Tip 1: Isolate the kitten
During the first days, even the first weeks, it is very important to isolate the kitten in a separate room so that it becomes familiar with its new environment without being rushed by a potentially enterprising, even aggressive dog .
Thus, install your kitten in a room (often the bathroom is chosen) with its small basket, its litter box, its toys and its water and food bowls.
Don't let your dog enter this room but let him sniff under the door: it's a primer of their first contact. Letting the dog approach the door also allows the kitten to identify the scent of its future roommate.
Tip 2: Respect the stages of the meeting
The first encounter between your new kitten and your dog doesn't have to be physical. It's not about leaving the two of them in a room, sitting idly by and waiting to see what happens.
And even if your dog has always been used to living with other cats, he is not 100% sure that he welcomes this new individual with the same tolerance. So always be alert and act as if meeting a cat for the first time.
To do this, you must respect the stages of the encounter, it must first be olfactory (as seen in the previous advice), then visual then ultimately physical.
Step 1: The olfactory encounter
You must therefore, as seen above, accept that your dog comes to smell the smell of the new inhabitant under the door. This step is also decisive for the future: if your dog growls and has bristly hair, it is best to wait a few more days before moving on to the visual encounter.On the other hand, if he is rather jovial by wagging his tail and having a call for play attitude, then you can move on to the next step.
Also be careful to observe your kitten's reactions. It is not a question of subjecting him to an encounter with which he still remains hidden under the furniture, “spitting” as soon as the dog approaches the door.
Besides, when your dog is not at home, do not hesitate to take your kitten out so that he can familiarize himself with the smells of the whole house.
Step 2: The visual encounter
When the two animals seem quite serene and familiar with each other's smell and "presence" , then you can move on to the visual encounter.
This will make it possible to observe the reactions of the two species face to face with each other. But beware, this is not a physical encounter, only a visual encounter.
In concrete terms, open the door of the room in which your kitten has been isolated for several days/weeks, but do not allow your dog to enter. Feel free to install a child safety gate, for example.
The meeting should be short and positive, do not hesitate to give treats to your dog so that he assimilates the presence of the kitten to something positive.
Step 3: The physical meeting
The ultimate step obviously remains the physical meeting but you should never want to start it too early. If you don't feel it, wait! And if you think you're ready (both you and your pets), then apply the advice from the rest of this article!
Tip 3: Secure the meeting
When you make the first physical encounter between your dog and your new kitten, you have to be very vigilant. Since the first impression is often the right one, it is important to ensure that this meeting does not turn into a traumatic experience for anyone.
So don't hesitate to muzzle your dog if you're scared and unsure of his reaction.You can also keep him on a leash at the beginning so that he doesn't go too abruptly towards the kitten. The best here is that it is the kitten who comes to make contact.
In addition, securing the meeting also means allowing the kitten to be able to take refuge. For an adult cat, we prefer high spaces but a kitten does not yet have the ability or the agility to jump: it is therefore necessary to provide it with “hiding places” where your dog will not be able to access if necessary.
Tip 4: Make meetings positive
At each stage of the meetings (olfactory, visual or physical) the most important thing is to make them pleasant moments for everyone. In fact: distribute treats to your dog, play with your cat, etc.
Furthermore, meetings should be short, don't wait for one or the other to get too excited before putting the kitten back in its isolated room.
You shouldn't want to go too fast and leave the two animals together for hours for the first time. Better to leave them together for a few minutes but repeat the experience regularly.
Tip 5: Choose individual times
When welcoming a new inhabitant, it is very important not to focus only on him, even if it is really tempting and, in a sense, also important to create a bond!
In this case, your dog must understand that he is not neglected. In fact, always maintain the rituals of walks and play sessions that you had with your dog before the arrival of the kitten.
Dogs are not stupid, they will quickly tell the difference between the "before" and the "after" the arrival of the kitten if they are not walked and spent enough. In addition, a dog that is not sufficiently spent can adopt deviant behaviors that can harm its good cohabitation with other animals.
Tip 6: Respect everyone's resources
Just because they're roommates doesn't mean they have to share everything! It is very important to clearly distinguish the resources (food, space and contact) of each animal that is housed in your home.
" In fact, do not allow your dog to eat from the cat&39;s bowl, and vice versa; also don&39;t allow your kitten to squat in your dog&39;s bed and vice versa if you have a small dog that can fit in your cat&39;s bed."
Always concerning the resources, it is preferable, at the beginning, to have the two animals eat in different rooms. For the cat's bowl (which is often self-service) it is advisable to put it up high, so as not to tempt your dog too much either.
Tip 7: Know how to be patient!
Be aware that a good understanding between a cat and a dog can take time, sometimes several months/years. And you also have to accept that maybe they won't be the best of friends.
The most important thing is that they tolerate each other without posing a danger to each other.
Tip 8: Strengthen the dog's educational foundations
Finally, for the cohabitation to be as harmonious as possible, it is advisable, even before the arrival of the kitten, to reinforce the educational bases of your dog.
In this kind of situation, it is the indications “you leave” or “stop” and “to the basket” that will be the most useful to you. They allow you to control your dog and put him back in his place if necessary.
Do not hesitate to consult our articles specially dedicated to these subjects to properly prepare your dog.