How to introduce a cat and a dog

Keep the cat and the dog apart at first, let them learn each other by scent, then let them see each other through a barrier with the dog on a leash. Reward calm behaviour in both animals. Give the cat high places and a room the dog cannot enter. A cat can be badly hurt in seconds, so go slowly and never leave them together until you are sure.

Many cats and dogs live together happily. The pairing works best when the dog is calm, responds to cues and has little urge to chase, and when the cat is confident and has places to retreat. Some dogs have a strong chase drive, and they may not be safe around a cat. Some cats are too fearful to cope with any dog. Watch the animals in front of you, not general ideas about breeds.

Before the meeting

Prepare the home first.

• Give the cat a base. Choose a room where the dog cannot go. Put the food, water, litter box, bed and hiding places there. A baby gate that the dog can jump is not enough. Use a door, or a gate with a cat-sized gap at the bottom that the dog cannot pass.
• Create height. Cats feel safer above a dog. A cat tree, shelves and a window perch give the cat ways to escape and to watch.
• Move the litter box and cat food out of the dog's reach. Many dogs eat cat food and raid litter boxes, and that stresses the cat and makes the dog ill.
• Teach or refresh the dog's cues. A reliable sit, stay, come and leave it will carry the introduction. Use rewards the dog loves. If the dog is not yet reliable, work on it for a few weeks before the cat arrives.
• Exercise the dog. A tired dog is easier to manage.

If the dog has ever chased, killed or injured a cat or small animal, talk to a qualified trainer or behaviour specialist before you bring a cat home.

Step 1: scent only

Keep the cat in its room. Let the dog sniff the cat's bedding and the cat sniff the dog's blanket, each away from the other animal. Reward both for calm behaviour near the scent. Give each animal normal attention. This stage can take several days.

Feed them on either side of a closed door, starting with the bowls a few steps back. Move the bowls closer a little each day. If either animal stops eating or shows tension, go back a step.

Step 2: see each other safely

Put the dog on a leash, held by a calm adult, and give it a job such as sitting for treats. Let the cat see the dog from across the room or through a baby gate, a glass door or a barred pen. Let the cat choose whether to come closer or leave. Do not carry the cat to the dog or hold it. A held cat that panics can injure you.

Watch the dog. A relaxed dog looks, sniffs and then looks away or at you. A dog that stares, freezes, whines, lunges, drools or pulls toward the cat is moving into the chase sequence. Calmly increase the distance and ask for an easy cue. Ask the dog to look at you and reward it. End the session before the dog loses control. This hunting predatory sequence runs from watching to stalking to chasing, and it is easier to interrupt at the first step.

Watch the cat. Check its body language and its tail language. A relaxed cat may sit, wash itself, blink slowly or stroll away. A cat with flattened ears, a puffed tail, wide eyes, a low crouch or growling is afraid. Close the session gently and move the dog out of sight first, so the cat can leave without being watched.

Keep sessions short, a few minutes at first. Repeat them several times a day. Repeat for days or weeks until both animals ignore each other or show friendly interest.

Step 3: share a room with the dog on a leash

When the cat and the dog both stay calm behind a barrier for several sessions, let them share a room while the dog is leashed and the cat can leave at any time. Keep the leash on, even a long drag line, until you trust the dog. Reward quiet behaviour. Do not let the dog follow the cat if it moves away.

Make sure the cat has a clear exit and a high place. A cat that cannot escape may lash out, and a dog that is hit may react in kind.

Step 4: supervised time without a leash

After many calm sessions, allow supervised time with the dog off the leash but still under cue control. Stay in the room. Be ready to call the dog away. Keep the cat's retreat open. Stop at once if the dog chases or the cat swats in fear.

Step 5: time alone

Do not leave the animals alone together until they have shared space calmly for a long time. Many owners keep them apart when they leave the house for good, since a single chase can cause injury. A baby gate with a gap for the cat, a closed door or a crate for the dog all work.

Common mistakes

• Letting the dog chase "just to see". Chasing builds the habit and terrifies the cat.
• Forcing a meeting. A cat held down or a dog dragged forward learns fear.
• Punishing a growling or hissing animal. Growls and hisses are warnings. Punish them and they may stop, and the next signal is a bite or a scratch.
• Skipping the cat's refuge. A cat without an escape route is in constant stress.
• Ignoring the dog's body language. A stiff, staring, silent dog is more dangerous than a barking one.
• Setting a deadline. Some pairs need months.
• Using the cat as a toy for training. Reward the dog for calm instead.

When to ask for help

Call your vet if the cat stops eating for a day or more, hides for days, stops using the litter box, or the dog develops stress signs such as constant pacing. Stress can make cats ill, and illness can cause behaviour changes. A male cat that strains to urinate, or passes little or no urine, needs an emergency vet.

Any bite or deep scratch to the cat or the dog needs a vet. Bite wounds can look small and still hide serious damage.

Contact a qualified trainer or behaviour specialist if:

• The dog fixes on the cat with a hard stare, lunges or does not respond to its name.
• The cat hides or cannot be seen to eat or drink.
• Either animal has been injured.
• You are unsure whether progress is real.

In some homes the safest arrangement is a permanent separation, with different rooms and doors that stay closed. A behaviour specialist can help you decide if that is needed. Rehoming is a hard choice but is sometimes the best for both animals.

Summary

• Keep the cat and dog apart at first, with a room that is the cat's alone.
• Swap scents and feed on either side of a door.
• Introduce them through a barrier, with the dog on a leash.
• Reward calm behaviour and end sessions early.
• Give the cat high places and an escape route at all times.
• Do not leave them alone until you are certain. Ask a specialist if you are not.