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San Diego Humane Society

Introducing Dogs to Cats

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The best indication that cats and dogs can live together comfortably is that they’ve successfully done it before. Nevertheless, if you’re in search of a cat or dog to add to your fur family, there are ways you can set them up for success to coexist peacefully. Here are some pointers on finding a good candidate and how to facilitate calm introductions and promote positive interactions. 

Please note: Many videos, resources and infographics linked to this article are centered around or feature dogs. However, these resources and concepts are relevant and can be applied to cats and other pets. 

Are You and Your Current Pet Ready?

Before bringing a second pet home: 

  • Follow the 3-3-3 Rule, to ensure your current pet has had enough time to adjust and decompress. Make sure you have had your current pet for longer than 3 months, and they are acclimated, comfortable and relaxed at home. (For more information, check out: Adopting: The Rule of 3s.)
  • DogEmotionalCup (1).jpgWhatIsPetEnrichment.jpgAssess your resident pet(s). Before bringing a new pet home, assess whether or not this will enrich your current pet’s life and increase their overall quality of life. If your cat or dog has not been able to live comfortably with other animals in the past — due to their behavior, tolerance threshold or sociability — getting a second pet could be challenging, stressful and even detrimental to your current pet's emotional well-being. 
  • Is your resident pet healthy and happy? Consider taking your current pet to the vet to make sure they are not experiencing any medical issues, contagious illnesses or physical pain. If your current pet is dealing with any of these things, they are likely experiencing heightened stress and are more susceptible to trigger stacking (For more information, check out: Trigger Stacking & Stress Hormones and Stressed Out: How You Can Tell and What You Can Do About It). Bring in another pet only if your current pet is healthy and their behavioral and emotional needs are being met. 
  • CATS-need---Lili-Chin-2022 (1).jpgDo you have the appropriate set up? To successfully introduce a dog and a cat in the home, you will need to keep them completely separate for the first few weeks. Whether the cat is your current pet or the newcomer, they will need to be set up in a safe space (in a separate room or part of the home) where the dog cannot get to them. Consider getting exercise pens or baby gates to use as barriers when it comes time to start introductions. Additionally, slow introductions take time, supervision and patience. Are you (or other family members) able to supervise all interactions between the two pets for the first few months? Are you willing and able to take on training if the two pets aren't comfortable with each other right away? For more information on safe spaces, see the "Preparation" section below.

Your pet may be a good candidate for having a roommate, if:

  • DoesMyDogLoveOtherDogs.jpgYour dog has successfully shared space with or lived with cats, in the past. Your cat has successfully shared space with or lived with dogs, in the past. 
  • Your pet is generally social, friendly and gentle with other animals (see this article on Dog Sociability).  
  • Your pet is generally confident, mellow and easy-going.
  • Your dog does not have any current behavior challenges that may be exacerbated by a second pet, including: resource guarding, poor impulse control, increased stress or fearful behavior. Your cat does not have any current behavior challenges that may be exacerbated by a second pet, including: litter box issues, spraying, or fearful behavior.
  • Your dog does not guard resources (food, bones, treats, toys, beds, people, etc.) from other animals by tensing, freezing, growling, marking or snapping. Your cat does not guard resources (food, cat trees, treats, scratchers, toys, beds, people, etc.) from other animals by tensing, freezing, hissing, swatting, spraying or biting.
  • If your pet does show resource guarding behaviors, it's to a degree that is preventable and easily managed.lables_chin.jpg
  • Please note: When assessing a pet's behavior and personality, be careful not to assign rigid labels to them. Behavior changes in different contexts. Labels can be helpful when describing and understanding our pets' behavior, but they shouldn't define who your pet is. It's important to keep in mind, an animal's behavior is influenced by their environment. Ask yourself: What is my pet doing and under what conditions? (For more information on why our pets do what they do, check out: How Behavior Works: Learning Theory & Training Methods, How Pets Learn and Why Animals Do What They Do.)
  • For more things to consider, check out these resources: Introducing Dogs At HomeDog Parks: To Go or Not To GoIntroducing Cats and Adopting A Dog: Getting Ready

BreedLabelingFacts_HumanePro.pngFinding A Prospective Pet

For additional tips on how to find the right pet for you, check out our Behavior & Training Lecture: Adopting/Transitioning Shelter Pets.

