samlf
Well-Known Member
As title.
We are getting a rescue cat/kitten, think the mum is around 6 months old herself and kitten is 8 weeks. Both cats are quite strong and inquisitive personalities (deliberately steered away from timid cats), and we went for kittens rather than adult cats so they wont be worried by the dogs (hopefully).
I have 2 border collies, both have lived with our old cat who passed away last summer, but our old cat was a VERY strong personality and would put them in their place. One of the dogs I don't envisage to be much of a problem at all, he is very good with all animals. The other dog is more high energy.
So my plan:
Take dogs for really good walk before picking cats up. Take dogs with us to pick the cats up so its a more neutral environment (they are not at all territorial about the car) and they can get used to each others smells etc.
When we get home the cats will start off in my bedroom upstairs (dogs live downstairs only) so they can settle in and also because we leave downstairs back doors open for dogs and part of the contract for rescuing the cats is they aren't allowed outside until neutered.
This is where I am stuck.
Do I start to bring the cats downstairs in a carrier with dogs on leads and then take cats out as dogs are calm? Or do I put dogs on leads and let cats come down and wander about?
Obviously I will reward dogs/cats when they are calm around each other, but would you reward dogs when they look at the cats calmly or when they look away? I cant decide which would be best.
Of course they would not be left unsupervised together for a long while.
I am probably thinking too much into it but just want to be prepared, as I said they are used to living with a cat before and the cats are used to the sight/sounds of dogs from where they are at the rescue.
Thanks
We are getting a rescue cat/kitten, think the mum is around 6 months old herself and kitten is 8 weeks. Both cats are quite strong and inquisitive personalities (deliberately steered away from timid cats), and we went for kittens rather than adult cats so they wont be worried by the dogs (hopefully).
I have 2 border collies, both have lived with our old cat who passed away last summer, but our old cat was a VERY strong personality and would put them in their place. One of the dogs I don't envisage to be much of a problem at all, he is very good with all animals. The other dog is more high energy.
So my plan:
Take dogs for really good walk before picking cats up. Take dogs with us to pick the cats up so its a more neutral environment (they are not at all territorial about the car) and they can get used to each others smells etc.
When we get home the cats will start off in my bedroom upstairs (dogs live downstairs only) so they can settle in and also because we leave downstairs back doors open for dogs and part of the contract for rescuing the cats is they aren't allowed outside until neutered.
This is where I am stuck.
Do I start to bring the cats downstairs in a carrier with dogs on leads and then take cats out as dogs are calm? Or do I put dogs on leads and let cats come down and wander about?
Obviously I will reward dogs/cats when they are calm around each other, but would you reward dogs when they look at the cats calmly or when they look away? I cant decide which would be best.
Of course they would not be left unsupervised together for a long while.
I am probably thinking too much into it but just want to be prepared, as I said they are used to living with a cat before and the cats are used to the sight/sounds of dogs from where they are at the rescue.
Thanks