Expert: Jessica - 11/17/2009

Question
We have 3 cats; two that are 1/2 siamese and half tabby (same father) and one that is just a tabby cat.  We recently tried to add a Ragdoll to our home, and the older Siamese mix would not accept her. We tried slow introductions, etc. . . but they just stared at her and wouldn't stop stalking her.  We eventually gave up after a couple months and gave the Ragdoll to a friend.

We're considering getting a little dog, but I'm not sure if we can trust the older cat. We had a small dog visit recently and they were fine, just sort of staring at her. ..

Is it generally easier to introduce an adult or a puppy to adult cats?  

Answer
Hi Chris.  In some cases, it's easier to introduce an adult dog to cats, but only if the dog has a known history with cats and is well-trained.  Puppies can be very hyper, so that can be a downfull, but they are easier for cats to put in their place.  They're more willing to be taught, so if you couldn't be assured that an adult dog would be calm and well-behaved around the cats, it would probably be best to start from scratch with a puppy.  And even with small dogs, little puppies can seem less threatening than fully grown adults.

Remember that dogs will test cats and cats will respond with a pop on the nose.  Keeping the dog crated or leashed around the cats until it has learned to behave calmly around the cats will help a great deal, but at some point, there is very likely to be a disagreement between them.  A quick smack on the nose isn't the most pleasant experience, but it's one that dogs learn from quickly, and all the training in the world can rarely replace the knowledge that comes from it.  If the dog ends up being tapped on the nose a couple of times, don't be too upset with the cats.  This is all part of the way they work things out.

However, do beware of bites.  Dog bites can inflict crushing injuries on the delicate cat, and cat bites can cause infections.  If there is ever any biting (besides gentle play), they all need to be separated for a while longer.

Good luck!

Jessica