  • Behavioral History: Find out as much as you can about the behavioral history of any cat or dog you are considering adopting, specifically in regards to living with other cats or dogs. Ideally, the new pet you plan to bring home will have a history of having lived comfortably with other pets, without apparent conflict. Avoid adopting a dog that has a history of resource guarding, high prey drive, altercations with other animals (dog or cat), a bite or other harm to another animal (dog or cat) or extreme over arousal (Check out the article, Adopting A Dog: Choosing The Dog For You, for more tips on how to find the right dog for you). Avoid adopting a cat that has a history of altercations with other animals (dog or cat), harm to another animal (dog or cat), or extreme shyness or fearfulness (Check out the article, Adopting A Cat: Things To Consider, for more tips on how to find the right cat for you). 
  • The Play Way - AmyCook-LiliChin.jpgConsider the dog's energy level, play style and prey drive. Dogs who are not socialized to cats may respond to them similarly to how they would respond to other dogs. However, it's possible they may treat cats as prey. If a dog does not have a history of high prey drive (i.e., doesn’t chase cats, squirrels or other small animals and hasn't harmed or attempted to harm a cat in the past) and appears gentle and relaxed, they may be a good candidate to consider. Additionally, look for a dog who has low to medium energy and is not easily over aroused. Avoid dogs who enjoy rough play, lack impulse control, or are particularly mouthy (For information on appropriate dog play, watch these videos: Learn About Dog Play From Expert and Shelter Playgroup Alliance: "Green," "Yellow" & "Red" Behaviors. Check out our YouTube playlist: Impulse Control, Overstimulation, DSCC & Choice).
  • StressSigns_Cats.jpgStressSigns_Dogs.jpgConfidence is key. Look for a confident, sturdy cat or kitten. Relaxed and confident cats are more likely to adjust comfortably to living with a dog. Confident cats are less likely to be overly stressed and negatively impacted by sharing a home with a dog. On the other hand, shy, fearful and declawed cats may feel vulnerable or threatened around dogs. Nervous, sensitive or shy cats will display fearful behavior, like hiding or fleeing, which can trigger the dog to feel frustration or to chase them. Stress in cats can have other negative effects like lack of appetite, litter box issues, and higher risk of illnesses (For more information, check out the article, Stress in Pets: What To Look For).UpgradetoFirstClass.jpg
  • Make it easy for your current resident pet. If your current pet is shy, nervous or sensitive, look for a dog or cat who is especially soft, gentle and mellow, yet confident and easy-going. If your current pet often comes on strong, is high energy or is easily overstimulated/over aroused, look for a dog or cat who is especially confident, sturdy and easy-going. (For additional tips for shy cats, check out: Shy & Fearful Cat Tips. Enroll in our Shy Cat class or Shy Dog class. For additional tips for energetic or overstimulated pets, check out: Overexcited & Energetic Cat Tips and Calm Behavior At Home. Enroll in our Reactive Rover: Mat Work class or The Trainable Cat: Level 1 class.)
  • SelectiveDogSpectrum.pngSocializing_LChin.jpgSociable and well-socialized: Look for a pet that is either tolerant of or social towards other animals; sociability is a spectrum (see infographic: Dog Sociability is a Spectrum. It features dogs, but it is also relevant to cats). Additionally, look for a pet that has been socialized to other species at an early age. If a cat or dog wasn’t socialized to other species at a young age, they are less likely to show appropriate, relaxed or “neutral” behaviors toward other cats or dogs as an adult. Keep in mind: Cats are prey and predator, whereas dogs are only predator. This is why cats are often fearful of dogs and dogs often lack impulse control around cats. (For socialization tips, check out our YouTube playlist: Well-Socialized Pet Resources. Enroll in all 6 of our free Well-Socialized Pet Chats held live online over Zoom.)
  • Slow introductions! Regardless of whether or not you have information about a pet’s history with other species or you’re bringing home a puppy or kitten, you’ll want to gradually introduce your current pet(s) to your new pet. It's important to go at your pets' pace to avoid rushing the introductions. Read your pets' body language, listen to their stress signals and pay attention to their comfort levels. They will tell you when they are ready for the next step in the introduction process. The number one rule: Go slow. When in doubt, slow down. For more information and a step-by-step of the process, see the "Slow Introduction Process" section below.CatScentCommunication_InternationalCatCare.jpgCatComfort_InternationalCatCare.jpg

