How Do I Introduce My Dog to My Cat?

So you already have a cat, and you just got a dog (or vice versa). How do you go about introducing the two? Can cats and dogs really get along? Where do you even start?

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Where to start

Good news! There are lots of different ways you can safely introduce cats and dogs. Many dogs and cats live together happily for years, some even cuddling up or playing together. Before you start, there are a few important things to understand.

It's good to keep in mind that not all cats want to live with dogs, and vice versa. If you're adopting from a shelter, try to look for cats and dogs who specifically get along with the other animal. Some shelters will specify that a certain cat doesn't do well with dogs, or that a dog has lived well with cats before. Additionally, a dog who likes to play rough might not be a good match for kittens or elderly cats, who are easier to injure with rough play.

Even if your cat has lived with dogs before, that doesn't mean that they will automatically be cool with all dogs. The same goes for dogs who have experience with cats. And a cat who's okay with dogs is not necessarily the same as a cat who's okay with puppies (and of course, the opposite  a dog who's okay with cats might not be so okay with kittens). All animals are individuals, just like people  they don't automatically get along.

If you think you've found a good match, then you're almost ready to begin introductions! Before you start, it's good to schedule your new pet's first vet appointment to make sure they've had all the proper vaccinations and are in good health. Then it's time to start the introductions. Here, going slow and steady has a much better chance of resulting in a healthy relationship between cat and dog where both animals feel safe and comfortable.

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Desensitization

A tried and true route to go for introductions is gradual desensitization  make the new pet "old news" and not exciting to the old pet. The new pet should be kept in a safe room or part of the house for a few days to let them get used to the scents and sounds of their new household. This also gives the animals a few days to get used to each other's presence in the house without the stress of seeing each other.

This can be done as long as there is one room or part of the house that can be kept separate by a barrier of some sort (a door and/or a tall baby gate that neither cat nor dog can jump over). Make sure each animal has access to all necessary amenities  food, water, a place to defecate, toys, a scratching post for the cat, something to chew for the dog, comfy bedding, a shelter to hide away in (a cardboard box works just dandy for cats), etc.

If you're using the one-room method, it can be useful to rotate which animal is confined to one room and which animal gets to explore. This is a safe way for them to get used to each other's scents without the stress of the other animal actually being there. You can also swap out your dog's and cat's bedding and give it to the other one, so they can get used to the scent of the new animal even more. Make sure the room of confinement isn't a room that the old pet would normally need to go into (like the room the old pet usually sleeps in).

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Whenever you're ready to move onto a new step, make sure that your cat and dog are both calm, eating, and going to the bathroom regularly. Especially with cats, litter box use can be a good indicator of whether or not they might be stressed about something.

After a few days of separation, you can begin to feed your cat and dog at the same time on opposite sides of the door/barrier. This makes them get close enough to where they can smell each other, but there's still a safety barrier in between them, and they can begin to associate the smell of each other with a positive experience  eating.

You can start out with their food bowls just within sight of the door, then move them closer with each feeding until the animals are comfortable eating side-by-side, separated by a door. If your dog is scratching at the door and whining, redirect your dog's attention with toys or practicing commands. You don't want your dog to be hyper-fixated on the door, because the goal is to have the dog and cat feel comfortable around each other. If your dog is staring at your cat and watching them all the time, your cat's not going to feel safe.

If your animal companions seem to be doing well with this, then you can start propping the door open slightly (or opening it without a prop if there's a tall baby gate). It's a good idea to have your dog on a leash when doing this, to err on the side of caution and to be able to redirect if needed. Remember to distract your dog if they seem fixated on the cat. Repeat this process of short viewings/sniffings throughout the day, until the animals seem pretty relaxed around each other. If this is too overwhelming for one or both of the animals, then it's a good idea to close the door and go back a step.

If the short viewings seem to be working, then you can feel confident in trying a face-to-face meeting. This process can take anywhere from hours to months, so make sure you exercise patience. Your animal companions are worth the effort.

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Face-to-face

Some people like to start off face-to-face introductions by having their dog in a carrier, kennel, or crate and letting their cat come sniff the dog. Then you can switch and put the cat in a carrier and let the dog sniff the cat. This isn't a necessary step, but works for some animals.

Additionally, make sure you're only introducing two animals at a time, as otherwise they can get overwhelmed and overstimulated, which will not make them feel more comfortable around the new animal/s. And, make sure the meeting isn't occurring in either of the animals' safe spaces  it should be happening in neutral territory, if possible. If you divided the house and not just one room, then err on the side of meeting somewhere in the middle, close to the divide, for the face-to-face interaction.

When it's time for a face-to-face introduction sans barrier, you need to make sure you understand dog and cat body language. It'll likely be easier to tell if your longtime companion is stressed out, but it can be harder to tell with a new animal. That's where body language comes in. We actually have an article on dog body language here.

It's also a good idea to have your dog on a leash, as dogs can often be a bit more excitable than cats. You can feel free to put your cat on a harness as well, if desired, and make sure that both animals have separate handlers in case there needs to be an intervention.

