Dog and Cat Introduction Protocol

Do you want to adopt a dog but are already the happy owner of a cat, or the other way round? This dog and cat introduction protocol is here to guide you.

What you should know

Do you want everything to go as well as possible, so that your animals live together happily? Then everything can hinge on that very first contact. Bear in mind that the cat and the dog are not the same species, do not work the same way, and do not share the same language.

The cat is an animal that is: – territorial (not social) – opportunistic – a creature of habit

The dog is an animal that is: – social (not territorial) – opportunistic – a creature of repetition. N.B.

A social animal is not necessarily sociable, just as a non-social animal can be sociable. This protocol therefore aims to respect your cat’s nature and way of functioning (whatever their age), and to teach your dog that there is more to be gained from approaching the cat calmly than from chasing it.

Warning! Please call on a canine and feline behaviourist if: – Your cat is afraid of dogs because of known traumatic episodes – Your dog is afraid of cats because of traumatic episodes and becomes panicked or aggressive. This protocol cannot help in cases of established fear or high prey drive.

Equipment needed

– A fixed 2-metre lead and a child safety gate.

– A closed room in which the cat feels comfortable and which can hold all their resources (litter tray, food, water, bedding, windows and vantage points)

– Highly palatable food for the cat and for your dog (sardines, tuna, mackerel, cooked ham, cooked chicken, cheese, poultry liver pâté, and so on). Duration of the protocol: 2 to 3 weeks on average.

Before you begin

Between the supervised meetings that will take place between your dog and your cat, it is essential that the cat is in a closed room with a solid door the dog cannot see through. Note that you want no visual or physical contact without supervision at this stage.

Stage 1

Scent introduction. When? As soon as your cat starts taking an interest in what is happening outside the room they are settled in.

The aim? Days 1 to 3: for your dog and your cat to discover each other’s scent. There is no need to stand and watch; ask nothing of them, simply put the object or objects down and go back to what you were doing.

Days 3 to 7: for that scent to be associated with something thoroughly pleasant for both of them.

Days 1 to 3: – Once a day, place an object or piece of fabric carrying your dog’s scent in the cat’s room – Do the same with an object belonging to the cat (a litter tray while you clean it, for instance) with your dog

Days 3 to 7: – Do as before, but ADD ALONGSIDE a great reward or your animal’s meal (so choose mealtimes). N.B.: during stage 1, between exercises, make sure the animals are separated again, each in their own space and out of sight and reach of the other.

Stage 2

Visual introduction. The aim? To associate the other’s physical presence with something pleasant.

Days 1 to 3: – Set your baby gate up in a corridor, close to the cat’s room (work with one cat at a time if you have several). – Your dog will be on the other side. – Put your dog on a lead, so that there is no physical contact. – Throw your cat one reward after another as soon as they are opposite your dog – Do the same for your dog, whom you will keep as far from the gate as possible

Warning! If your dog, normally food-motivated, will not take food, you are too close to the gate.

Days 3 to 7: – Set your baby gate up in a corridor, close to the cat’s room (work with one cat at a time if you have several). – Your dog will be on the other side. – Put your dog on a lead, so that there is no physical contact. – Put your cat’s meal down as soon as they are opposite your dog – Do the same for your dog, whom you will keep as far from the gate as possible

Warning! If your dog, normally food-motivated, will not take food, you are too close to the gate. – If everyone is comfortable, move the bowls closer at each meal. *Watch your dog’s behaviour closely. If they become agitated (barking, whining, scrabbling on the floor) or freeze on the spot, head low, eyes fixed on the cat, and then advance towards the cat in a low posture, stop the introduction.

Stage 3

Physical introduction (without the gate). When? Once you have properly completed stage 2 — that is, once your dog is calm in front of the cat and able to sniff and observe them through the gate with no sign of agitation or chasing (and likewise for your cat) — it will be time to move to a meeting without a barrier.

The aim? To teach your dog to approach calmly. To let your cat know that they can always escape without being chased, and that they are safe.

Days 1 to 3: – Keep your dog on a lead so that you can end the meeting quickly and easily. – Make sure the cat has options for getting out of the dog’s reach if they wish (furniture or a shelf to climb, a windowsill out of the dog’s reach, and so on) – Reward your dog as soon as they lose interest in the cat – Reward your cat as soon as they lose interest in the dog. As you bring the dog into the room, watch their behaviour. If you notice behaviour that could frighten or hurt the cat (barking, swiping, and so on), hold the dog back with the lead and reward them as soon as they settle. Repeat until the dog is calm in the cat’s presence. To know how to proceed according to your dog’s behaviour, refer to the columns of the following table:

Once the dog is able to be calm in the cat’s presence, with no barrier separating them, it will be time to give them moments when both are free but under constant supervision. At this stage, if all goes well, you can let the animals have free access to your whole home — but if you are not there to supervise, make sure the cat and the dog are separated by at least your baby gate (two gates if your dog jumps high).

Article by Urban Pet