Preparation

  • Set up safe spaces for the cat: Before bringing home the new dog or cat, set up a room to be the cat's safe space. This needs to be a closed off area with a door that the dog cannot access. It is important to keep the cat and dog completely separate for the first week or so. When the cat is in the safe space, the CatPlay_InternationalCatCare.jpgCat-Toileting.jpgdog and cat should not be able to see each other. The safe room should have everything your cat needs: Food, water, litter box, places to hide, multiple scratchers (offer a variety), places to rest and sleep, and toys and enrichment. If the cat is the new pet, this will be the room they stay in for the first few weeks while they are acclimating to the new home and family, before meeting the dog and gaining access to the rest of the home. If the cat is the resident pet, it may be difficult to keep them in one room if they are used to having full access of the entire home. If this is the case, consider setting up multiple safe rooms for your cat. Maybe your cat is used to relaxing in the bedroom during the day but enjoys patrolling the living room at night? Make the bedroom your cat's safe space during the day and the living room their safe space at night. Or if you live in a multiple-story home, make the upstairs the cat's safe space and the downstairs the dog's area (with gates/barriers at the bottom and top of the stairs so they can't interact through one of the barriers). The safe space will be important during the introduction process. (For more information on how to set up a safe room and the importance of one, check out: Cat Confinement in a New Home and Adopting: Shy & Fearful Cats.)
  • Successful Alone Time.pngSuccess stations for the dog: Before bringing home the new dog or cat, set up at least one success station for the dog. Whether the dog is the new pet or the resident pet, success stations can be helpful for managing the excitement and/or stress that can come with meeting a kitty friend. A success station is a dog-proofed area where your dog can relax and entertain themselves when they are unsupervised or becoming over aroused. This should be a play pen or an area of the home blocked off with baby gates or exercise pens. A success station should have everything your dog needs: Food (if it's mealtime), water, place to rest and sleep, potty pads/access to a potty area, toys and enrichment. There shouldn't be anything in this area that you don't want your dog to potentially chew on, destroy, or soil. A success station sets your dog up for success because it offers appropriate options for your dog to make good choices — your dog can stand up, walk around, play with toys or sleep. If the dog is the new pet, a success station can be a good place for them to relax unsupervised if they have not learned the potty routine and other rules of the house yet. It will keep the dog contained, preventing them from getting into mischief. Furthermore, a success station gives a new dog a safe place to decompress and enjoy alone time while they are still getting used to the new home and family. If the dog is the resident pet, they are likely to be excited, over aroused or stressed when they discover the presence of their new roommate cat. The success station will prevent them from attempting to interact with the new cat or redirecting their excitement onto someone or something else. The success station can be utilized during the introduction process, as well. Furthermore, you can introduce your dog to a Calm Settle behavior, that can be practiced and strengthened in the time leading up to the introduction process. During each stage of the introduction you can ask for a calm settle, because some dogs need help relaxing in the presence of exciting things. (For more information on how to set up a success station and train your dog to be comfortable in one, check out: Dog/Puppy Pen Set Up and Train Your Dog/Puppy to be Calm in a Pen.) alternative_FelineLadderOfAggression.jpg
  • Escape Options: Provide your cat with options to escape from the dog. Make sure your cat has access to plenty of places to retreat to, whether they are safe spaces or just areas of the home the dog can't access. You can use baby gates and set up high spaces (cat shelves, cat trees, cubbies, cat walls, etc.) that only the cat can access. Offer a variety of hiding places that are high up around the home — at least one in each room or area of the home. Once it comes time for the cat and dog to interact, it's important your cat has ample hiding spots and escape options that are easy for them to access. If your cat feels they can't escape the dog, they may feel threatened and resort to swatting, scratching and biting.
  • Plan Ahead: Create a plan for when the new pet arrives home. If your new pet is a dog, put your cat away in their safe space before bringing the new dog inside. Once the new dog is home, immediately bring them to their potty spot and then to their success station. Offer your dog a chew, bone or other form of enrichment to help them relax and stay busy. If your new pet is a cat, contain your resident dog before bringing your new cat inside. Put your dog in their success station, the yard, or on-leash outside the home. Offer your dog something to occupy themselves with (enrichment, toy, chew, bone, etc.) or work on some training exercises, rewarding with treats (reward calm behavior, practice a new trick, nose work, etc.). Once your resident dog is contained and occupied, bring your new cat inside, straight to their safe space. Place the cat carrier on the ground and open the door. Let your new cat come out on their own time. Do not let the dog explore outside your cat's safe space. They will smell each other and likely hear each other but they shouldn't be able to "meet" yet, even through a barrier or door. 

