How to Introduce a New Pet to Your Family
Setting up your new four-legged family member for success is essential when learning how to introduce a new pet to your household. We have compiled our best tips and advice to help you manage initial meetings safely and stress-free.
Building a Safe and Smooth Transition
With a little patience, careful observation, and proper training, most animals will learn to at least tolerate their new housemates -- if not grow to love them! Explore our detailed step-by-step guides below to prepare your home and introduce your pets with confidence.
- Make sure the dog doesn't have a prey drive toward cats before you adopt. The dog is sure to be curious about cats, but if their first natural instinct is to attack or if they think of the cat as a food source, you're not likely to be able to train that instinct away. Test your prospective dog with cats first. It needn't be your cat, but see how the dog reacts to cats in general. At FOHA, be sure to ask to perform a “cat test” with any dog you may be interested in adopting. The FOHA volunteers are experienced in the signs to watch for and are happy to help!
- It is beneficial if the dog already knows some commands -- sit, stay, off, leave it. If the dog has not had training, you need to start training from day one. You also need to make sure the dog understands that you are in charge -- you're number one dog in the pack order.
- If you are thinking of adopting a dog, you are going to want to change some aspects of your cat's daily routine before the dog arrives. For example, you may need to move the cat's feeding area to a place where the dog won't be able to reach. The same holds true for the litter box. Make sure your cat is going to have some safe places where he/she can get away from this new doggy "intruder."
- When you first bring your new dog home, let him/her take 10 to 20 minutes to explore the whole house. The dog is going to be curious about all the new sights and smells. After the dog has done some exploring, confine the dog to one room or floor of the house. This will allow your cat to have free reign of the house and investigate where the dog has been.
- Your cat has smelled where the dog has been, so you might want to give the dog an opportunity to experience the cat's smell. The safest way is to pet your cat and then let the dog smell your hand. Safe for you, cat, and dog. You can let kitty sleep on one blanket and doggy on another; then exchange blankets so they can get a sense of the other's scent. Say your dog's name while you play with the cat and vice versa. You want them to associate the other animal's name with such pleasurable things as playtime, treats, and pets.
- Yes, dog and cat will be living together, hopefully in harmony, but you need to take some time -- a lot of time -- to let them meet and get used to each other's presence. You may even want to wait as much as a day or more before letting cat and dog even see each other. Take a cue from your cat. He/she will let you know when curiosity has gotten the best of him.
- For their first formal introduction, keep the dog on a leash. You need to be in control. Start with dog and cat at opposite sides of the room. As you move them closer together, maintain control of the dog. If the dog lunges toward the cat, command to sit. Reward the dog for compliance, even if you have to help him/her. Progress slowly and reward good behavior. Your new dog will come to learn that leaving the cat results in a positive experience that leaving the cat alone is more enjoyable than chasing it.
- Your cat might respond with hissing and spitting. As unfriendly as this may seem, it's a natural reaction for many cats. Don't scold kitty for lack of manners. Even if your cat bops the new family member on the nose, don't scold the cat. Use play and treats to keep the dog's mind off the uncomfortable encounter. Don't punish or give attention to the cat. It is your cat's right to protect itself and to let doggy know who he's dealing with.
- Don't force the cat to meet your new dog until he/she is ready.
- Make sure kitty can have some down time away from the dog. Stress for kitty can lead to both physical problems (such as urinary tract infections) and behavioral issues. Your patience and understanding will be the key to a successful transition.
- A dog’s natural introduction to another dog is not face-to-face but rather butt-sniffing. We humans often inhibit this form of introduction, which can lead to uncharacteristic growls, hackles and frustration.
- Arrange for the dogs to meet in a neutral place (park, sidewalk outside house) and allow them to take turns sniffing butts on leash. Then, walk them side-by-side for a while.
- Then, let them meet and play off-leash in a secure area (fenced backyard or room in house). Have a spray bottle with water and some loud metal pans handy to make noise in the event of a fight.
