It can be a stressful time introducing a cat to a home that already has a dog, or introducing a dog to a home that already has a cat. While many dogs and cats can learn to live peacefully together, it takes patience and a careful meeting process to build that relationship.

A Warning: When introducing a dog to a cat, the body language of both pets can be incredibly telling. In particular, you will want to watch your dog’s body language for any signs of their “prey drive”. This means their innate desire to hunt, chase, and capture an animal that they see as prey. If you begin to notice an intense focus from your dog directed at your cat, do not let your dog remain near the cat. Separate them immediately.

How to Introduce Your Dog to Your Cat

It is important to remember that regardless of your best efforts, your pets getting along depends a lot on their own personalities. You can do everything right and your furry friends may still not be compatible. But these are the steps that give you the best chance for success:

• Scent Familiarization – Before your pets are allowed to even see one another, they need to know what the other one smells like. The easiest way to do this is to take a few pieces of your clothing and arrange them in each of your animals’ sleeping areas. After they have a few days to get their scent all over them, swap the clothing so your pets can familiarize themselves with the smell of their new furry family member. It is best to do this a few times over the course of a week or so.“Safe Space” Exploration – Next you should take the opportunity to introduce each pet to the other’s “safe space,” or wherever they sleep, snuggle, and lounge about. Allow them to give each other’s area a good sniff, but don’t let your pets overwhelm the area with their own scent. It’s also important to keep any doors closed and make sure that this occurs while the other pet is out of sight.
• Let Them See (But Not Touch) – After you follow the first two steps for a week or two, you can attempt the first meeting. It’s important to do this when both pets are calm, and you should also arrange for an escape route for both pets. They should not feel trapped. Pick a place in your house and set up a barrier to separate each animal before placing them on opposite sides. Allow them to naturally engage with one another, keeping an eye on whether it is positive activity, or if tension is rising. This is also a good time to offer treats and reward good behavior.
• Face to Face – Eventually it will be time to let your pets interact without the barrier. This will be another good opportunity to watch for body language. Is your cat curious or scared of your dog?  Is your dog acting aggressively toward your cat, or are they bored and more interested in your treats?  During the first meeting, it is good to keep your dog on a loose leash attached to a harness. Make sure that they feel free to interact with one another, but that you can pull them back in a moment if needed. The first few interactions should be brief and just long enough to initiate good behavior and reward it. Repeat this and allow the meetings to be longer until both pets feel comfortable in the space together.

It is very important that you take your time building a relationship between your cat and your dog. Each negative interaction can damage the process, and you’ll need to start the over.

It’s Okay to Need a Professional

Introducing cats and dogs can take a lot of time, and even more patience. It’s also okay to feel overwhelmed and like it is too much. Reach out to a behavior consultant or a professional dog trainer. Animals with good training can often adjust better to a new pet in the house, but always remember that taking things slow and at your pets’ pace is always going to be the best policy.