Our question this week was:

How should I introduce my new dog to my cat?


How either dog or cats respond depends a lot on their age and prior experience with the other species. Cats that have been around dogs will be way less intimated than ones that have never seen a dog. The same goes for dogs.

Introduce your new dog to your cat slowly and in a supervised manner. Make sure your cat has special "escape" routes and high hiding places where he or she can go that the dog can't get to. Keep your new dog on a leash when introducing him to your resident cat. Try to choose a calm and relaxed moment to introduce the two. Puppy's will naturally be more inclined to want to play with the cat than an adult dog and will generally learn to tolerate or even like cats as he grows up.

Let your cat initiate contact with your new dog if he chooses to do so. Never let your dog chase your cat.

Be especially careful with breeds that are hunters. Dog breeds, such as Greyhounds are known to be especially aggressive to cats.




Our question this week came from Jenny B., from Cleveland, OHio.




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