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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

SIL freaking out about dog: how to introduce to her cat!

34 replies

eyeslikebutterflies · 20/08/2021 17:15

We're going to stay with SIL this weekend. She has a cat. We have a 2 year-old rescue dog.

I've arranged to stay in a hotel if it all goes wrong, but would like advice on introducing her cat to my dog in her home. My dog has lived with cats before, has a very low prey drive and, as she'll be freaked by being in a new place, will be very subdued. She's a quiet and quite anxious dog.

My thoughts were: dog on lead, lots of treats to distract, keep everything quiet and calm, allow cat to approach but with escape route so she doesn't feel trapped. Then, keep dog barrier-ed off from cat at all times. Anything else? Any tips gratefully received!!!

OP posts:
Evenstar · 20/08/2021 17:17

I think I would find a Petsitter and not introduce them at all.

Driftingblue · 20/08/2021 17:20

Get some common sense and don’t take a strange dog into the cat’s home. You should not be bringing your dog to your SIL’s house. Of course she is freaking out. Why on earth did you even suggest the idea? Why on earth did she agree? Call her and apologize for being rude.

Hardchoices · 20/08/2021 17:32

You don’t take your pet to stay at someone else’s house! Nevermind her car not liking dogs, what about that awful dog smell, hair everywhere etc.

NinaBallerinaShoes · 20/08/2021 17:34

Stay at the hotel and leave your dog with a sitter or at kennels.

Disfordarkchocolate · 20/08/2021 17:36

I'd be going with a pet sitter too. It will be very disruptive for the cat to have a dog in their home.

Ponkypig282 · 20/08/2021 18:48

Yeh thats definitely a bad idea. Cats take far longer than a weekend to get used to a dog especially if they've never lived with one before. It doesn't matter how good your dog is with cats. You are running the risk of the cat running away.

tabulahrasa · 20/08/2021 20:10

I wouldn’t introduce them... not over a weekend, it’s nowhere near long enough.

Either keep them completely separate, stay elsewhere or find someone to look after the dog.

bananafruitcake · 20/08/2021 20:11

@Evenstar

I think I would find a Petsitter and not introduce them at all.
Agree
XelaM · 20/08/2021 20:12

Going against the grain. Nothing wrong with taking your pet to stay with family. I take my dog to my parents or brother's house. It's not like it's staying with strangers. Keeping dog on the lead indoors sounds good

Floralnomad · 20/08/2021 20:15

I think it’s terrifically unfair on any cat to have a strange dog turn up in their home , irrespective of whether the dog is cat friendly . Leave your dog with a dog sitter .

icedcoffees · 20/08/2021 20:20

Please don't take your dog into a home with a strange cat - it's so unfair on both of them.

Even if nothing happens and the dog is kept on a lead, the poor cat will probably be incredibly stressed by the whole experience, and if your dog has the desire to chase, it will also be stressed and on-edge the whole time.

It's not worth it for two days.

icedcoffees · 20/08/2021 20:22

My dog has lived with cats before, has a very low prey drive and, as she'll be freaked by being in a new place, will be very subdued. She's a quiet and quite anxious dog.

In the nicest way, you don't know this. My dog lives with cats and is absolutely fine with them - but if he sees a cat anywhere outside of the house, and he'll 100% chase it. You also don't know that she'll be subdued - some nervous dogs become flighty and jumpy.

Wombat64 · 20/08/2021 20:24

My dog chased my sister's cat. If your sil is already worried, just don't go there, it's not worth the aggro.

SimonJT · 20/08/2021 20:26

I have a dog and a cat, they get on really well and often sleep together. I don’t let anyone bring their dog into my flat as its my cats safe space. Bringing a dog into a cats home can lead to cats being too scared to enter their own home.

HarrietSchulenberg · 20/08/2021 20:27

Is your dog crate trained? I'd think about taking the crate so dog does not get beaten up by a bolshy cat.

Schoolchoicesucks · 20/08/2021 21:35

Even if your dog is the calmest most sensitive dog around cats, the cat is likely to be stressed and unsettled around a strange dog coming into its house.

Cat owners bringing a dog of their own into the house is different- in a weekend, the cat will go through the stress and not get to the acceptance stage before the dog leaves again.

A one hour visit where the cat could be outside and avoid the dog is ok. But not to stay for the weekend.

Use a petsitter.

BridgetInHerBravery · 20/08/2021 22:00

It depends on the cat. With my last cat, a confident 'bombproof' cat who used to visit neighbours with dogs, it was fine to have dogs visit, he'd just go off and do his own thing and be fine. With current cat, not a chance would I risk upsetting her as she's a sensitive routine driven cat.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 20/08/2021 22:12

I'm surprised your SIL has agreed to it tbh! I'd never allow dogs in my house with having pet cats. Cats are very different and don't generally accept dogs into their own space.

pigsDOfly · 20/08/2021 22:33

It matters not one jot that your dog has lived with cats before.

My dog, also with a very low prey drive, grew up with 2 cats that she got on wonderfully with, didn't stop her barking at and trying to chase strange cats when she saw one when were out on a walk.

It's taken a very long time for us to get to the stage where she can walk past cats without reacting.

Your dog, an anxious dog moreover, will be stressed in a strange place and on top of that she's going to have to cope with a very angry cat.

The cat will be stressed and horrified that this large strange animal has invaded its territory; I imagine it's highly likely the cat will run away, which I suppose would solve the problem of them being around each other, but no one wants that, least of all your SIL.

A few treats is not going to cut it.

It's a really bad idea all round, please don't do it.

ChatterMonkey · 21/08/2021 07:48

Are you prepared to be invoiced for carpet cleaning/replacement if the cat decides to piss everywhere as its so stressed about the dog in its space?

It will take a cat weeks to adjust to something like this, and then weeks to get back to normal after the disruption.

Get a pet sitter or just stay at the hotel.

OldHouseDilemma · 21/08/2021 07:50

@icedcoffees

Please don't take your dog into a home with a strange cat - it's so unfair on both of them.

Even if nothing happens and the dog is kept on a lead, the poor cat will probably be incredibly stressed by the whole experience, and if your dog has the desire to chase, it will also be stressed and on-edge the whole time.

It's not worth it for two days.

Yep, this. Poor cat.
Runrigdan · 21/08/2021 07:55

Don't do it!

Either stay at the hotel or leave your dog with a pet sitter. It's not fair to the cat. I'd just have said no outright if I was your sil.

HoppingPavlova · 21/08/2021 07:56

You lack common sense.

BlaiseAnais · 21/08/2021 07:59

I've done this before. Don't do it.

My cat is now terrified of dogs after a 2 sec lapse in holding the lead saw him run after the cat. The dog is soppy as anything and only wanted to play but my cat didn't know that.

Powertothepetal · 21/08/2021 09:38

When my parents cats were still alive my dog did go over there to stay with us occasionally but she was kept on her leash 24/7.