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If your animals display the behaviors listed below, they might not be ready for the face-to-face step just yet:

Body language to watch out for in your dog: Stiff body, hyper-fixated on cat, won't listen when you call their name, lunging or leaning forward, barking or whining

Body language to watch out for in your cat: Arched back, ears pinned back, hissing, swishing tail

Now, if this is the case, then you can go back and try the other steps again for gradual desensitization, or you can skip ahead to the Look at That section of this article for a different approach.

However, if your animals seem relaxed, then you can let the cat roam around freely. To make sure your dog stays relaxed and not focused on the cat, you can ask them to sit, lay, or stay, if those are cues they understand. Praise and reward your dog for ignoring the cat, and do the same for the cat  reward your cat for being calm. If your cat wants to leave the room, let them do so. They need to feel free to wander to feel comfortable.

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If your dog or cat starts behaving more anxiously or begins displaying any of the above behaviors to look out for, then this face-to-face meeting should be wrapped up quickly before either animal gets too stressed out. Lots of brief meetings are usually more effective than a few long meetings. Make sure you repeat these meetings daily, if not a couple times throughout the day, giving both animals downtime to cool off after each meeting. It's a good idea to save your animals' favorite treats for this time so they associate being around the other animal with extra tasty goodness.

If these meetings are going well and both animals are calm around each other, you can finally allow them to be loose around each other, so long as they are supervised. If the situation gets tense, just go back to earlier steps and ease back in at a comfortable pace. Patience is key here, because leaving them alone together could result in injury.

It can also be a good idea to try to get your companions to be relaxed around each other both indoors and outdoors, if you plan on having them coexist indoors and outdoors. Making sure your animals are comfortable around each other in a variety of situations can ensure their comfort and safety.

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Look at That

Sherry Woodard, an animal behavior consultant for Best Friends Animal Society, advises that if the above two methods don't work, the next step might be training. You can play a game called "Look at That" with your dog to teach them to not fixate on your cat.

To begin this process, make sure you put your dog on a leash, grab a bag of tiny treats, and either use a clicker or decide on a verbal cue ("good," "yes," "look at that," etc). You'll want to do this somewhere where your dog can see your cat, but you have plenty of room to move closer to the cat  you'll want to start out as far away as you can while still being able to see the cat.

If you have a dog who is deaf or hard of hearing, you can use other cues for training  signal your dog with a gesture like a thumbs up, thump your hand on the ground to create a vibration, or gently touch them (always in the same place) to get their attention. When training a dog who is blind, you can try to make sure you're within sniffing distance of the cat, rather than seeing distance. This might alter the approach to this training, but it's worth a try.

The first task is to figure out your canine's threshold  how close can you get to the cat before your dog stops listening to you, stares at the cat, and starts displaying behaviors to watch out for, as mentioned above. If you get to that point, you've gone too far, so back up a step or two until your dog listens to you again. This is your dog's current threshold, the point at which they can notice the cat but still respond to their name. The goal of "Look at That" is to decrease your dog's threshold, so your dog can get closer and closer to the cat without being hyper-fixated on them, and realize that when they're relaxed around the cat, they get rewarded.

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The next step is to use that clicker or verbal/visual cue, and get that treat bag ready. When you see your dog looking at the cat, use your cue and give them a treat. You may have to guide your dog to look back at you with the treat the first few times. Do this 10 times total, cuing as soon as your dog looks at your cat.

For the 11th time, wait to see if your dog looks at the cat and then immediately back at you. If they did, then use your cue and reward your dog. If your dog isn't quite there yet, keep using the cue to get your dog to look back at you until they look back at you on their own. They need to reliably be looking at the cat and then back at you, and then you can slowly move closer to the cat and continue decreasing the threshold.

Practice "Look at That" until your dog can be right next to your cat without having a problem. Keep in mind your cat's comfort, as well. If either animal seems to be getting stressed out, give them both a break for awhile to recharge. You can't exactly make your cat sit still unless you've trained your cat as well, so remember to be patient with your cat, too. Treats probably wouldn't hurt.

The pace at which your dog learns this can depend on how motivated they are by the treats you're using, how often you practice, your dog themself (as we all learn at different paces), and your cat's comfort level.

It's a good idea to wait at least one month before there are any unsupervised interactions between the animals, and you're absolutely positive they won't hurt each other. Many dogs and cats get along perfectly well, so this is possible. If none of the above tips helped, it might be time to see a professional animal behaviorist.

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Final thoughts

As with all things, sometimes, it's just not going to work out. That doesn't mean the cat or dog is at fault, or that you did something wrong; sometimes, animals don't get along, just like people. If you are truly invested in getting your animals to tolerate each other, consider seeking the help of a professional.

We wish you luck in your introductory adventures!

Sources:

“How to Introduce a Dog and Cat.” Animal Humane Society, www.animalhumanesociety.org/behavior/how-introduce-dog-and-cat.

“Introducing Dogs to Cats.” American Humane, americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-dogs-to-cats/.

Rakosky, Erin. “Deaf Dog Training: How to Train and Care for a Deaf Dog.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 14 Sept. 2016, www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-train-a-deaf-dog/.

Woodard, Sherry. “How to Introduce a Dog to a Cat.” Best Friends Resources, Best Friends Animal Society, resources.bestfriends.org/article/how-introduce-dog-cat.

Written by Skye Isabella Rose Iwanski