Expert: Jessica - 9/20/2011

Question
I have recentlly moved back home with my parents, they have a 5 yr old female cat and a 6 yr old female rottweiler. I have to go and get my cat from my house who is being looked after from a friend she is 2 yr old female.. how do i do this?

Answer
Hi Jaime,

You should keep your cat completely isolated in one room for the first several days until she is used to the new change, with her own food and litter. During this time, you can use a method called scent transference to try to introduce the pets indirectly. Rub each pet with a separate cloth, and then present the cloths to the pets for them to smell. This will help them become familiar by scent.

Once your cat seems familiar with her surroundings in the room, see if you can let her explore the rest of the home while the dog is outside, and place your parents' cats in the room where your cat has been staying. The cats will also become familiar with one another this way.

After several days, I strongly recommend that you put up a baby gate that the dog will not be allowed past. Allow your cat to come out of her room at her own pace and see the other pets through the baby gate. She should be able to retreat to her room if she likes. In any case, you should end the visit in 15 minutes, even if it goes well, since she can become overwhelmed quickly. Practice visits several times a day, and lengthen them each day as long as they go well.

Try feeding the two cats special meals at opposite ends of the same room, and move the bowls closer together each day until they are just a few feet apart. This can help to give them a positive experience to associate with each other.

Your cat shouldn’t be forced to be in the same area as the dog until she’s comfortable. There should be cat furniture in these areas so that she can be out of reach of the dog if she feels the need. I recommend that the baby gate be kept up for a long while so that she can go to an area off-limits to the dog, as well. If the dog behaves inappropriately at all (plays rough, gives chase or continually invades the cat’s personal space), she may need some training. Until she is trained, the kitty definitely needs to have a safe haven.

Be prepared for the cat to smack the dog a time or two. This is to be expected. A swat to the nose won’t generally hurt a dog. A surface scratch on the nose won’t be of any harm but will provide a lasting lesson. However, a dog bite can be fatal to a cat, so be sure to intervene if the dog shows any signs of aggression whatsoever. If the cat shows any more aggression than a couple of smacks, she should be separated from the dog, as well.

Good luck!

Jessica