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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Old cat, new dog......

26 replies

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 30/11/2016 21:48

Puss aka the Tiny Pampered Princess (housecat) is 11. She has a new 'little' sister in the form of a one year old bouncy dog, Pooch, of dubious breeding. (Pet names changed for illusion of privacy!). My DP and I got the dog together, but Puss was mine for many years before we started a relationship.

Puss lived with dogs for the first year of jet life, but that was a long time ago. She is very territorial and tries to attack passing cats through the window....

Puss has now retreated upstairs in disgust and will not come down into the living room. She will sit on the stairs and not pass the baby gate we've put up at the bottom to prevent Pooch going up. She can see into the living room through the banisters and sits there all evening, scowling at the dog.

Pooch is of unknown breed, but supposedly fine with cats. Pooch has been with us about 3 weeks. She's not tried to attack the cat, but is always staring at her. It's hard to break her obsession, but she can be distracted with play or food. She is a very inquisitive beastie, and I suspect that she just wants to sniff Puss and see what she is up close.

Pooch does get nose to nose with Puss through the banisters occasionally, but usually Puss legs it if the dog makes any noise like a whine.

I think Pooch is part sighthound, part Collie, part Husky.

What do we do from here? Force a meeting? Definitely not my preferred option. Ignore it and hope to god my cat comes downstairs? Tell the dog off every time she looks at the cat? Stop the dog sitting where she can see the cat?

How did you do this sort of introduction?

Old cat, new dog......
Old cat, new dog......
OP posts:
Araminta99 · 02/12/2016 12:04

I do think it wasn't the best idea for you to get a dog. Your poor cat. Do you think it will work out long term never ever leaving them alone together? I hate to say it but I think you should rehome the dog, her mixture of breeds doesn't seem compatible with a cat.

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