March | 2011 | My Dog Scooter

Getting your puppy and kitty together for the first time is challenging and fun, if you know what to do.

As I write this, I assume that you have a family cat and a new puppy. So now that your household has both puppies and kitties you want to know if you can put the dog and cat together under one roof without a lot of damage to your real estate or personal property!

Generally, the introduction of a young puppy with a cat can go pretty smoothly; but in some cases I’ve seen, it can be some what problematic at first.

In both cases you need to know what to do.

When you first introduce your pup to your cat, keep the puppy restrained, but do not restrain the cat. Believe me that is better to leave the cat lose. The cat should be free to react naturally.

Now there are basically two types of cats: cats, that stay and fight like dogs, or the type of cat that runs rather than confront any kind of problem with a dog.

You probably know what kind of cat you have, but if you don’t, you are about to find out. If your cat is the type of cat who has to stand her grounds and fight, she will probably spit and hiss at the puppy. Now, if your puppy has not experienced this before, “he/she better run”.

When I say run, I mean that this type of confrontation with a cat will most likely cause your puppy to retreat.

Sometimes, your puppy believes that the cat is playing and he will charge at the cat and jump on her. This is simply a natural behavior by these two lovely animals which initially appears threatening, but with time goes away. One thing to remember is that sometimes restraining the puppy is necessary, especially if the puppy is bigger than the cat. This of course, should be done gently, insuring that you do not hurt the puppy in the process.

Whatever happens between these two, realize that it is a natural behavior between puppies and kitties and at first, it is acceptable.

Now, let’s presume that at some point, you have gotten your dog and cat together or at least, they now know each other.

When you are not home to supervise your puppy and kitty together, it is best not to allow the puppy access to the kitty without proper supervision. It would be best to either put your puppy in his puppy playpen, or put the kitty in another room.

As your puppy and kitty grow-up and gain confidence there may still be problems that will arise.

Sometimes, the puppy will try to attack the cat because the cat wants to run. If you have the puppy on a leash and you see him about to run after the cat or attach her, give the leash a soft yank, in order to stop the puppy from chasing the cat.

During this time, it might be wise to replace one of the dog’s toys with a new one or getting him a new toy to play with. This provides the puppy a new distraction away from the kitty. Also, don’t forget to praise your puppy when he starts to play with the new toy or his new friend the kitty.

Another thing to remember is that it’s a good idea for your kitty to have access to plenty of places up high where she can retreat to and hide away from the puppy. Be sure to clear a shelf and insure that it firmly against the wall. Your cat will be glad for this refuge.

Having puppies and kittens in the same family household be a challenge at first, but eventually, both the puppy and the kitty will learn to live together under the same roof in a playful, peaceful way.

Sooner or later, both will learn to respect each others space and become inseparable.

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