Any tips for introducing new puppy and established cats?

[ilovesushi]

We are picking up our puppy next week - a golden retriever lab cross - and I could do with some collective wisdom on best ways of going about establishing a tolerant relationship between our two senior cats and the new puppy. We've put in a stair gate, so I am seeing upstairs as being the cats' realm. How do people manage feeding times? Separate mealtimes for cats and dog? Do you place their bowls in different areas? How did your train your dog to be calm around your cats? How long did it take to establish any kind of harmony? Thank you!

Please don't banish your cats upstairs if they're used to having run of the house - that's not fair. It's the dog who needs to be restricted at first - he's the one coming into their home.

We have a dog and three cats. We got the puppy when the oldest cats were 2 and 3 years old. They're now 4 and 5, and we have a nearly one year old kitten as well.

We feed the cats in the kitchen and use a stairgate to keep the dog out of that room. They are all fed at the same time, but in different rooms, otherwise the dog would eat the cat food

We didn't place any major restrictions on the puppy at first, to be honest. Just supervised them all and made sure they were never left unattended. When the puppy gets older, you may find he wants to chase, in which case a lead or something would be appropriate to prevent the behaviour. I would also make sure the cats have plenty high-up spots they can escape to - bookshelves etc.

Ours were cuddling together within a few weeks, although the oldest cat still isn't keen on the dog. But they do lie in the sun together and nap together, and they all share water bowls too.

Thanks sunflower. We won't banish them upstairs. I'm thinking that can be more a place they escape to if they need some peace and quiet. Where do you feed your dog if not in the kitchen? I am trying to work out logistics for us.

We have 3 cats and got a puppy in Oct. We did a bit of fiddling around and tried different options, but what we’ve settled into is this. All animals are fed at the same time. Cats are in the kitchen behind a baby gate (there’s no door on the kitchen), dog is in a corner of the family room.

On day 1, the oldest cat scratched the puppy on the nose and established the pecking order. Puppy learned very quickly to leave him alone! The younger two were quite interested in playing and although puppy does still chase them, she never hurts them. We have a stair gate at the bottom of the stairs and they can go upstairs for peace and quiet, or into the kitchen.

It really only took a few days for them to settle - puppies are so malleable. She’s a border collie and at 8 weeks she was about the size of a cat, so she was quite wary of them.

We introduced a puppy to a 7 year old cat without much trouble. Puppy got too boisterous, cat walloped it across the nose (claws in) and that was that.

Nearly 10 years on the snooty cat tolerates the dog and still has the upper hand. Dog still pathetically desperate to be friends but still wary.

@ilovesushi

Thanks sunflower. We won't banish them upstairs. I'm thinking that can be more a place they escape to if they need some peace and quiet. Where do you feed your dog if not in the kitchen? I am trying to work out logistics for us.

He's fed in the living room.

We have an open wooden shelving unit type-thing (DH made it) and there's space along the bottom for his bowls. So we put his water bowls there and he gets fed there as well.

There's a doorway and baby gate between that room and the kitchen so the cats can eat in peace.

we feed in seperate rooms mostly so the dog doesnt rat the cat food. They share a water bowl because the cat decided he liked the dogs bowl better. From day one i let the cat lead introductions he could go upstairs or out when he'd had enough. three months on they arent exactly bff's but they arent fighting either

Thanks all. The reason I've held out so long on getting a dog is because of our cats. My mum's dog comes around about once a week and the cats flee either upstairs or outside. Her dog chases them and barks and so of course they take fright/ flight. Once the dog cornered them (accidently) and they attacked her quite viciously. Just want this to go okay! Sounds like others have made it work.

Our cats kind of banished themselves upstairs behind a stair gate, they just feel more comfy that way. They have the choice of 4 beds so are very happy with this arrangement! Our Lab is massive and energetic and they're nearly 10 so not in the mood for playing at all. The cats get fed first thing while the dog is out for a wee, then they go off either out or upstairs while the dog comes in and gets gets fed. There's another stair gate between the feeding areas. Later if they want more they'll wander down midday when she's napping (she sleeps in a crate) but usually they wait til tea time. Again once dog is outside, cats will get fed if they're in. Later once dog goes out for her bedtime wee and has gone to bed in the front room, I'll feed them again in the kitchen where they'll stay overnight. The girl cat hates the dog and if she's around her, she'll growl fiercely. The boy cats meows at the dog but if dog goes near him he'll bat his paw at her. Occasionally they have a stand off in the garden but that's about it.

@ilovesushi

Thanks all. The reason I've held out so long on getting a dog is because of our cats. My mum's dog comes around about once a week and the cats flee either upstairs or outside. Her dog chases them and barks and so of course they take fright/ flight. Once the dog cornered them (accidently) and they attacked her quite viciously. Just want this to go okay! Sounds like others have made it work.

Don’t let your puppy chase or bark at the cats like your mums dog does. In fact stop your mums dog doing it as well Reward your puppy for being calm around them and if does chase them they will probably just put him in his place and that will be it

Never let the dog chase the cat or have that as a game. It meant we had the puppy on a lead in the house sometimes just to stop that. Make sure the cat always has an escape route.

Our very old bad tempered cat took himself off upstairs for the first week..it didn’t help that we’d just moved house, he was trapped inside with a litter tray (behind a baby gate to stop the puppy eating poop) and was already well pissed off.

We feed the cat up on top of the washing machine so the dog can’t eat it, and the dog has her bowl on the floor. They share water bowls and the cat demands a treat if he sees the dog getting one. The dog knows to wait and the cat gets treated first.

A year later and while they aren’t friends they’ll bump noses, share a couch and the cats only done any proper twatting of the puppy a couple of times. Claws in.

Thank you! Definitely not going to allow any chasing. Drives me nuts that my mum's dog does it. I generally get the kids to hold her dog on its lead until the cats have taken themselves safely off. My mum thinks this is a massive over reaction on my part and comes up with comments like "If they didn't run, the dog would soon lose interest." Arrrggghhhh!

We are living this, we have two cats aged 3 and 4. Got a puppy about 7 weeks ago now and it is slow going!

We live in a townhouse and have stairgates on every stair. Puppy has the kitchen with my husband and the cats get the living room and top floor with me. We feed them on the top floor as the dog will scarf their food. I have tried feeding them on the kitchen counter but they don't enjoy it.

We also got a Pet Remedy plug in which kind of worked for one cat.

But they are getting used to the pup. A couple of times he chased them, we couldn't get to him in time. They hit him in the face so he has stopped and is a bit wary of them (but desperate to be pals). One cat is more confident and will stand next to the dog and sniff each other.

Basically it just takes time and will depend on your cats. Our cats are probably taking longer as they have a habit of hanging out at the neighbours house (no dog), so they only came home for food. I've started keeping them home a bit more so they have to get used to it!

We kind of just went for it. Our cat was 14 when we first brought the dog home and he let us know how happy he was by taking a poo on my pillow
The dog is 16 months now and he's a Labrador so he's big and despite the cat telling him not to he will still try and play with the cat. Occasionally the cat will swing his tail for him and play along but more often he'll just walk away and settle himself upstairs in a sunny spot!
Food bowls are in separate places but they share water. One thing I would go careful of is making sure the dog doesn't eat the cats poo. Apparently it's very tasty for dogs almost like a treat! Our cat has a litter tray and also goes in the garden so I need to make sure there's none outside before letting the dog out!.