Adopting a 2yr old- know nothing

[Carouselfish]

Hi all, obviously Ive been on a google marathon regarding this but there is some conflicting advice so wanted real cat owners to weigh in please.
Getting a cat soon. She's two, described as independent, toilets outside, only comes in for bed time.
In my house I have two children (well trained to be laid back around animals) and two dogs.
Ive never had a cat before.
So, I need to keep her in for 3 to 6 weeks to get her to feel at home before letting her out. This is going to involve litter box training. She comes from a multicat household so has seen lb before, but always asks to go out. This is obstacle number one.
Number two, planning on starting her off living in conservatory and attached utility zone. It's more peaceful and the dogs will not be let in there. However it's not as warm as main house, so was wondering if overnight she could go in a large crate in the living room? Or better to just get self warming beds with roof etc? If in large crate overnight would need litter tray, water and snuggly hidey bed?
She needs spaying.obstacle 3. Better to wait a few weeks til she's settled, yes?
Re dog, having never lived with a cat, whats recommended for intros? Swapping blankets for smell? In living room on leads, doors open to other rooms so she can escape?
Also, am I mad? She'll have a lovely life if we get past 1,2and 3. Middle of countryside, lots of stalking ground, access to all downstairs when determined dogs and her can rub along.
Very grateful for all wisdom. Oh and the reason we dont want a kitten is would rather she warned off garden rats sooner than later, like her being streetwise so if she ventures as far as the 1 track lane she wont be surprised and also...have just fallen in love with her!!!

I'd get her spayed ASAP. You don't want any kittens.

The dogs are the problem, do a LOT of research on that.

I’d forget about the crate idea. Cats hate being trapped, their thinking is completely different to dogs. Dogs are born servants, cats are born emperors. Do some
kind of heated bed.

Do the rescue centre know you have dogs, can they advise you? Mynworrhnis the cat will be streabout thendogs and either leave or get poorly but I hope I am wrong much depends on the cat’s background

If she isn't already spayed, comes from a multi-cat household and goes outside a lot, you will need to make sure she's not already pregnant.

"Dogs are born servants, cats are born emperors"

How very true that is. 🤣

It crossed my mind that she might be pregnant. But shall cross that bridge if and when. Apparently she had a litter a year ago. And she's only 2! Poor girl.
Does anyone have any experience introducing cat to preexisting dog?
Re. Spaying, I know it needs to be done before letting her out but thought it might be too traumatic to have new home and operation immediately. Thought better to let her settle in first?

Agree dogs are the issue here. IME a cat will either accept dogs (like my parents cat who plays with dogs) or very much not (like my cat who will either be under the bed or away from the neighbourhood when we have a dog to visit), she may just run away as soon as she gets the chance if she is the latter. Where are you adopting her from? They should be checking your home set up/plans and advising you whether she is happy to have dogs in her family. It is also usual for the spaying to be done before rehoming.

Has this cat ever lived with dogs? If not that could be an issue. What sort of breed are the dogs? Will they chase?

She's not from a shelter. The shelters in my area only rehome if your children are over 8. Mine arent.
Dogs are a collie and a cockerpoo. They havent been in close contact with cats. Cat hasnt been with dogs.
So, as above, does anyone have any experience introducing them?
Do you think she'd still run away after a 3 to 6 week adjustment period indoors?

I was going to ask if it has t be this cat but from your update it's not a choice from a range of cats .

The keeping her in for X number of weeks when she is used to doing her own thing will be tricky .Ours arrived in the mid May and ventured out mid July .
It is really difficult being on door duty to make sure they cannot escape .

Add children into the mix . I know you say your DC are laid back but the cat doesn't know this
Having to use a tray , no choice as she's indoors . She'll find this a huge change . If she's an outdoor girl then she'll be used to doing all her toileting outside . My old cat used our garden and never a tray ( though there was always one for her ) . Even if she was locked in eg for a vet visit after work , she was crosslegged !
My current cats always use the trays .

And without seeming unkind , what;s in this for you . This cat sounds like she'll treat your house like a cat hotel . Food , come in to sleep , out all day.
If you like that in a cat fair enough. But I would feel very taken for granted

No idea on the dogs .

Wont be too hard re. Keeping children out of way and doors shut as got a few different ways in. Also children aren't really rhat bothered about playing with animals (much to my mystification.) They like looking at them but aren't going to be bothering her.
Re. What's in it for me? We have rats in the garden nibbling our car wires! She is experienced at catching rats and mice. We're sadly having to get the exterminator but would like a cat to, afterwards, discourage them. Happy for her to be independent but sleep indoors. I like the idea of one pootling about the patio in summer and am happy to give her a nice home, food and affection if she wants it!