Body Language: What to Look for and What to Expect

The introductory period can take weeks or even months of brief, gradual and supervised introductions. At each stage, observe both pets' body language and behavior to gauge how they are feeling about their new roommate. Only move to the next stage of introductions when both pets appear comfortable and relaxed. For an in-depth presentation on body language, check out: Behavior & Training Lecture: Can You Speak Dog or Cat?FixationvsLooking.jpg

DoggieLanguage_Lchin.jpgWith Dogs: Dogs will display a range of behaviors that indicate whether or not they can comfortably and appropriately share space with a cat. Indications that your dog is experiencing relaxation or positive emotions (both are good) include a soft, relaxed body and "neutral" body, an open mouth (not panting or drooling), a loose "happy" wagging tail and choosing other behaviors while in the presence of the other pet, such as checking in with people, sitting or lying down, looking away from the other pet and sniffing or moving away. (Important note: A wagging tail indicates general arousal, it does not necessarily mean they are "happy." To learn more about interpreting a tail wag, check out: What's in a Wag.) Indications that your dog is experiencing stress, hyperarousal, reactivity, VBT-Hyperarousal.jpgfrustration or other negative emotions include a stiff and alert body, tense facial muscles, a tightly closed mouth, panting or drooling, spatulate tongue (Check out: Spatulate Tongue - Dog Body Language), a high and stiff tail with tight very quick "stress" wags or a low, tucked tail, and being unable to break focus from the other pet (fixation). Other stress signals and behaviors include straining and pulling at the end of a leash, whining, barking, growling, lunging, snapping, biting, hard stare and fixation (intent focus), puffed up tail and fur (piloerection) and apparent agitation. These are all signs that the dog is not ready for interactions and may not be able interact appropriately with cats. Many dogs will fall somewhere in the middle for their first introduction or a period of time, in the beginning of this new phase. The goal is calm, relaxed body language and indications of positive emotions towards the cat. If the dog is not calm, move back a step and slow down. (For more information on dog body language, check out this video: Dog Body Language 101.)

CAT LANGUAGE_LChin.jpgFear_Free_FAS_Spectrum_Cat.jpgWith Cats: Cats will also display a range of behaviors that indicate whether or not they can comfortably and appropriately share space with a dog. Indications that your cat is experiencing relaxation or positive emotions include a soft, relaxed and "neutral" body, narrowed, soft eyes with constricted (small) pupils, a loose low or softly swishing tail and choosing other behaviors while in the presence of the other pet, such as calmly moving away, grooming, sitting or lying down. Indications that your cat is experiencing stress, overstimulation, fear or other negative emotions include a stiff and alert body, tense facial muscles, showing teeth, wide eyes with dilated (large) pupils, puffed up tail and fur (piloerection), stiff tail vibrating up high or large swishing tail, ears back, and being unable to break focus from the other pet (fixation). Other stress signals and behaviors include swatting and clawing, hissing, yowling, spitting, biting, fleeing, hard stare and fixation (intent focus) and apparent agitation. The goal is calm, relaxed body language and indications of positive Body Language of Feline Anxiety - Poster.jpgemotions towards the dog. If the cat is not calm, move back a step and slow down. Consistent hiding, changes to or loss of appetite, litter box issues or changes in elimination habits, medical issues like Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) or Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), sudden disinterest in playing and other changes in your cat's behavior may indicate that they are experiencing high levels of stress and are not comfortable sharing space with a dog. (For more information on cat body language, check out this video: Cat Body Language 101.)

