If I get a kitten now, can I still get a puppy in 18 months time?

[BurningBridges]

Or does that way madness lie? We cannot get another dog now (our DDog was PTS in March and subsequent attempt at a rescue dog was a disaster he went back ) - we are at work full time up to 3 days a week. Wo we are thinking now - kitten? for DDs? How will we eventually integrate a grown cat and a puppy?

There was a puppy at our vets once who had been attacked by a car, just one swipe tore his eye which had to be removed, so I am expecting the worst - very naive about cats with dogs so feel free to advise.

[Liara]

Mine get along fine. Got cat 1 when dog 1 was a couple of years old, then dog 2 when cat was about 18 months old and cat 2 when dog 2 was a year old.

Not had any problems, but always made sure there was somewhere the cats could go where the dogs were not allowed.

[BurningBridges]

Thanks Liara I was just reading something similar on Blue Cross website.

[steppemum]

we have a cat and regularly dog sit for my cousin.

Cat was seriously unimpressed first time. But last time when dog was here, he would walk past the dog to get where he wanted in the house.
I suspect that if he was living here he would be sleeping in the dogs bed after a week or two.

[BurningBridges]

I suppose what I am worried about is puppies - if I introduce a puppy to a cat.

[dodobookends]

I think that the cat would take one disgusted look - and move up on top of the furniture out of the pesky blighter's way!

[TheMotherOfHellbeasts]

We have our three hellbeasts and two cats, and the cats came first. Two of our dogs were adult rescues, but ddog3 was eleven months old when we rescued her. They all did want to chase the cats first, but we made it clear that it wasn't allowed and now they all adore each other. The cats have separate rooms they can go in which the dogs can't, a sanctuary for them to retreat into, and we made sure they were made a huge fuss of so that they didn't feel left out.
One of our cats is cat mcnasty, she's very mean and scratchy with everyone apart from DS (who she worships) and even she only hissed once. You do have to supervise them closely at first, and our dog aren't sighthounds which helps a bit, so do pick a breed of dog which may be more predisposed to accepting small furry things.

[BurningBridges]

Many thanks everyone. I also posted on (in?!) the Littertray and most people there said this is not a brilliant idea, the order in which I propose to do it and the age of the animals we are suggesting.

[Mimigolightly]

I think you'll be perfectly fine but would advise choosing a dog that is either used to cats (if you get a rescue) or a breed of dog (if you get a puppy) that would be OK with cats. We had cocker spaniels and yorkies and both were fine with multiple cats.