Update! We have had her for 2 weeks now. She learned the litter tray idea on day 4 and has has no accidents. Day 7 we realised she had a urine infection (lots of googling and asking vets) so had to catch her to take to vets for antibios. She wasnt hard to catch but I did have to move the sofa she was under to pick her up. Since then, she's gone back into hiding. She'd just started to emerge and eat/sit by the window while we were in there before she got ill. She is in conservatory and utility zone so we take it in turns to sit with her, read a book aloud, do a zoom meeting, have lunch etc so she gets used to us. But...how long before she doesnt hate us? Catching her and going to the vets was bound to set us back but I just am starting to feel she might hate us forever. I have started offering her little food treats by hand but have just been hissed at twice. Sigh.

Give her time, it's only been a couple of weeks and the poor thing has had massive upheavals - 2 weeks is nothing. Feliway or similar plug in, and Zylkene scattered on her food may help. Just keep on doing what you have been doing, and have patience.

I wouldn't let her out until she's settled though.

Cats can take a while to relax again/forgive and forget. One of mine recently had a badly injured leg and had to be kept inside with a cone on and repeated vet visits - he hated it, but was still perfectly friendly with me once he was back each time and let out of the carrier. He was originally a hissy boy when I adopted him, took a month or so to chill out and let me touch him, now he's a lovebug.

But another one of mine gets very paranoid about things, and he spent three weeks refusing to go upstairs at all with the injured cat times recently because he didn't like the disruption and hearing the other cat being shut in the spare room. If that one gets a sniff of a cat carrier coming out, boom he's hiding in a place I can't get to him. When I used to try to keep a collar on him, if he needed it put on again he would run and hide if he saw me touch it or go near the shelf it was on. But most of the time he's a happy cat who loves a fuss and wants to sleep on my lap! Just a hair-trigger for anxiety and flight.

I’m amazed the rescue are letting you have her if you have two dogs. It isn’t fair on the cat at all. Also surely the rescue know if she’s pregnant? Please don't get a cat if you have two dogs.

She's not from Rescue , sounds like a miulti-cat household and this cat was able to be at liberty as she chose .

And she's already installed

@Ishouldbeoutside at the moment she is totally separated from the dogs and has lots of space and stimulating things in her half of the downstairs. When she is happy with us and is allowed out, she'll be outside and then in in the evenings. If it works better, she need never come in contact with the dogs. But anyway, she's been watching them out of the glass door and they've had a good sniff of each other's blankets. There's lots of places for her to go when she is out, safe from roads. Am hoping she is set up to have a lovely life.
Back to vet again today as needed more anti-bios. Got to handle her a lot and she was very sweet. Had a good rub on my hand with her cheek. Am hopeful!!!

Head rubbing against any part of you is a good sign, as she will be scent marking her property. It all sounds pretty good so far, still been less than a month, and remember the worse their previous lives were the more cautious they will be.

Absolutely under no circumstances let her out until she's been spayed!

Why on earth would you get a cat when you have two dogs? There is a definite chance it will be an issue.

I adopted a very bad tempered rescue cat when she was about 5 years old and I thought she hated us too for a long time! My son was very persistent with her and brushed her a little every day and after about a year she decided she loved him (we had moved through 'hate' to 'tolerate') and followed him everywhere. She ended up having a very nice life and enjoyed sitting close to us but was never a lap cat until the day she died, when unexpectedly she came and laid on my chest early in the morning. I swear she was saying thank you. No dogs in the mix. I did start letting her outside after about 10 days or so because she looked so desperate. She came back.

More than a chance! Hopefully cat will swat the dogs and quickly established the cat order of hierarchy, but in all likelihood she'll disappear the first chance she gets.

I have had many friends and relatives who have both cats and dogs. It may be an issue, but it may well not. It depends completely on the idividual dogs and cats how they get on. In one case, they had a number of Dobermans, a Jack Russell and 3 cats, never any problems (except the biggest Dobie getting a scratch on his nose)

@Allergictoironing well thanks for being positive! I also know many households that have both and Cats Protection, RSPCA. Blue Cross, all have advice about doing it, so it does seem to be a thing.
Anyway, will update as I go.
She learned to use her litter tray so quickly and even went on the tiny amount of granules the vet gave us to collect a urine sample.
Currently have both children ill as well so it's a fun old Easter!

@Finesterre That's a very nice story. I bet she was saying thank you. Yes, I will be patient as patient with her.
For a cat who was used to being out all the time she isn't crying to go out or anything so planning on waiting til there is a bit of a bond established before letting her out. Luckily, as I say, she's got a fair few things to explore, do and look at at the moment.

If you haven't already had her spayed, get her done asap before you start letting her out - she'll probably have to stay in for a few days after anyway, so it seems a bit mean to keep her in now, let her get used to going out, then keep her in again.

Cats and dogs can be fine together. It totally depends on the breed of dog and how prey-driven the breed is.

My 50kg giant breed definitely knew her place with regards to my 4kg cat.

If you want/ have both, you need to do the research first and put the effort in after. It’s not impossible.