Sara recently wrote to me to tell me that her cat Oliver had passed away. She plans to\u00a0open her home to a new kitten \u2014 maybe two \u2014 when enough time has passed. However, she has two\u00a0Lhasa apsos already and was wondering\u00a0how to\u00a0integrate a new cat into a home with resident dogs.<\/p>\n
When my feline,\u00a0Miss Kitty, came to live with us, she was 5-years-old. We had a 8-year-old Dalmatian\u00a0and a 7-year-old cat in the family at the time. We brought her into the house in a crate and took her into a room with a litter box and food. This gave her and the current pets in the house a chance to swap scents underneath the bedroom door without actually meeting.<\/p>\n
After about a day, I brought Miss Kitty outside the room and let the other dog and cat into the room. Again, I wanted them to get to know each other through scent first. We did this several times a day for a few days.<\/p>\n
Eventually, we put a baby gate at the top and bottom of the stairs and let Miss Kitty wander out of her room to meet the other cat on the second floor. The gate at the bottom kept the dog from charging up the stairs and barking at her through the top gate. The top gate prevented her from bolting down the stairs and suddenly seeing the dog at the bottom of the stairs.<\/p>\n
Once she made peace with our cat, which took a few days, we put the dog on a\u00a0leash and allowed Miss Kitty to come downstairs at her own pace. By having the dogs on leashes, you are ensuring the first meeting doesn’t involve a high-speed chase. If that happens, introductions generally must start over.<\/p>\n
Once I knew my dog wouldn’t chase her, I only used the baby gates when I wasn’t home. I placed the gates a few inches from the floor so that my cats could get away from the dog by slipping under and past it. I don’t use them at all now. Everyone mingles harmoniously.<\/p>\n
Just a few cautions: Never carry your feline over to meet another pet for an introduction and never leave your cat in a crate with other pets surrounding her. These are frightening situations for felines. Cats must meet other pets at their own pace.<\/p>\n