How do I introduce my new dog to my cat(s)?

Rescue Policy and AdviceAnimal CareBehaviour
Written By John Stone

This blog is for a new dog coming to your home when you have resident cats, although it can be adapted if it’s the cat that is new and you already have a resident dog or dogs. 


The first and most important thing to remember is

do not try to introduce any dogs to cats or vice versa (or to any human children that live in the home) before the 48 hours DEFRA quarantine period has expired. 

However, during the quarantine period, you should initiate and stick to only Step 1 below and have some items in the dog’s bed ready for when they arrive that smell of the cats- and also something soft the resident humans have slept with for a week or so (eg a blanket or an unwashed old t shirt or jumper you have worn for a few days, or the cat(s) have been on that you don’t mind if the dog chews but not socks or other footwear in case they think they are toys). Then prepare another blanket or similar with more cat(s) smells on, over the two days ready to put that in the dog’s bed. A newly prepared blanket will have stronger, more recent smells on it. Then at the end of the quarantine time, take the blanket, t shirt, jumper etc back and put it in the cat’s(s’) usual chill out space so they can smell themselves and the dog on the item, while swapping out with the new item with the cat smell on that you prepared during the quarantine. ‘Rinse and repeat’ for at least the first few weeks, as well as the ones that smell of the resident humans, but use the quarantine period to get into this routine to help you remember to do it. They don’t need to be washed between swaps; in fact it’s better you don’t so all the smells mix, cohering the family unit in the dog’s eyes (or nose!).

They may be curious about each other, and they could well be ok seeing each other through a stair gate, during quarantine, but the slower the better- you don’t want them to catch sight of each other unexpectedly and get freaked out. Bear in mind your cats are decompressing as well as the new dog (we have a cat decompression guide in our earlier blogs) as are you! So it’s very easy for the dog, cat(s) or the humans to make mistakes at the beginning.

The second important thing to remember is

the more you prepare, the better it will go. 

If your cat has met dogs before and is not bothered, then it is likely to go a lot more smoothly. The rescue can’t do this bit for you, so getting your cats used to the idea of a dog is up to you to ensure it goes well. So if your family or friends have any cat savvy dogs, this could be good practice. Do it (using the preparations and steps below) more than once in a variety of environments, the lounge, the kitchen (where there are likely to also be food smells to add to the equation) and then outside (provided the cat isn’t likely to run and escape from the garden). We do not approve adoptions of dogs to homes with cats in unless we have video proof of our dogs meeting cats, and any cat and dog meets you do it is good to take videos of them and show the rescue so they can advise on the body language of the animals and advise on any next steps or meet ups.

Real life is not a Disney film and we can’t expect and don’t want any animals to cosy up to a new animal (or their new humans) right away. They may never be best friends, but giving them the tools they need to get on is the humans’ job. And the stereotype of dogs and cats being ‘natural enemies’ is outdated, with any problems in a multi-pet household being created or not resolved by the humans! But remember, dogs ‘naturally’ chase when overwhelmed, and cats ‘naturally’ run when overwhelmed, and can have opposite body language to mean the same thing or the same body language can mean the opposite thing in dogs and cats (for example, a cat ‘wagging’ its tail is almost never a good thing, especially if they’ve fluffed out their tail, but most (not all) tail wags from dogs are positive gestures. Whereas a straight ‘up’ cat tail usually denotes happiness or curiosity, but for a dog it tends to mean they are on alert and their stress levels are rising.)

The third and final important thing to remember is

not getting your cat(s) used to real life dogs beforehand is not acceptable. 

You need to get them used to the idea of dogs before a dog comes. This would be a very good idea to do before any dog and cat meet ups you can do happen as well. Sometimes playing videos of dogs from YouTube (for example) can help, although cats cannot see the TV like we can, it’s flickery and low resolution to them, they will notice the movements the dogs make on the videos, and get used to this new animal to some extent being ‘in the house’ with them. If you have a new higher definition TV they can see more detail. If you have a smart TV that can connect to your device, you can play videos on your TV of the actual dog that is coming to you. Other options are videos of dogs with similar colouring to the dog coming home, and in harnesses, collars and leads as those too can make a noise or move in a way they are not used to (note cats are red-green colour blind meaning pink is grey to them, and brown is also grey or yellow-ish to them, but see actual yellow and blue or purple very well, and if the dog is black they see that in the same way humans do, so no matter what colour the dog is, have your dog in a blue or purple harness and lead set or bandana to make them more visible). Play the videos on very low volume or even on silent at first if the dogs on the videos are making typical doggy noises. Providing the cat(s) aren’t stressed by this, play these videos very quietly or silently every day a couple of times a day for a week or more, till the dog comes home. 

