How to Introduce a Cat to a Home with a Dog (and vice versa!)

By Francesca Lees BSc (Hons) Ncert (AnBeh) ISFM CertFN ABTC-ATI RVN 

If you already have a dog and are thinking of adding a cat to your family then you may be wondering whether it’s possible to introduce a cat to a household with a dog or whether it may cause problems between the two. Maybe you already have a cat and you’re thinking of getting a puppy or a rescue dog and you’re wondering how your cat will cope with the new family member. Introducing cats and dogs to each other can be a tricky scenario and definitely needs prior preparation, research and a willingness to put time and effort into the introduction process. 

Preparing to introduce your new dog to your cat

Assess Temperaments

Evaluate both the cat’s and dog’s personalities and behaviour around other animals.

Ideally if you already have a cat it’s best to avoid hunting breeds or breeds who have a high prey drive – breeds such as spaniels, terriers, collies and other gun dog/working type breeds can have a high prey drive and so will often chase cats, instinctively.

Breeds such as greyhounds and sight hounds also can have a chase instinct (particularly ex-racing rescue greyhounds – as they’ve been trained to run by following a fluffy toy).

If you are bringing home a puppy try to bring a puppy from a home where there are cats living. Puppies who are brought up in a home with cats from birth are often not interested in cats as they’ve never been a novelty. If you are rescuing a dog make sure to check the dog has been tested with cats and is safe to live with cats. 

Preparing to introduce your new cat to your dog

If you already have a dog, think about the breed of dog you have – is this a dog who is well suited to living with a cat or is it a breed with a high prey drive? You may have to be prepared to accept that a cat may not be the right pet for your household whilst you have this dog.

If you have a dog who is not prone to chasing cats and you want to bring a cat into the household it’s best to go for a confident cat. If picking a kitten always go for the most confident and bold kitten in the litter – avoid a kitten who’s hiding and shy. Even better, try to obtain a kitten from a home where there are dogs. If a cat has grown up with dogs in the home from birth they will not be fearful of dog and will be used to a dogs presence within the home environment.

Certain breeds of cats are also suited better to living with dogs due to their confidence and more tolerant nature such as Bengals, Maine Coons, Ragdolls, Burmese, Tonkinese, Norwegian Forest Cats and Abyssinians. All of these cat breeds are very sociable and confident which makes them less likely to be fearful of a dog, however do remember to consider personality too as not all cats are the same and some cats may be more anxious or shy than others even if they are deemed a more confident breed. 

Create Safe Spaces

Set up separate areas where each pet can retreat without interference (e.g., a room for the cat or a crate for the dog). Make sure to have a separate area where the cat can go but the dog cannot access or chase the cat. Use a stair gate to stop the dog entering that room or a crate or play pen. You can also get stair gates with cat flaps in too.!

Installing high up areas for cats to retreat to such as tall cat trees or cat shelving areas where the cat can climb up onto and observe the dog from above can help cats to feel safer and in control. 

Gather Necessary Supplies

Include baby gates, treats, toys, and calming aids like pheromone diffusers. Purchase these things before you bring your new cat or dog home. It’s better to have these things ready before they arrive.

Baby gates need to be installed and ready, crates or play pens need to be constructed and with a bed and blanket in and pheromone diffusers need to be plugged in 24 hours before the animal comes home. Pheromone diffusers such as Feliway are very useful for introducing a cat to a dog.

A study by Prior et al (2020) indicated that using Feliway Friends can decrease behaviours in cats living with a dog such as hiding, running away and staring. Pheromone diffusers must be plugged into the room where the cat spends the most time for it to be most beneficial. 

Exercise the Dog

Tire out the dog with a walk or play session before the first introduction. This is important if introducing the dog to a new cat. If the dog is very excitable it could scare the cat and could cause a fear induced reaction. 

Swap Scents

Introduce the pets to each other’s scent using bedding or toys before physical introductions. Scent swapping is really useful and can be done even before you have brought your new dog or cat home.

First you need to harvest some scent from your pet. Use some clean kitchen towel or a clean cloth and whilst stroking and fussing your pet rub the sides of your pet’s face around their facial scent glands with the cloth. Make sure they are happy and enjoying the interaction and then run the cloth onto their facial scent glands. Once you have harvested some scent you can then take the cloth to the other pet. You can even give the cloth to the rescue or breeder where you got your new cat/dog and let them smell the scent before they come home. You can also ask them to harvest some scent for you to bring home for your cat or dog who is already living in your household.

Bring the cloth home and allow your cat or dog to sniff it a few weeks before you are due to bring your pet home. You can also rub the cloth around your home on furniture, beds etc so your pet becomes used to the scent of the other animal before they join the household. There's a good video on Youtube which explains scent swapping really well.

Prepare the Cat

Allow the cat to acclimate to the new home without the dog present. Ideally allow the cat to come into the home whilst the dog is not present. Allow the cat to sniff and learn the scent profile of the home and the dog without fear of the dog being there. 

