Introducing a new puppy to dominant female cat!

[batteryhen]

Hello everyone and thanks in advance to anyone who can give me advice.

I have a 12 year old very loving large female cat. We have recently got a cocker spaniel pup and she despises him :( She has lived with a dog before and tolerated him - but not this pup.

We have had him now for 4 weeks and I know that is a short time but it doesn't seem to be getting better. She actively goes out of her way to terrorise him. He is very submissive to her but she swipes and hisses even if he looks at her. She will however come and sleep next to him on the sofa, but the minute he wakes or looks at her, he gets lots of abuse from her.

Someone has said try feliway plug ins - are they any good, and should I ignore this behaviour or tell her off or what? I am giving her lots of love and cuddles to reassure her.

Many thanks

[Elsathelion]

Hi, we got a Lab puppy when our rescue cat was 6; she was really uppity to begin with and we didn't dare leave them in a room together unsupervised. Our vet suggested feliway which worked a little but the vet also said that as long as the cat isn't hurting the puppy beyond the odd warning clout then it's just their way if sorting out who's in charge.

Our pusscat just wanted to make sure the puppy kept his bounciness away from her but she was very tolerant of him when he was tired or asleep and she curled up next to him when he was snoozy or not feeling well.

Our puppy got a few cuts on the nose but realised pretty quickly how to behave around cats and now they are best friends even though he is 3, and ten times her size.

Is your cat actually attacking the puppy or just warning him off? Does she calm down when the puppy is less energetic?

Our vet said that as long as the cat is not being aggressive ie actively pursuing the puppy / attacking when the puppy has backed off then they should be fine. But if the cat is being aggressive, I'm not sure what else to suggest.

Hope they work it out!

[Catsmamma]

Sounds to me that she is making very sure the pup knows his place right from the start. We have a succession of pups through the doors and the treatment the cats dish out very much depends on the pups attitude.

Current pup is very calm, very respectful and the cats pay him no mind, even if he is having a bouncy moment because they know the thought of him actually horsing about with them would never cross his empty, black lab head.

But others have been more scatty, Zac (huge GSD) often gets a swipe for no reason from the cats, and he is two, but can look at them and cause offence. And let's not mention Mia (yellow lab) ....they took up residence on top of the fridge to plot her assassination the entire time she was here! NO! and LEAVE! were not words she understood.

[batteryhen]

Thank you both for your replies. When the cat swipes him she doesn't have her claws out which is good. If the pup is asleep on one of us she will snuggle next to him even letting him roll on top of her in his sleep. However if he looks at her the wrong way he gets a slap from her :( the poor pup has even offered her his favourite toy only to get abuse! I suppose it will take time and patience x it's good to know we are not the only ones to have had this trouble!

[Elsathelion]

That's great news that she doesn't get her claws out when she's swiping - I think that just means she's making sure he doesn't overstep the mark. FWIW, our dog didn't seem to get upset by being cuffed / hissed at, he pretty much took it in his stride and still adores his uppity feline sister As our vet said, our dogs parents would have been quick to teach him his place in the pecking order so it's not too traumatic for puppies to be told to back off!

I'm sure she'll calm down once he's a bit older