4 Let Them See Each Other
Cover the pet gate with a towel, open the solid door, and repeat step 3, this time with the towel-covered pet gate as the barrier. Once your pets are comfortable with that, move the towel a little to the side so both pets get glimpses of each other as they train or play. As long as both the cat and dog continue to stay calm and focused on the fun, you can open the towel a half-inch further at the next practice session. Don’t rush, though! It may take weeks before both pets can stay calm with the towel gone.
If either pet reacts with fear or aggression when they see the other, end the session immediately. In the next session, set up the towel so they can’t see each other as clearly.
Once the cat and dog happily play or get treats on either side of the uncovered pet gate, try doing the same routine with no gate between them. Use a leash to keep the dog from getting too close to the cat (imagine there’s a line separating the area into halves, and use that as a guideline). If the cat chooses to get close to the dog, though, that’s fine!
Just like before, the cat and the dog should each be playing or training with you or your helper. Make sure they can focus on what they’re doing, instead of the other pet. If your dog starts to get too interested in the cat, call your dog, ask for eye contact, or use your “leave it” cue. Move the dog with the leash if necessary.
Continue these sessions until your cat and dog remain reliably calm in each others’ presence.
Q:When Can I Leave My Pets Alone Together?
A:
When you can leave your pets alone together depends on the pets themselves. There is no standard timeframe for how long the introduction period should last. It could be days or weeks or even months. But if you go through the steps above and neither pet acts stressed or aggressive, you can start allowing them to spend time loose together. The dog should drag a leash at first, just in case. Also, put up cat shelves or cat trees so the cat can escape if the dog gets too pushy.
Every pair of pets is different, so there’s no definitive sign that your dog and cat are ready to spend time alone together. If you have any doubts about whether your pets are safe alone together, continue to separate them whenever you are not there to supervise—even if it means continuing to keep them in separate areas months, years, or even their whole lives. It’s an inconvenience, sure, but minor when you consider the possible alternative of one or both of your pets getting hurt.
Q:What If They’re Still Not Getting Along?
A:If your dog and cat aren’t adjusting, review what you’ve done. It’s important to take things very slowly when introducing cats to dogs. If you rush, you’ll get nowhere fast. Sometimes it’s worth trying the protocol again from the beginning, but even more slowly.
If your pets are still not getting along, consult a Certified Behavior Consultant-Canine or Certified Dog Behavior Consultant. These professionals can help you figure out if your pets need additional training, or are simply not a good fit.
2 Start a Scent ExchangePlace towels in your pets’ beds or other areas where the dog and cat sleep. Each day, switch the towels so the cat sleeps on the towel the dog used the previous day, and vice versa. Do this for at least a week. This will help both pets get used to each other’s smells.
Now that the cat and dog are familiar with each other’s smells, it’s time to get them used to hearing each other. You’ll need an extra helper for the next few steps!
Have one person with the cat on one side of the closed door, and the other with the dog on the other side. Each person should do something fun with their pet. For example, you could do treat training with the dog, or play with a tug toy or a flirt pole such as the Outward Hound Tail Teaser. For the cat, try a Frisco Bird Teaser, or do treat training (if the cat likes treats). The idea is to get both pets enjoying themselves, while also hearing the other pet beyond the door. Keep the playtime session to no more than 5 minutes.
At first, each pet may be too distracted by the sound of the other pet to play or eat treats. Keep practicing once or twice a day—with the door closed and both pets having fun—until both pets stay completely focused on the game or the food the whole time.
Pro tip: Good training goals to work on with your dog during this period are coming when called, eye contact, and “leave it.” All three can come in handy later on.
Body language of dogs and cats
When introducing your dog to a cat, pay attention to the body language of both animals. If the cat’s ears are pinned back or his tail is swishing back and forth, this is a good indicator that he is displeased. You particularly want to be aware of dog body language that could be potential warning signs. If your dog has a strong prey drive (the inclination to seek out, chase and potentially capture animals seen as prey — usually smaller animals such as cats or rabbits), she might become very focused on the cat. She’ll stiffen, stare, and may start barking or whining. If you see these signs, do not let her near the cat. Ideally, her body language will be loose and relaxed around the cat. It’s OK if she pays attention to the cat, but you don’t want to see her fixated on him.
In addition, a dog’s interaction with a cat can change depending on the environment. Just because your dog is OK with the cat inside the house doesn’t mean she’ll exhibit that same behavior outdoors. She might fixate on the cat and start stalking him when they are outside together. So, be aware of her body language around the cat in each new situation, until you know how she is going to respond toward him.
How to Introduce Dogs & Cats SAFELY What to AVOID
Cats and dogs have very distinct tendencies, traits and personalities. So is it impossible for these furry friends to co-exist in a home or even become friends?
Lovers of both pets can indeed enjoy the best of both under one roof. However, like all relationships, establishing and nurturing a positive co-existence requires work and there are several elements to consider to maintain a dog and cat friendly home.
Speaking to Newsweek, Zazie Todd—the author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and the forthcoming book Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, which is out in spring 2022—said good early life experiences are key and cats will get along better with dogs if they are introduced as kittens. The early part of a kittens life, from when they are two to around seven weeks old, is a sensitive period for socialization.
“A wide range of positive experiences in this time helps them grow up to be friendly, confident, adult cats. So if they have positive experiences with dogs in their first home (with the breeder) and then in your home too while they are still kittens, thats ideal,” Todd said.
Speaking to Newsweek, Pam Johnson-Bennett, the author of several books on cat behavior and training who is the former vice president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, said in addition to socialization and positive exposure to other animals, the personality and characteristics of the specific dog breed as well as the age and activity levels of both pets play vital roles in the introduction.
The success of the introduction will depend on the dog parents control over the dog in terms of training and how safe the cat feels, she said. “If you hope to have these two animals become life-long friends, take the time to do a safe, gradual and positive introduction.
“Take time to make complementary matches to ensure safety for all and increase the chances of success. Take all the information you know about your resident pet to assist you in determining whether a companion would be beneficial,” Johnson-Bennett said.
Todd said slow and gradual introductions are important, starting with smell before moving onto sight of the dog before short, safe introductions are initiated in the same room.
Here we take a closer look at some of the mistakes to avoid and what not to do when introducing cats and dogs.