The First Introduction 

• Use a Barrier: Let the pets see each other through a baby gate or a crack in the door. Don’t bring them both into the room straight away. Allow them to see each other but not be able to access each other. Ensure they can see and smell each other by having a stair gate between them. 
• Place a lead on the dog: Ensure the dog is on a lead to control its movements. Dogs should never be off lead when meeting a cat for the first time. If the dog does decide to chase this ensure we have the dog secure and they cannot chase the cat. If the cat is chased on their first meeting it could cause the cat to become fearful of the dog from very early on and a negative association is created with the dog. This can be very hard to change and can result in the cat having a long term fear of the dog. Also having the dog on a lead can ensure safety of the dog too if the cat becomes fearful and tries to scratch the dog. The dog can be quickly removed from the room. 
• Monitor body language: Watch for signs of stress or aggression in both pets. If either of the pets show any signs of stress or fear the interaction should be stopped. Ears flat, pupils dilated, swishing tail, hissing or a low pitched meow sound from the cat all indicate a fear response and the dog should be removed. If the dog has its ears flat, tail between its legs, it’s looking away, turning its head, shaking, licking its nose and lips or growling then the interaction should be stopped. 
• Keep It Short: Limit initial interactions to a few minutes. Don’t try and force the interaction to go on too long. Allow the pets to see each other for a short period and then stop the interaction. Short, positive interactions are far better than prolonged ones where negative behaviours may happen. 

Building Positive Associations 

• Reward Positive Behaviour: Use treats and praise for calm and non-aggressive behaviour. Reward the dog for watching but not chasing. Give treats to ensure the dog associates positive rewards when they are near the cat. Also give treats and tasty food to the cat when they see the dog. If they receive tasty treats whenever they see the dog they build a positive association with the dog. 

Progressing to Supervised Meetings 

• Gradual Exposure: Allow face-to-face meetings while maintaining control of the dog on a lead. Once the dog and cat have had some interactions with a barrier between them and they have both been calm and it feels safe to do so you can try supervised meetings without a barrier. Allow both pets to be in the same room, with yourself watching and present to intervene if necessary. 

• Let the Cat Lead: Always give the cat freedom to approach or retreat. The dog should be on a lead and the cat not restrained. Allow the cat to approach when they want to and retreat when they want to. Never pick up the cat and try to force them near the dog, similarly never pick up a dog and take it over to the cat. This must be done with the cat being able to come and go and investigate completely on their terms. It is important to do this because cats need to feel in control to feel safe. Being held or restrained will take away their feeling of control and can then make them fearful of the dog as they don’t feel able to run away if they needed to. 
• Use Distractions: Provide toys or activities to redirect focus if necessary. Having toys or activities around to redirect into can be helpful if the dog tries to play with the cat and the cat doesn’t like it, you can pick up a toy and redirect the play onto this. 

Establishing a Routine 

• Separate During Unsupervised Times: Ensure the pets are apart when no one is home. Never leave the cat and dog together when going out. At first the pets must always be supervised when interacting. It takes time for pets to be safe enough to be left unsupervised. 
• Supervise Interactions: Gradually increase the length of time they spend together under supervision. At first it will only be a few minutes but as time goes on you can increase this. Eventually you can have the pets together whilst you are indirectly supervising (for example watching TV whilst the pets are in the room. This way you are still on hand to react if you need to). 
• Create Individual Zones: Maintain safe spaces for each pet where they can relax alone. Make sure to always have separate areas for each pet. Having a stair gate which stops the dog going upstairs and allowing the cat to go upstairs is what many people choose to do. This then gives the cat a safe space where they can go and where they know they cannot be followed or chased. Ensure the dog doesn’t come upstairs into the cats safe zone and your cat will be happy and relaxed when upstairs. If cats do not have a safe space to retreat to it can often cause behaviour issues such as urinating in the home and scent spraying around the home. 

Dealing with Challenges 

• Address Aggression Promptly: Separate the pets if either shows aggressive behaviour and seek advice from an ABTC accredited animal training instructor or clinical animal behaviourist.
• Use Patience and Time: Understand that it may take weeks or even months for the pets to adjust fully. Don’t try to rush things. Rushing things may lead to negative interactions which could cause both the cat or dog to be fearful of the other animal, with long term consequences. 

Signs of Success 

• Relaxed Body Language: Both pets appear calm and unbothered by each other. they may sit on the same sofa, cuddle up together and may groom each other 
• Playful Interactions: They start to show interest in playing together but this play doesn’t become aggressive. 
• Sharing Spaces: They become comfortable sharing rooms without tension, sharing beds, sharing sofas and you notice when one animal enters the room neither animal reacts. 

When to Seek Professional Help 

• Persistent Aggression: If either pet shows ongoing hostility to the other pet, excessive chasing, barking or fighting between the two pets. 
• Excessive Stress: Signs of anxiety, such as hiding, refusal to eat, or destructive behaviour. In cats you may see urinating outside of the litter tray and spraying around the house. Cats who are constantly hiding up high on top of cupboards or upon shelves or under beds can also be showing a fear response to a dog. 
• Need for Expert Guidance: If the two pets are not getting on as you’d hoped it is always best to consult a professional trainer or clinical animal behaviourist who can offer tailored advice specific to your pets and your situation. Always find your nearest trainer or clinical animal behaviourist at ABTC.org.uk as these are registered, qualified professionals.

If you are introducing your dog and cat and would like further advice, please contact Francesca Lees by visiting her website.