For additional information on body language, check out our YouTube playlist: Reading Body Language

Integrating a New Cat or DogDecompressForSuccess.jpg

For additional tips, check out: Behavior & Training Lecture: Introducing New Pets.Playing with your dog.jpg

  • Let the new pet decompress before starting the introduction process. Once the cat is set up in their safe space, you can bring the dog into the house. They shouldn’t meet face-to-face for several weeks. Remember the 3-3-3 Rule: We want to give the new pet ample time to decompress and become familiar with the household routines before adding the extra stress that comes with introducing dogs and cats. During this time, they’ll both be able to smell and hear each other. 
  • Spend equal time with both pets. You should spend time with each pet separately and allow them to smelInteractive-Cat-Play-2-22-2021.jpgl theircat_foraging101.jpg scents on you. Be sure to pay extra attention to the resident pet, so they don’t associate the change and presence of a new pet with less affection and attention. Aim to make positive associations for both pets.
  • Physical Exercise & Mental Enrichment: Be sure that the dog has gotten plenty of mental and physical exercise before meeting the cat, so that they will have burned off some energy. Provide mental enrichment and physical play for the cat, to help them de-stress and avoid overstimulation. (For more information on mental enrichment, check out: Enrichment Resources YouTube Playlist, Enrichment: Brain Games for Mental Health and Enrichment: Indoor Activities.)
  •  CalmShutdown_LChin.jpgFollow the pets' lead: It is important to go at your pets' pace, as to not pressure them to interact or move to the next step in the process before they are ready. Let the animals choose to interact on their own terms (Check out: Social Pressure & Animal Interactions and The Importance of Choice in Animal Training). You may be wondering, how do I know if my pets' are ready to move forward with the introduction? Observe and read both pets' body language throughout the process, and only move to the next step when both pets are comfortable.Your pet is ready for the next step if they are feeling good and comfortable. Signs your pet is feeling good include: showing calm behavior and body language, able to relax in the presence of the other pet or the other pet's sounds and scent, enthusiastically taking treats and interacting with the other pet, not showing signs of stress, being shutdown, or feeling conflicted, and not showing signs of hyperarousal, overstimulation, overexcitement, reactivity, frustration or fixation. 

  • FrustatedReactivity_Wheatcraft.jpgSafety First: While it can be tempting to skip to the fun and exciting part of the introduction process — face-to-face interaction — it’s crucial to go slow to ensure that your pets will interact safely and appropriately when the time comes. Remember: Dogs are a predator species and many dogs have a high prey drive. For most dogs, chasing and preying upon cats is a natural instinct. Dogs can cause serious injury to cats. Additionally, cats are prey and predator species, so many cats are naturally inclined to be fearful of dogs. However, cats can cause injury to a dog if they feel threatened. To minimize the risk of injury to either pets, keep the dog leashed throughout each step of the introduction process, especially for face-to-face interactions. 
  • Redirection, Interruption & Initiating Breaks: At all times during animal introductions, make sure you can redirect the dog’s attention to another activity if they become frustrated, over aroused or fixated on the cat. Additionally, you can redirect your cat's attention if they become overstimulated, frightened or fixated on the dog. You can use toys, treats and praise so that they’ll focus on you. Interrupt and redirect your pets if they are engaging in direct eye contact, hard staring at the other pet, vocalizing, showing stress, fear or overexcitement behaviors and body language, playing too rough for too long, or are not take breaks (Check out these videos: How to use your voice as a training tool and Eye Contact & Animal Interactions). The goal is for both pets to be able to take frequent breaks and check in with each other on their own (Check out this video: Check ins). However, many pets need human intervention to take breaks and be redirected to more appropriate activities. For an example of appropriate play between a dog and cat, check out this video: Grace & Millie Playing
  • Freedom to Flee: DO NOT force the cat or dog into close proximity by holding them, caging them or otherwise restricting their ability to escape. The pets, especially the cat, need to be able to flee at any time. While we recommend the dog be on leash, you can minimize feelings of restriction by keeping the leash loose. If an animal feels trapped or pressured to interact, they will form negative feelings about the other animal. 
  • Decompress & Regress: If the dog and cat get into a scuffle, you’ll want to completely separate them again so they are unable to interact or see each other. Inspect both pets for any sign of injury or pain. Spend time with each of them individually. Allow time for them to decompress from the stressful and unpleasant event. Wait 3-6 days and then begin the integration process again, but this time much slower. You may need to regress and go back a step in the process for a fresh start.
  • Patience & Vigilance: In the first few weeks, observe whether things are getting better or worse. You may have to stay on one step for a while, repeat steps, or go back a step, if your pets are not comfortable. There is no universal timeline, it depends on the individual animals. The integration process can take a long time, and it can also be stressful. Be patient and continue to monitor their interactions until there is a pattern or plateau in their relationship.
  • Pheromone diffusers: Pheromone sprays and diffusers, such as Feliway, can help cats feel more calm and comfortable, especially in a new environment with new, unfamiliar smells. Cats are very sensitive to scent — new smells, the smell of another animal and the lack of their own scent in an environment can cause stress and discomfort. Pheromones provide cats with a calming scent that can reduce signs of stress. 
  • For more information on sociability and animal interactions: Check out our YouTube playlist on Sociability, Reactivity, Leash Skills & Play.

