How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

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mgrucker
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How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by mgrucker » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:42 am

We'll be getting our new PP pup this weekend and one thing I haven't found much information about is how to introduce the pup and our cat. If anybody has any experience with this I'd love to hear it!

For some background information the cat is not very patient and will start hissing and biting when she's had enough of whatever she wanted 2 minutes ago. She doesn't have her front claws so I don't think she could actually do any damage if they were to get into it. We also installed a "Cathole" in a door downstairs which is a little archway the cat can go through to get to the room with litterbox. I thought it would be nice for the cat to be able to go somewhere the dog can't follow but I have a feeling she will be too stubborn to just move herself.

I was thinking of only letting them see each other through a safety gate for awhile before some supervised interaction. Any thoughts?

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ezzy333
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Re: How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by ezzy333 » Thu Mar 27, 2014 5:00 pm

I would say Ms or Mr.Cat meet your new little playmate Ms or Mr. Pup. They will get along find till the pup starts trying to play and the cat will box the pups ears. Only thing I would have any concern at all with if the cat isn't declawed there is the possibility though rare that the cat could injure the pups eye. Just watch them for a little while and see what is going on and take it from there.

Ezzy

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Sharon
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Re: How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by Sharon » Thu Mar 27, 2014 5:22 pm

mgrucker wrote:We'll be getting our new PP pup this weekend and one thing I haven't found much information about is how to introduce the pup and our cat. If anybody has any experience with this I'd love to hear it!

For some background information the cat is not very patient and will start hissing and biting when she's had enough of whatever she wanted 2 minutes ago. She doesn't have her front claws so I don't think she could actually do any damage if they were to get into it. We also installed a "Cathole" in a door downstairs which is a little archway the cat can go through to get to the room with litterbox. I thought it would be nice for the cat to be able to go somewhere the dog can't follow but I have a feeling she will be too stubborn to just move herself.

I was thinking of only letting them see each other through a safety gate for awhile before some supervised interaction. Any thoughts?
She will move her self, downstairs when she's had enough. :) Every time I thought the pup was being too hard on the cat , I was wrong. I'd watch the cat have a chance to escape , and choose not to - enjoying the tussle.

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GunDogAdventures
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Re: How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by GunDogAdventures » Thu Mar 27, 2014 5:57 pm

They will figure out their relationship just fine all on their own. Our cat let Lily know who was boss right away. Now, the cat cleans (licks) Lily from head to toe - it's quite funny to watch.

mgrucker
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Re: How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by mgrucker » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:37 am

Thanks for the advice everyone, gives me a better feeling that this might not be too bad :D

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Hattrick
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Re: How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by Hattrick » Fri Mar 28, 2014 7:45 pm

Here's a true story we had nice country /barn cat(killing pitch) in the house. One night I let her in she comes in fast and it was dark and not knowing my puppie was standing behind me anyway cat rolls In all breakouts out I run over turn the light on an mason has the cat pinned to the ground in his mouth with look in eyes I got him dad, he was 10wks old. They never did get along. Now my daughter found a starving kitten in my shop needless to say the kitten ended up in the house mason an the kitten bonded great he would allow kitten to beat him in the face playing an hang off his muzzle with his claws and walk around the house like with cat dangling in the air. I kick myself for never getting a picture . That kitten was a hole lot meaner than the older cat but for some reason he allowed. Good luck I would the sooner the better

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bonasa
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Re: How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by bonasa » Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:36 am

Young pups figure it out quickly. What Ezzy said, cats put them in their place.

rlrobinhood
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Re: How should I introduce our new pup to our cat?

Post by rlrobinhood » Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:38 am

I have barn carts that are very tame. My puppy grabs them by the neck and drag them around. Like someone said above, I've been very concerned, but then see the cats have numerous opportunities to leave and they don't. They just lie there and let him get another grip only to start dragging them again...... weird......

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