And yes, dogs and cats can get along great. It may take some time for yours to gel, so you’ll need to be patient with your introductions.

Separate Them at First

Now, the first thing you’ll want to do is separate your new pet from your resident pet. If you’re trying to figure out how to introduce cats and dogs, this will be extremely important. Your new pet needs time to get adjusted without the added stress of another pet nearby.

If the new addition is a cat, keep them in a bedroom or a bathroom for a few days. Keep plenty of toys in the room, as well as a scratching post, food, and a litter box. If you’re crate training a puppy, keep the cat in the separate room.

Get the dog and cat used to each other’s scent. Put one of the cat’s beds or blankets in the dog’s space, and vice versa, so they get used to the smell. Once the dog and cat are calm around each other, it’s time to make the introduction!1

The First Face-to-Face Meeting

When introducing dogs and cats for the first time, make it brief. Keep it to about 10 minutes at most, and keep your dog on a leash. Then, let your cat or kitten move around the home freely.

Use plenty of positive reinforcement. Have lots of treats handy for the dog and cat to reward their good behavior.

Don’t raise your voice or punish either animal, because you don’t want your pets to associate the other animal with something negative.

Hopefully, both the dog and cat will be calm, and there won’t be any hissing or aggressive behavior. Once you’re confident everyone’s calm, let the dog roam around a bit. Keep the leash on just in case you need to regain control quickly.2

Keep Supervising the Dog and Cat

Most of the time, dogs and cats will eventually get along, and there won’t be any signs of aggression. Just to be on the safe side, though, keep each animal on the other side of a door or baby gate when you’re not home. When you are home, watch them closely.

Now, some dogs have a high-energy prey drive, like the Rhodesian Ridgeback, Irish Wolfhound, Siberian Husky, and Chihuahua.3 You’ll want to take care to make sure this type of breed doesn’t suddenly lash out at the cat.

Letting Dogs and Cats Roam Through Your Home

If everything seems good after a couple of weeks, you can let each animal loose throughout your home. The kitten, puppy, or adult cat or dog should be able to at least tolerate each other. If that’s the case, you can be proud that you’ve learned how to introduce cats to dogs!

how to introduce cats to dogs | Ultimate Pet Nutrition

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About the author

Dr. Gary Richter

Dr. Gary Richter

MS, DVM

Dr. Gary Richter loves animals, and is passionate about keeping them healthy and happy as long as possible. He has received more than 30 awards due to his expertise in the field, and The American Veterinary Medical Foundation recently named Dr. Richter “America’s Favorite Veterinarian.” Dr. Richter has been at the forefront of pet nutrition for two decades, and he is also the author of the bestselling “The Ultimate Pet Health Guide.”

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