There is a common notion and misconception among people that cats and dogs don’t get along well. But contrary to this notion and belief, cats and dogs can be friendly to one another and can peacefully co-exist. If you already own a cat and are planning on bringing a pet dog home soon, then you must be prepared to introduce them both to one another and try to get them accustomed to each other. The following are some of the best tips for introducing your cat to your new dog:
- The first step to ensure a safe and friendly introduction between your cat and new dog is to trim the claws of your cat.
- Make sure your cat is well-fed and in a good mood when she first meets the new dog to ensure that she is not cranky or irritated. If she is in an irritated mood, she might not put her best behavior forth and that could lead to a rough introduction between the two.
- Do not yell at the cat in front of the dog when they first meet. This may scare her and she may then be unwilling to meet the dog. Yelling at her in front of the dog may also make her feel less wanted and this can affect their relationship.
- Before bringing them both together in a room, it is important to teach them some obedience skills separately to ensure a smooth encounter. Your dog must learn these skills to avoid getting overexcited on meeting the cat. If you yourself are a first time dog owner, then call dog trainer to provide this basic level of training to the dog.
- If you have a baby gate, then put the baby gate in between the two when you first introduce them to each other.
- Before bringing the dog and cat together, take your dog outside for a run or a walk. This will help him to work out a little bit of energy. Also, treat your dog with a few food items to show that you love him. This will not make him feel threatened in any way when he sees the cat.
- When they meet, praise them and toss them a treat to put them into a good mood. Do this several times for the next few days so that they both learn to associate each other with tasty treats.
