The best way to introduce a puppy to my three cats?

Question

I have three cats: a 14 year old neutered tom, an 8 year old neutered female and a 5 month old un-neutered tom kitten.

The puppy will be 11 weeks old and is used to playing with a kitten the same age as mine. my next door neighbour has a dog and my cats are not scared of him.

My puppy will have a crate, which she will be in when not supervised by me - she will be with me, when I am not at work (I work part time). I have a crate for the car and she will come with me when I go visiting, to see to my horses, when I go shopping; basically, when I am not at work, she will be with me.

My cats have the full run of the house, she will not be allowed upstairs at all.

Advice please on where to go from here :D

I have enrolled on a puppy training course already!

My cats are my babies and sleep on my bed - this will not change; this is their place and always will be :-)

Topcat1, I have never heard of this kind of behaviour, but then anything can happen. My other neighbour had a cat and a dog, the dog protected the cat with all her might, and this was a kitten who was introduced to her home. My neighbour who has the dog now, also has a cat and the dog came to live with the cat. They get on very well too.
Any dog or cat can attack one day but it is SO rare, far more rare than a cat being run over, or one of my horses trampling my puppy!
Maybe your neighbour's dog was sick?

Answer 1

Many cats and dogs live happily together.Cats and dogs have a different psychology and body language, but they can learn to understand this, and some people believe that dog-to-cat introductions are often easier than cat-to-cat. Dogs are pack animals and will take their cue from you as the Alpha figure in how to treat the cats. So if your dog grows up with cats he will accept them as members of the family pack. (Many dogs will tolerate their own cats, but chase others out of the garden.) Cats on the other hand are more concerned about territory than their place in the pecking order. So long as they feel in control of territory, they won't care if the dog considers them the lowest ranking members of the family pack. Animals rely much more heavily on their sense of smell than we do, so it's important to confine the puppy to a crate initially, so that your cats gets to "meet" her by smell before you attempt any face to face introductions. Once the puppy has the "communal" scent of your home, your cats will feel more relaxed with her. The web articles below have lots of advice on introducing cats and dogs.

http://www.messybeast.com/first-impressions.htm
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=cattodogintroductions

A Feliway plug-in may help, as they emit pheromones that help reassure cats and give them a sense of well being. Reward them with food treats when they are well behaved around the puppy, so that they associate her with good things. Don't punish them if they have a hostile reaction to her at first, otherwise they may just resent her.

Make sure the cats have high places where they can sit and watch the puppy to get used to her. If they have a litter tray, make sure that it's somwhere private so that the puppy can't ambush them whilst they're using it.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Answer 2

A neighbour of mine had two cats and introduced a puppy into the family. For a few years it was okay but one day the dog just turned, and savaged one of the cats. It was a horrific attack and the injuries and surgery that the cat needed were just awful. Mainly to the cat's throat because it went for the jugular.

I guess if you are introducing a puppy it would be best to take it to puppy/dog training classes as soon as possible. So that it can get used to a range of other animals and learn to ignore them.

May also depend on the breed and their natural temperament.

Answer 3

make sure the cats have some place high to sit and observe the puppy with out being able to be in contact with the puppy. and make sure they have places the puppy can not go so they feel safe. (which you said there will be) their food and litter as well should be out of reach of the puppy for several reasons.. as puppies like to eat out of both.

praise the cats when they aren't being agressive, be firm but do not scold when they are being agressive. This is their house, the puppy needs to be taken away if there is a problem - even if it seems that the cat started it.

Give the cats lots of love, treats, and extra play time so the puppy coming doesn't make them feel like they have been forgotten.

Don't forget to bring the puppy to puppy kindergarden and obedience classes..

Answer 4

I had a cat that fluctuate right into a brilliant meany and once I extra domicile the canines she began hissing and ran up on the domestic dog. She have been given close and found out it substitute into not yet another cat and placed on the brakes. She slid real into the domestic dog and then took off. Cats are creatures of habit and that they do unlike issues disrupted yet they'll alter. The domestic dog would be youthful and basically interested in enjoying. in the experience that your cats have claws you do could watch that they don't scratch up the domestic dog. Mine in no way did. there have been some weekd of rigidity the place the cats have been mad yet they have been given over it. After 2 months the cats have been letting the domestic dog lick them and ingesting water from the canines bowl. Cats are clever, lots smarter than i think of human beings be responsive to and that they'll determine it the thank you to make it artwork.

Answer 5

Puppy, id like to introduce, my 3 cats. Cats, id like to introduce puppy. Job done.

Answer 6

just let them met and nature will take its course and they wiil get a long.