Cats & dogs.

[diddl]

We have a cat-she´s nearly 10.

We would love a dog.

Does it ever work to introduce a dog to such an old cat?

The one we have seen is 5, well trained & used to cats.

Which is great-but how would we get the cat used to the dog?

[mamadiva]

I think it would just deal with it as they say it is different in a home situation.

My mum has a 6 year old springer who DESPISES cats but someone ditched a kitten near my mums so she wanted to take it in.

This was almost 5 weeks ago and big springer and teeny kitten are now best friends who do nothing but play with each other all day :o

I know she basically kept the kitten ihn his little carrier and let the dog sniff about then let him wander out when he wanted to. After a day or 2 it was as if he had alwasy been there.

I think it would work the same.

[Lizcat]

Beautiful girl cat was 12 and posh arrogant boy was 3 when they terrible humans brought the bouncy evil puppy into their home. They huffed and they puffed, they scowled, they hissed and they spat for about a week. They beat the poor puppy up even though he was quite happy for them to be the boss.
6 months later they live their lives as they did before he arrived apart from when they are fed up about anything they beat him up to help themselves to feel better.
So yes old cats can learn the new trick of living with a dog and generally rule th roost. Even better if the dog is already used to cats poor puppy had to learn that cats are vindictive individuals who like to use him as a punch bag.

[diddl]

What worries me the most-apart from someone getting hurt-is that it´s a rescue dog & I would hate to have to return it.

Yes, I wonder if we would have to let the dog in so that the house would smell of dog & then let the cat have a wander around.

Would it be better if they met in the garden first?

[izzybiz]

My cat was 10 when we bought our SBT puppy home.
Puppy was scared of cat, cat was nervy of puppy.
Over time they took to sitting near eachother and their 'friendship' progressed.

Nowadays, puppy is a year old and will sit next to the cat very gently nibbling the cat while the cat claws the dogs face
They both seem to enjoy it though!

[diddl]

Am also worried that cat will hate us & move out