Before you raise the volume on the videos, make sure your cat is calm. Adding a positive experience to this new noise like treats, attention, a catnip toy or a calming plug-in can help; or calming music that you know the cat likes by trying various sounds out with the cat(s) to find out which they seem to like best. Make sure the door of the TV room is open in case they feel the need to leave. If they do leave, keep the video on with a reduced volume, or combine the barking sounds with the calming music, or mute the video, for a few minutes and see if they come back. If they don’t, leave it for that day and try again tomorrow. They may prefer to watch the videos from a higher point (a ‘vertical space’) like a cat tree or raised bed. If this goes well you can play the sounds when they are in the garden too. Give them treats or whatever they like best as a reward when they are calm and don’t react to the movements and sounds. 

This is unlikely to be a fast process especially if your cat has never met a dog before. And especially as this ‘practice’ is not being backed up by the actual smell of the dog yet- a cat’s sense of smell is even stronger than a dog’s, and both are stronger than a human’s. Cats and dogs rely a lot on smell to make sense of their world. So patience, and calm body language from all the humans is vital, as well as using happy tones about the video- saying things like ‘lovely dog, isn’t it (cat’s name)’ ‘such a sweet dog’ or any words you want the cat to start associating with dogs (including the word dog itself).  Do not leave the room while the videos are playing as that is like leaving the cat(s) and dog(s) alone and unsupervised, which is not a good idea, and it will help you get used to the routine of not leaving them alone together once the dog comes home.


There isn’t much research on how many words cats can understand like there is with dogs especially as cats in general have a lot less motivation to be ‘trained’ or please their humans than dogs. But when they do learn words, it’s usually in combination with an experiences, like fuss or treats, or something else they really like. So if you use words to warn them/ tell them the video is going on, using the word ‘dog’ to denote something good is going to happen, that can help. Slowly increase the volume to normal levels and get them used to that sound and movement happening for the house multiple times every day for the entire time until the dog comes home, which usually takes a minimum of a month to complete the application, discuss the relevant blogs, do the house check and send off the blood tests to DEFRA (and for the result to come back.) 


So now you’ve done all the prep above and your dog is about to arrive… memorise this quick check list:


  • Secure the cats away from the dog’s safe space while you collect the dog from the happy bus (for more on what to do when the happy bus comes, check out this LINK here)

  • Keep them separated at first with a stair gate or adjustable open topped puppy pen, or separate rooms where possible

  • Do not feed together or let them get into each other’s bowls

  • Do not let them go into each other’s safe spaces

  • Introduce their scents (as per step 1 below)

  • Supervised, controlled introductions where the dog is on a lead

  • Reward calm behaviour from both animals with calm, consistent and positive praise words, and treats

  • Use ‘vertical space’ as above and below, or an open door for the cat to escape if stressed 

  • Advocate for the cat and dog by stopping the interaction, or reducing the interactions, before they become overwhelmed- watch their body language carefully 

  • Never let the animals ‘work it out’ on their own, or leave them alone as this can create fear and conflict.


STEP 1. 

Preparation (before the first meeting)

Scent swapping:

As soon as possible after the dog comes home, leave something (a blanket is good) with the new dog's scent for your cat to investigate, and prepare something for the dog’s bed with the cat’s scent on and have it ready in the bed for when they arrive. This helps them become familiar with each other's smells. 


Create a safe space for the cat(s) and dog:

Ensure your cat and dog has access to a separate room with their food, water, litter box, and bed, where the dog or cat cannot go. 


Exercise and train the dog:

This is not easy when the dog is decompressing as talked about in our decompression blogs,, our stress blogs, and our toys blogs as too much attention, play and training too fast is overwhelming to a new dog, but as time goes on, a dog that has its needs met (primary needs of food, water, sleep, and toileting; then supplemental needs of play, basic training and sensibly introduced walk training) is a calm dog. So, once the dog has decompressed, having cues like ‘sit,’ ‘stay’ or ‘wait’ (like in our barking blog) and ‘watch me’, ’to me’, ‘heel’ or ‘focus’ with your dog to get their attention back on you can be introduced, with special words for interacting with the cat in positive tones, even using the word ‘cat’ calmly so they know it’s ‘cat time’, then rewarding them with praise cues and a nice treat, when they listen to you rather than getting overexcited about, or want to chase because they are hyper focused on the cat, often works very well. 

wouldn’t it be nice? Sure it would, but keep your expectations realistic. This is not a given in any cat-dog relationship and would only be possible due to a lot of consistent effort and training of the animals from the humans! It doesn’t ‘just happen’.


