Best way to introduce a New puppy with our existing cats

[Mark K.]

We are planning to purchase a new yellow lab puppy in the next month but have two cats that have been living with us for the past 4 years. I am not sure how to initially introduce the three and am a bit worried about the meeting. Are there some stragedies I can use to get the three acclimated to being and then living together.

[Tanya]

others with cats will more solid advice, but i would look at using baby gates to ensure cats ran run away safely at any time/havning places they can jump to that puppy cannot access. if puppy chases the cats you may need to keep him on leash when they are around as you teach appropriate interactions.

Have the cats ever lived with a dog?

[Snowshoe]

Yes, did you have a dog before? Even so, we found a new hooligan puppy after being used to a gentle, kind older dog was not received well by the three resident cats. INtroducing cats to cats is harder than a puppy to a cat, at least in my house. We just contained the puppy till the cats knew what a horror we were inflicting on them, kept puppy in our gated kitchen, with cat sized escape holes in the gates. We did have to watch as at first puppy could get through those holes too and we blocked them off till he got too big, which was only a couple of weeks. Two cats would put in an appearance once in while, put up with puppy till he pushed them too far and they whacked him. They seemed to know he was only a big dumb baby but we trimmed all their hooks short anyway, just in case. We didn't Let puppy chase but he would and the cats knew it. The cat who had been best friends with the previous Lab pretty well hid for a year but now all are friends. WE saw that cat, she only hid when the puppy was loose in the house.

Oh I forgot to say, something I think made a big difference in cat dog relations when we got to training was a suggestion from our trainer - if puppy is not complying quickly enough, with say a SIT, treat your other dog, not the puppy. I didn't have another dog, I used one of the cats. It was remarkable how much more quickly puppy's little backside hit the floor next time and it seemed to show both that good things happened when they behaved themselves together.

And, not sure this made a difference to anyone but me, but I spoke to, petted, fed and in any other way acknowledged cats before the dog. They were here first, they get access to me first.

[Labradorks]

I got a kitten when my dogs were one and four years old. I started out by shutting the kitten in the utility room with her stuff. When the dogs lost interest, I used a baby gate that the kitten could not get out of. When the dog lost interest, I opened the little cat door in the baby gate for several minutes a few times per day and stood there with the dogs, both dragging leashes, and gave them high value treats when they'd relax and not look at the cat. Eventually they got used to her (maybe after a week or so?) and now my younger dog only chases the cat when they are playing.

When I got my my younger dog I had chickens and muscovy ducks (no quacking, bigger than a duck, a little smaller than a goose, but acts a bit like a duck and a bit like a goose though not aggressive). I had them in their pen and let my pup just get used to them, acclimate. I taught him leave it. It was a crash course during a beach trip, really. Every two seconds when he was going after something on the beach, I'd wave a cookie in his face, say "leave it" then give him the cookie. He was four months when he became fluent in leave it. Both the chickens and the ducks have always been comfortable around dogs, so it helps that they weren't spazzing out while I was working with the puppy. Acclimation goes both ways, I suppose. My younger dog also does field work and will retrieve pigeons, chuckars, ducks, pheasants, etc. but not the birds in the yard.

I'll be getting a puppy in about a year and still have the cat who will not correct a puppy. She has no fear and she doesn't get cranky, she'd just run, which we all know is an invitation to chase to a puppy. The way I plan on working with my new puppy is to put the baby gate back up with the cat door open so that the cat has a place to go to if she needs to get away from the puppy. She will also be able to eat, drink and use the litterbox in peace in the room. She also has her cat tree. I have a rather small house, so not a lot of places to hide. I will teach the puppy leave it right away with high value treats (cheese, meat, whatever puppy loves) and I will ask puppy to leave it BEFORE the puppy is excitedly chasing the cat by placing the treat on the puppy's nose if I have to and leading her away from temptation then giving her the treat once she is focused on me/the food. The puppy will be close enough for me to take just a couple steps before I reach him at all times, either using baby gates or a tether. Puppy will not be able to establish any bad habits because I will always be right there to redirect. If I cannot be watch puppy like a hawk, puppy will be in the crate.

Depending on the puppy, this could take days or weeks or months, but as long as I am consistent, I cannot imagine it not working itself out. I see a lot of people thinking it's cute when the 8 week old puppy is barking at the cat then in a few more weeks, they are yelling at the puppy or spraying him in the face with water for doing the same thing. It's not the puppy's fault that he grew up! I always say to myself, "will this be cute when the puppy is older or bigger or an adult dog?" and if the answer is no, don't let the puppy do it.

[Archie]

We had two cats when we first got Archie, and have since also brought home another puppy.

Aside from the great advice you've already gotten, I'd say keep puppy on leash for the first meeting so he/she can't chase the kitties. Always discourage chasing the kitties by distracting the puppy and always reward for ignoring the cats. You don't want to encourage the puppy to be interested in the cats, no matter how cute it is.

This gate has been the best thing we ever bought in terms of puppy/cat relationships, and is still solid 4+ years later - we use it to block dog access from the litter/cat food room: Amazon.com : Carlson 0941PW Extra-Tall Walk-Thru Gate with Pet Door, White : Pet Door Barrier Systems : Pet Supplies

Finally, be patient. I saw cute videos of cats and puppies online and was disappointed when that did NOT happen with us. The cats generally hated/avoided the dogs despite our best efforts to protect the cats and train the dogs.

4 years later, one cat will still have nothing to do with the dogs and swats if they get too close, but the other cat is finally comfortable being around them, rubbing on them a little bit, etc.

Good luck!

[silverfz]

Depends on the cats, we had 2 for over 12 yrs. the elder was 22 lbs and would smack my last dog after which the dog left him alone. His brother is now 12 is 17 lbs but is gentle and sweet. the 22 is gone so now its only him. THe lab jumps on him and trys to play. But he does not get offended. He know she is a puppy . When we rocco the rescue that did not work out for a few weeks he was red zoned on that dog.
you can never tell how the cat reacts to that particular dog too.

gigi get a spot of lavander oil when she gets ruff. we watch them close even after 2 months. She is getting better. In the evening make sure you have both with you when they are in a half sleepy state and having them relax together near by helps.

We use lavander as the trainer told us that is calms the dog but also acts like a strong deterrent to stop the dog from obsessive mind set over something.

[windycanyon]

Intro'ing a puppy will be a piece of cake. I've not known a cat yet that didn't have an effective and well timed correction for a naughty puppy.

[Rosy]

I'm not familiar about this, but I have a dog and a cat before and i'm not introduce them to each other and after a month they will get used to each other.

[ZEKESMAN]

All of my 70lb labs have been afraid of my cats. Don;t worry cats will set the pack order.