Successfully introducing a Pup into a multi-cat household?

caitlineloise

caitlineloise

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15 December 2010
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Hi all, just after a bit of advice and success stories!

Or the honest truth of not to bother if it really can't work. :) We would hate to really upset any of them so much they thought about leaving home! (Although fully aware it's not all going to be plane sailing!)

We have three young cats, 2 x 4yo Females and 1 x 3yo Male. All but one the pretty confident sort.

Family are considering *maybe* getting a pup in the not too distant future if it can work.

Dog would ideally be a low shedding medium sized X breed of some sort.

Answers on a postcard please! :)
 
I've just brought a 3 yo 50kg Rotti x in with a resident cat - she is outraged! Despite the outrage she has coped really well, gives the dog a stink eye if he looks at her, swipes him if he goes too close...the dog has learned that it is safer to ignore her. Her food and litter tray are upstairs as this lad is tall enough to reach the work surfaces (and cat food is irresistible apparently!) and cat poo is a tasty snack...

The last pup I had moved in with 3 cats, all dog confident. They first met him when he was in his crate and had no hesitation in putting him in his place if he forgot his manners and I can't remember any issues at all. In fairness those cats had lots of dogs come and go as I fostered for a rescue at the time so were very used to standing their ground but they always had an escape route upstairs and plenty of high places to go. It also helped that they weren't runners so were rarely chased unless they decided that they wanted to play. They were more likely to bully the dogs TBH.
 
When my parents got a GSD pup the resident cat ambushed him, jumping on his back like a tiger and scaring the living daylights out of him. I would be more worried about the pup being attacked than the the other way round!
 
My parents brought a 12 week Parsons JR pup into a 3 cat house hold (2 elderly cats). Cats got a new lease of life, beat the pup up regularly! Only change they had to make was to allow the cats onto the table where they had never been allowed before otherwise they got no peace from the Duracell bunny terrier.

One of the elderly cats has now passed away but in his last year, he started to have seizures, and the pup started to look after him when he had one, either staying with him and washing him, or getting a human to help.

Pup is now 2 years old, one cat is nearly 17 and they STILL have stand offs! Cat will sit in the door way and refuse to allow the dog through.
 
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