Introducing the new kitty to the dogs

[Labradorks]

After my saga with the cat rescue that would not adopt to my because my pup is intact, I kept looking for the right kitty. I didn't really want a kitten, but all attempts to find the right adult failed. I wanted a cat that could deal with dogs, but it was usually unknown. And I was told that the next best thing is a kitten.

I went to look at kitties today and, not knowing how to pick a cat, I went for the most outgoing and confident one. He is a tuxedo orange tabby. He bites everything to check it out (sound familiar?) and kneads, purrs, and loves people. The adoption coordinator (who did not ask me about the status of my dogs) felt he would be a great fit with two Labs.

It's crazy -- he is already neutered! How do they do that? Everything is so small! Anyway...

Right now I've got him in the utility room with his litter box, food, water, scratching thing, and dog safe cat toys (tennis ball, paper ball, etc.). He meows and the dogs don't even notice. I brought him out for a second as I wanted to sit with him on the sofa to check things out and the dogs were totally in his face. He didn't really care about the dogs in general until they were a little overboard with the sniffing, and then he freaked out and the dogs slowly backed away. I put them in a bedroom and held onto the kitty and showed him around until he became too wiggly.

Any tips on how to introduce them? I'm not concerned at all about the dogs hurting him on purpose. But I'm not sure if I should just have a free for all or if there is a method.

By the way, I think I'm going to name him Roger. He looks like a Roger to me. Unless anyone has better ideas?

[emma_Dad]

No idea. but you need to post a pic!

[Maxx&Emma]

You are doing great and it sounds like a perfect fit! Just make sure kitty has a safe place to go until you are confident of no issues. My one cat thinks he is a dog, seriously! He plays with Maxx constantly, climbs in the crate with Maxx and bosses the heck out of him! I keep the nails trimmed constantly so he can't scratch eyes but there have never been issues. Emma does not like this cat as much, she prefers my mellow, sweet Persian. He can snuggle her anytime! I have never had any issues. Congratulations!

[Labradorks]

So, I guess I wait until the weekend and then let the kitty out with one dog at a time on a leash?

[Maxx&Emma]

That should work. Encourage your dogs to ignore by focusing on you with good treats. Having them associate good things when kitty is around goes a long way.

[Labradorks]

Here are some photos. Hard to get as the cat doesn't sit still for more than a second or two and is very into the affection.

[Maxx&Emma]

He is purr-fect!

[MikeLynn]

I'm not exactly a cat person, actually I've been allergic to them for some 25 years, but must admit he's really cute and cuddly

[Labradorks]

I'm not exactly a cat person, actually I've been allergic to them for some 25 years, but must admit he's really cute and cuddly

Funny, because I'm not really a cat person either! But then, I got a couple mice inside and thought it would be nice to have a cat around that *might* remedy that situation. Lots of new construction around my place so we're all having issues with mice and even rats (shudder). Also, now that the dogs are going in different directions with their training, I feel bad for not always being able to take them both everywhere, so I thought if I got a cat, it *might* be company for the dog stuck at home. I may be wrong there -- but it's a worth a try. And, finally, I really want a pet that I can have in my lap while I'm watching tv or even in the bed while I am sleeping. The dogs are not allowed on the furniture (my house is small, and I have one small sofa so logistically it won't work) and when I do let them sleep in the bed, they get too hot and pant, then jump down to sleep on the hardwood or tile. Plus, OMG the hair!

[CraftHer]

We had the opposite situation, but I think it still applies. We had the cat first and got Mocha when Duchess was 11 years old. My biggest thing was for Duchess to have a safe place to go. In our old house, that was the bay window or under the bed. In the new house, we have part of the house blocked by a gate. Duchess can get through the gate to the safety but Mocha can't follow. The litter box is also behind the gate. Mocha tends to "snack" from the litter box (ewww) so the gate serves a double purpose.

The other thing is that I wanted to be sure they both got enough time and affection. Sometimes this means putting Mocha in his kennel for a nap so we can snuggle with Duchess.

Mocha thinks Duchess is a really cool self propelled toy So when she runs, he'll chase her. She's also learned she does better on the hardwood than him. So she'll get him riled up on the carpet and then fly down the hallway. They are figuring it out. He's bigger and stronger. She's faster and more agile. We're a happy multi-species family