Slow Introduction Process

  1. Complete Separation: You will want to keep the dog and cat completely separated without access to each other for at least a week to give your new pet time to settle in before beginning the slow introduction process. Additionally, be sure that the dog does not have access to the area right outside the cat’s safe space. We DO NOT want them interacting through the door yet. Keep the dog in a success station or in a separate part of the home, when unsupervised. This will ensure the dog is not hanging around outside the cat’s safe room. During this time they will hear and smell each other, but should not be able to see each other or interact. 
  2. Find Your Moment of YES.jpgScent Swapping: During that time of complete separation, we can start building enthusiasm through scent swapping. When scent swapping, we want to start with exposing the pets to each other’s scent only for short periods of time. Present a blanket or toy with the other pet's scent and be ready with treats to reward their calm behavior when the other pet’s smell is present. This will start creating positive associations with the other pet. Ideally, we would remove the scented object from both pets BEFORE they have a chance to react negatively towards it. So, immediately start rewarding any interaction your pet has with the scented object (looking at, smelling it, touching it, laying on it) and then remove the object after some time. Don’t leave the scented object with either pet. At the beginning, we only want the scent present if someone is also present to reward the pets with treats. Over time you can extend the length of time the scented object is present. Eventually, you can leave the scented object with your pet for long periods of time, but only if they have showed calm behavior with it. Once you are able to observe consistent calm, relaxed behavior from BOTH pets while scent swapping, you can move on to Step 3.
  3. Through a barrier (door): You will need two people for this step of the introductions. Have one person in the room with the cat and the other outside the room with the dog on leash. Start by feeding or treating both pets on either side of the door. Keep these sessions short, and always end on a good note before either pet becomes stressed, frustrated or overexcited. If either of the pets start showing signs they are uncomfortable or fixated, stop and call both of them away from the door. You can lure with treats or a toy. Even though the dog is on leash, we want to encourage them to move away from the barrier on their own rather than pulling them away. End the session before it can escalate. Once both the dog and cat are comfortable with this step (no hissing, yowling, growling, whining, or barking, no puffed fur, relaxed body language, etc.), then you can move to the next step.
  4. +R_LChin.jpgThrough a see-thru barrier (baby gate, ex-pen, glass door, cracked open door): Once the dog is less interested in the cat behind a closed door and the cat is comfortable interacting with the dog through the door, you can begin planning for them to meet through a see-thru barrier. You can use a baby gate, ex-pen or glass door, or crack open the door to the safe space just enough for them to see each other. Once again, you will need two people for this step. Have someone on one side of the barrier with the cat and someone on the other side with the dog on leash. Repeat Step 3 while allowing the pets to see each other while being given treats. The pets should be able to see each other but not fully get to each other. Allow the pets to approach the barrier on their own, do not force them. Only allow the dog to approach if they are both calm. Note: Just because the cat has chosen to approach the barrier does not mean the cat is calm. If they behave in a relaxed and/or cautious way, try not to intervene in their interactions except to praise and reward them for appropriate behavior. If either of them is not calm, redirect them and interrupt any negative interactions that may be happening (staring, vocalizing, swatting, lunging etc.). Keep this session very short and end before it can escalate. Once both the dog and cat are comfortable with this step (no hissing, yowling, growling, whining, or barking, no puffed fur, relaxed body language), then you can move to the next step.
  5. Open the safe space door: When you’re ready for face-to-face interactions, create a plan and prep the area. You should only move to this final step, when both pets are ready. They have to show you (with their body language) that they are both comfortable with the previous steps. If they were not and you still push forward to this step, you risk them getting into a fight or building negative associations with each other. You will need two people for this step, one person to handle the dog and one person to work with the cat. Put the dog on leash and keep them away from the safe space. Preferably in a completely other area of the home, or their success station. We do not want the dog rushing up to the cat. Open the door to the safe space and allow the cat to venture out on their own time. Treat and praise both pets to continue building positive associations with one another (For more information, check out: Counter Conditioning and Positive Reinforcement). 
  6. The Engage-Disengage Game.jpgControlled, supervised in-person meeting: Arm yourselves with lots of treats and do this in a large area of the home with lots of space for the cat to run and hide from the dog if need be. We don’t want the cat to feel confined or pressured to interact. As soon as the cat begins to enter an area where the dog is present, redirect the dog’s attention with praise, treats, toys, etc. This will help the cat feel comfortable knowing that the dog isn’t focused on them. Consider having your dog in their success station at first. Continue to treat both of them. Try to keep the dog's leash loose, as a tight leash can cause pressure and frustration. Reward both pets for looking at each other AND for looking away from each other (see infographic: The Engage-Disengage Game). If either of them is not calm, redirect them and interrupt any negative interactions that may be happening (staring, vocalizing, swatting, lunging etc.). Keep this session very short and end before it can escalate. Repeat this step many times, gradually extending the length of the sessions, before letting them interact unsupervised or for long periods of time. (For more information, check out: How Animals Learn & Why Behavior Works YouTube Playlist.)