- Pick up toys and food in the home until you know the dogs do not exhibit protective behavior.
- Feed dogs in separate rooms to start.
- Do not change your current dogs sleeping habits. If he sleeps in your bedroom, you'll have to decide whether the new dog will sleep there too. That may be the only way to avoid a lot of distress on the part of the new dog. He may have to be crated, though, at least in the beginning, to avoid problems during the night when you would be unprepared to intervene.
- Don't leave the dogs together when they are alone in the house until you're reasonably sure that they are comfortable with each other.
- Make sure your dog/dogs know the commands to sit, stay, leave it. “Leave it’ is very important should your dog decide that the best way to introduce himself to the cat is by a tour of his mouth.
- A new cat could be overwhelmed by the new surroundings, not to mention barking, so confine the cat to one place with his/her food, water and litter box. There will be much interest on the opposite side of the door, so let pleasurable experiences, like petting, feeding, and treats, take place near the door, where the dog(s) is likely to be.
- Use tips above, such as exchanging blankets, to let each animal experience the new scent. Let the other animal's name be associated with pleasurable experiences.
- As above, let the introduction take place slowly. Depending on your dog's level of training, you may choose to not use a leash. Remember, progress slowly and reward both species for good behavior.
- Give kitty lots of time to acclimate to its new surroundings. A day or two under the couch does not mean failure. Give plenty of time before deciding this isn't going to work.
- Always feed dogs and cats separately. Dogs will be particularly interested in cat food, as it is higher in protein and often quite smelly and tasty. Cats should not eat dog food, as it lacks some essentials they need and could lead to deficiencies.
- Some dogs are overly interested in the cat litter box and its contents. To prevent unpleasant consequences, consider using a litter box with a top too large for the dog to investigate. You could put the litter box in a bathroom or laundry room and install a cat door large enough only for kitty to enter, thus keeping doggy at bay. Or use a screen or baby gate to ensure that kitty can get where he/she needs to be and dogs cannot enter.
- Patience, patience, patience.
- Have a room in your home set aside for your new cat. Have everything ready that he/she will need – litter box, food, water, toys, a bed. This will give kitty a safe haven and a place where you can spend time with him/her one-on-one.
- You will notice that in a short period time your cat will come up to the door of the newcomer’s room to see what’s going on, sniff, and maybe even put a paw under the door.
- Feed the present cat and the newcomer near either side of the door to this room. Don't put the food so close to the door that the cats are too upset by each other to eat. This will help start things out right by associating something enjoyable (eating) with each other's presence.
- Switch sleeping blankets between the new cat and resident cats so they have a chance to become accustomed to each other's scent.
- Once the new cat is using its box and eating regularly while confined, let it have free time in the house while confining the other cat(s). This switch provides another way for the cats to experience each other's scent without a face-to-face meeting. It also allows the newcomer to become familiar with its new surroundings without being frightened by other animals.
- It’s finally time to meet. You will get a sense for when both cats are ready. Another trick – and I know it sounds strange, but it works! – wipe each cat down with a dryer sheet. Now they smell alike! It can ease the introduction process. Let the cats come together on their own terms. Don’t pick up Fluffy and “force” her to meet the new kitty. They will work it out together at their own comfort levels.
- Monitor the cats’ interactions when you are there. Keep them separated at first when you are not home. When you feel that they are comfortable with each other, leave them out together with full run of the house for a short period of time and work up to a full work day alone.
- Avoid any interactions between the cats which result in either fearful or aggressive behavior. If these responses are allowed to become a habit, they can be difficult to change. It's better to introduce the animals to each other so gradually that neither cat becomes afraid or aggressive. If either cat becomes fearful or aggressive, separate them and take more time in the introduction process.
- Expect some hissing, spitting, growling, or even swatting. Unless they are injuring each other, they will work out the situation. Keep a spray bottle handy or, if the cats get into a tussle, throw a towel or blanket over each cat before picking them up and separating.
- Consider a second litter box and food bowl. Fights can occur over having to share food.