STEP 2. 

Controlled Introductions

Initial separation:

When the dog first arrives, keep the cat(s) in a separate room or cat box if they like a carrier. Allow the cat to explore the new dog's scent in their room, and vice versa, while the other animal is not present. 

Baby gates or barriers:

Use baby gates or other barriers like a big pen that opens out and can section off part of the room to allow them to see each other safely from a distance. Reward both pets for calm behaviour. 

On lead interactions:

For face-to-face introductions, keep the dog on a lead. The cat should have the freedom to approach or retreat as they choose. But having the dog offlead could trigger their natural ‘chase instinct’ should the cat suddenly leave the room- as a cat unsocialised with dogs’ natural instinct is to run- so you should never give the dog an opportunity to do that during controlled introductions.

Positive Reinforcement: (see also our recent blog on positive reinforcement)

Use high-value treats or other methods the rescue recommends in the blogs to reward the dog for calm behaviour, focusing their attention on you. Reward the cat with treats or something they like as well when they react calmly. 

Keep sessions short and positive:

End each meet and greet session before either pet shows signs of stress or (over)excited reactions. Start with only a few minutes and slowly increase, a few minutes longer each time, and/or more times each day, if both cat(s) and dog are doing well. Ensure the dog especially has a rest or sleep in their safe space to process each meeting. 


STEP 3. 

Ongoing Management

Provide ‘Vertical Space’:

Give your cat access to high places, like shelves, windowsills, raised beds or cat trees, so they can observe the dog from a safe distance. 

Advocate for the cat and dog:

Intervene and remove the stressor if the cat is hissing, swatting, marking with scent glands/urine, or running away to stop the interaction, as this shows the cat feels overwhelmed. Do the same if the dog starts (overexcited) barking, growling, stiff and stressed body language or straining at the lead.

Continue supervised interactions:

Keep the dog on a lead and supervised during all interactions for several days or weeks, and keep separate when you're not home. 

Avoid ‘jealousy’

You shouldn’t be fussing a dog too much when they first come home anyway as they will fear bond, as we explain in our decompression blogs. So it’s up to the humans to not overdo the fuss with a new dog and not change your fuss routines with your cats to avoid worried reactions from the new or resident pets. While it’s debatable whether they feel jealousy like humans, they can definitely become ‘competitive’ due to stress at the changes in their routines that favour the new arrival. The dog could squeeze in between you and the cat or push your hand away from the other cat. Or your cat may cry excessively or start scratching furniture or marking. So slow, gradual, increasing attention for the new dog as they decompress so the cat(s) realise the new arrival isn’t going to take their human(s) away from them, is advised. 

Do not force it:

Never allow the animals to ‘work it out’ on their own; stay in the same space when they don’t feel comfortable, or chill out together with no supervision even if they look relaxed- this can lead to injuries and lasting fear or reactivity. Their ’stress buckets’ (that we talk about in the ‘Stress, you and your dog’ blog) should never stay full. So give plenty of time, including ’sleep time’ in their separate safe spaces, to process each meeting.

Some breeds of dog tend to get on with cats better than others, for example golden retrievers, beagles, cavalier King Charles spaniels, bichon frises, collies, pugs, papillons, or Maltese dogs. And of course, some cat breeds are friendlier in general with dogs than others- but this is no guarantee! The humans have to put the ground work in to achieve harmony between cats and dogs. And it will also depend on the personality of the dog and the cat(s). 

If you are still concerned about your dog's or cat’s behaviour as interactions have not improved at all after some time (after the dog has left third stage decompression minimum), ask the rescue for more advice (and provide video of what is happening) and, if necessary, seek guidance from a professional trainer who does not use aversive training methods. 


But always remember, it’s not the dog or cat’s(s’) fault if they don’t (immediately) get on. 


If in doubt:

  • Calmly separate all the animals again for at least a day (it can take 72 hours for them to process a stressful encounter)

  • Come back to this blog, and refresh your memory on the introduction advice and steps (or download a copy of it for free!)

  • Reboot steps 1-3 from the beginning, and do them much more slowly to avoid them getting overwhelmed

  • Take lots of videos to study their body language to view afterwards in your own time once the animals are separate, to find out when and why they are getting stressed, remove that stressor, and divert the dog to something more fun to do, or to their bed to sleep.

John Stone
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