Ask for Help

If, for whatever reason, things are not working out, San Diego Humane Society is here to help. We understand that being a pet parent can be challenging — especially with multiple pets — which is why we offer numerous options and resources for pet parents in need.

If your dog and cat are not getting along, here are your options:

  1. Completely separate the dog and cat, for safety. Restart the slow introduction process from the very beginning.
  2. If you adopted one or both of your pets from San Diego Humane Society, you are provided with a cost-free, 1-hour Post Adoption Consultation online over Zoom. One of our Community Animal Trainers will help troubleshoot while providing starting points and next steps for you. Book here: Schedule a Post Adoption Consultation.
  3. Contact our Behavior & Training Helpline, available for all community members, whether you adopted your pet from San Diego Humane Society or not.
  4. Book an online Private Lesson (1 hour, online over Zoom), for advice and training exercises from one of our Community Animal Trainers. Open to all community members, these sessions focus on environmental management, troubleshooting and training exercises.
  5. Find a positive reinforcement trainer that can come to your home to assess the situation. Find a trainer here: Local Positive Reinforcement Animal Trainer Directory. For additional help finding a trainer, check out: How To Pick A Trainer 101 and Trainer Danger: How To Find A Trainer Who Won't Harm Your Pet.
  6. Consider the well-being and quality of life for all animals and humans involved. If needed, rehome your pet here: Give Up/Rehome A Pet here.

 

Behavior Helpline: Contact Our Behavior Team

For behavior questions, please contact our Behavior Helpline either by calling 619-299-7012, ext. 2244, emailing behavior@sdhumane.org or filling out our Ask a Trainer form. San Diego Humane Society adopters can fill out the Post Adoption Consultation form to schedule their troubleshooting session. We aim to respond within seven days, but responses may take up to two weeks. Thank you for your patience!

Note: Due to the potential for serious injury, canine and feline aggression are best handled by a professional who specializes in aggressive behaviors. Because phone or email counseling is inadequate for addressing serious behavior concerns, we ask that you contact a qualified professional for help. Please refer to the list of behavior resources here.

Questions About Public Classes

San Diego Humane Society offers training classes and resources to address a variety of needs for companion animals.

Our training philosophy is based on the behavioral science concepts of positive reinforcement. Training your pet using these concepts will not only help them learn new behaviors more quickly, but it will also strengthen the bond you share.

Please visit our website for a current schedule of training classes or call 619-279-5961. 

View Training Classes   Gift a Training Class

 

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