hurt.
What you don’t need to do is introduce your canine and cat to one another with out supervision and with out both pet leashed. Try this, and also you’ll be setting them as much as fail.
As an alternative, take your time and observe these steps to discover ways to introduce canine and cats to one another.
Step 1: Make Certain Your Cat and Canine Have the Proper Temperaments
Whereas it’s tempting to seize the primary canine or cat you discover on the shelter, you have to to pair your canine and cat up by persona compatibility.
In case your canine is aggressive and recognized to pin, chase, growl, lunge, bark obsessively, or usually manhandle cats, then you need to rethink pairing your canine with a cat. Equally, shy cats shouldn’t be paired with canine who like to chase, as a cat who runs away can exacerbate your canine’s aggression and additional terrorize your cat.
The identical will be stated of the reverse. If in case you have a cat who shows aggression round canine, equivalent to growling, swatting and hiding, then you need to think about protecting them in a dog-free atmosphere. If in case you have a canine who would not like tough play or to be chased, then an brisk cat who enjoys pouncing and working about could be a foul match.
Usually, when introducing a cat to a canine, you might be searching for two pets of an analogous temperament. You desire a canine who’s mild-tempered, mild, and good at following instructions. Your perfect cat could be one that’s calm and assured and isn’t liable to working away.
One of the best ways to discover a canine or cat that’s good across the different is to search out one which was raised with the opposite. Grownup cats and canine who’ve by no means had a companion earlier than can have a more durable time adjusting to a unique species working round of their house. However a cat who grew up round canine and vice versa.
Moreover, if both your canine or cat is aged, anxious, or simply laid again, then a relaxed companion might be your finest guess.
Step 2: Separate Your Canine and Cat From Every Different
Ideally, you’ll need your pets to satisfy exterior of the house for his or her first interplay, however shelter insurance policies typically received’t permit it. Nevertheless, this step shouldn’t be mandatory and you’ll go straight into bringing a brand new cat dwelling to your canine and vice versa.
Once you first deliver your new pet dwelling, it’s essential to maintain them separated in numerous rooms. One pet, normally the cat, ought to have their very own room that the canine can not entry that comprises their meals, toys, scratching posts, and litter containers. Your canine may also should be stored remoted in his personal space of the home the place he can have entry to his meals, water, and pet door.
Over a interval of some days, you’ll be able to cycle via letting both pet have free reign over the home whereas the opposite is confined. It will permit both the cat or canine to analyze the opposite’s scent and change into used to it. It’s useful to additionally deliver blankets lined in your canine or cat’s scent into the opposite’s remoted space. Each of those methods permit your pets time to acclimate to the opposite’s scent in a secure atmosphere.
It’s very important to ensure neither animal has free reign of your own home whereas there is no such thing as a one to oversee. Any unsupervised interactions, even via doorways, can traumatize each animals.
You’ll know that your pets are prepared to maneuver on to the subsequent step when your canine shouldn’t be obsessively making an attempt to achieve the cat (equivalent to obsessively digging or barking on the separation barrier). In the meantime, your cat can have resumed regular consuming and litter field habits.
Step 3: Make Supervised Introductions
Now you can permit your pets to work together with one another in the identical room so long as they’re intently supervised. Maintain your canine on a leash always. If nobody is dwelling or round to oversee, hold your pets remoted.
You need to encourage your canine to stay calm and ignore your cat. Together with punishing any adverse conduct in direction of the cat, reward your canine for ignoring them as properly.
If both pet behaves questionably, equivalent to hissing or swatting, then give them each a break and take a look at once more one other day.
Proceed this step for so long as wanted till each your canine and cat are glad and relaxed close to one another. We suggest taking it gradual and giving each pets a minimum of a month to acclimate.
If both pet exhibits any indicators of worry or aggression, return to step 2.
Step 4: Begin Unsupervised Interactions
As soon as each of your pets are calm and cozy round one another in a supervised atmosphere, you can begin permitting them to spend unsupervised time round one another. Don’t begin this step till you might be certain they’re each prepared.
What If None Of These Steps Work?
We suggest looking for skilled assist. A canine or cat behaviorist will have the ability to provide you with pointers as to the easiest way to introduce your pets to one another. Nevertheless, there are additionally some canine and cats who can not stay with one other pet. In these instances, you may need to think about discovering a household who would like to have your pet stay alone with them.
