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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.

Original poster

Visitors with dog and have two cats- advice

43 replies

trystatearea · 07/01/2022 15:53

As it says really. I have two indoor cats, and I have a friend visiting this week who is bringing their dog. I know the dog well and it is not a good mix with cats (not aggressive but will just want to play and is very boisterous and excitable) so they can't be introduced. Current plan is for the dog to have the run of downstairs and the garden during the day with the door to the downstairs closed at all times so they cannot meet. At night the dog will be crated and will sleep in the spare room with my friend (cats never go in that room anyway).

Their food is usually downstairs but I'll bring it upstairs for the duration of the visit. They'll have access to both their litter tray, all their normal sleeping spots, and the entire house bar the spare room at night; they just won't be able to sit downstairs and look out the garden window which they often do during the day.

Anything else I haven't thought of? I'm feeling really guilty because I know they're going to be frightened.

OP posts:
Original poster
trystatearea · 07/01/2022 15:53

This WEEKEND that should say. They're not visiting for the entire week!!!

OP posts:
Want2beme · 07/01/2022 22:02

It'll be a little bit stressful for all of you, and they'll know something's up, but you'll handle it. I can't think of anything more you can do, only hope that doggie doesn't barkGrin

TheSpottedZebra · 07/01/2022 22:11

Honestly I'd not be bringing dogs into the home of an indoor cat. They'll be terrified and they have no escape.
And the risk of someone opening the spare room door is high.

Why did you agree to that?

pilates · 07/01/2022 22:15

I wouldn’t bring my dog to someone’s house with indoor cats, recipe for disaster.

TheOccupier · 07/01/2022 22:18

I would never, ever do this to my cats. Why do you even have pets if you don't care about ensuring their home is an environment where they can feel safe?

Frenchfancy · 07/01/2022 22:23

I have dogs and cats, but I agree with the PPs. Why are you allowing this. Visiting dog should go to a kennel for the weekend. Your cats should not feel threatened in their own home.

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 07/01/2022 22:28

That’s not going to work, sorry. Your cats are going to be frightened and threatened in their own home. Either cancel the visit or insist that your friend puts her dog in kennels. Like most people do.

dancemom · 07/01/2022 22:34

I would never do this to my cats and if I was a dog owner I would never expect to bring my dog to a home with cats.

Honeyroar · 07/01/2022 22:35

I’d put a stair gate up so the cats can get upstairs but the dog can’t. Have food and litter trays upstairs for them too, because they won’t come down. And have the friend and dog stay downstairs, on the settee if need be, so the dog doesn’t go into the cat’s safe space upstairs at all. I think managed correctly it will be fine.

Namechangehereandnow · 07/01/2022 22:42

The cats will either be fine - or very stressed out, probably the latter. They’ll sense the dog regardless of how you keep them apart. Be prepared for vet visits due to blood in their wee due to stress cystitis. I definitely would not have agreed.

birdglasspen · 07/01/2022 22:46

Your cats will be fine they all ready spend each day gazing outside wondering why they can’t go out and enjoy being cats...

GettingItOutThere · 07/01/2022 22:50

i would not agree to this. I would tell her to leave the dog in kennels. your cats will be really stressed

Datsandcogs · 07/01/2022 22:50

Noooo, very bad idea.
If you really have to then Feliway diffusers to tackle their anxiety.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 07/01/2022 22:51

Oh my goodness some of the replies on here are a little ott.

Your plan sounds fine op, your cats will be fine - they may even surprise you and want to meet the dog.

All my cats have always been absolutely fine with dogs and seemed to instinctively know to be very calm around dogs.

LadyLazarus40 · 07/01/2022 22:53

I have a dog and cat. I wouldn’t be having your friends dog in the house and most certainly wouldn’t have it upstairs crate or no crate!

PandoraP · 07/01/2022 22:57

I would never do this to my cat either!

eurochick · 07/01/2022 22:58

Your plan sounds ok. We have two indoor cats and dog sat bil's dog last summer when their arrangements fell through due to COVID. We put the food and litter out of the dog's reach. The cats were freaked out at first but after a few days were coming to sniff the dog while she was napping and started to relax. We gave them plenty of attention. It was fine.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 07/01/2022 22:59

No - this is an awful idea.

I have three indoor cats and a dog myself, and I still don't allow strange dogs in my house even though they're all well used to living with a dog.

The only dogs I allow in are ones that have lived with cats and know how to behave around them. Otherwise no chance - it's not fair on anyone.

BlueBlazerBlack123 · 07/01/2022 22:59

I wouldn't be having this. I fostered an elderly cat last year and when my then boyfriend asked to bring his dog to mine - not a chance. It was her home not his.

gogohm · 07/01/2022 23:02

My dog visits for holidays (he lives with exh) and despite dcat not liking him at all, she's fine as soon as he leaves so we know it's mostly for show, the hissing. They are both old and dislike the other species so we just muddle through

Original poster
trystatearea · 07/01/2022 23:58

Guys the cats and the dog won't ever be in the same room. When the dog is in the spare room it will be crated and no one is going to open the door - it's not a room that's used. The cats are going to have the run of every single room they would normally have except the living room in the day, which they don't generally use.

My mum used to bring her elderly dog and they were always fine with her - this one is a little different as she is young and playful so I won't be allowing them in the same room.

It is for one night. They arrive 3pm tomorrow and leave by midday on Sunday.

OP posts:
Original poster
trystatearea · 07/01/2022 23:59

Your cats will be fine they all ready spend each day gazing outside wondering why they can’t go out and enjoy being cats...

They are FIV+. They aren't allowed outside. Maybe you should wind your neck in.

OP posts:
GrandmasCat · 08/01/2022 00:01

I would have just said “sorry, we cannot have the dog here, I have cats”

In fact, as a dog owner, I wouldn’t have had the cheek to bring a dog into a home visit unless the house owner had reassured me repeatedly that the dog was welcome.

Original poster
trystatearea · 08/01/2022 00:02

I feel like some of you are thinking the dog is going to have free roam of the house. It won't. It will be confined to one room. It will not be able to see the cats. At night it will be shut in a crate in a room they can't access and wouldn't ever go into anyway. They will have free access as normal to their food and litter.

OP posts:
GrandmasCat · 08/01/2022 00:24

@trystatearea

I feel like some of you are thinking the dog is going to have free roam of the house. It won't. It will be confined to one room. It will not be able to see the cats. At night it will be shut in a crate in a room they can't access and wouldn't ever go into anyway. They will have free access as normal to their food and litter.
… in theory, it just takes a snap second for the cat to get in the dog’s room or for the dog to escape into the wrong room when someone left the door open to go to the loo.