Introducing cats and dogs

[RS16i]

For the last 3 and a bit years our house has been ruled by a very spoilt cat.This was fine until today when my dear old mother phoned with a sob story about this poor abandoned German Shepherd.

Bit of a long story that we don't really need to go into and me being a big softy,we now have a 6 month old dog too.

Now,how do we go about this? Is it best to just leave them to it to an extent? We had cats and dogs when i was young but they arrived at the same time so didn't know any different and got along fine so i know it can happen.Somehow.

I have a feeling i know who would come out on top if a fight were to break out,even with the size difference

So far we have some very strange noises coming out of the cat and a rather nervous looking dog.

All help appreciated.

[Jasandjules]

What is the most important food to the cat? Ham? Get ham, lots of ham. Feed the cat lots of ham near the dog..... Keep the dog fed with treats at the same time. Both animals associate each other with good food.

[RS16i]

Dog seems to be settling in ok but the cat's a bit upset,she came in earlier and looked at me with disgust that i've never seen before. She'll get used to it though.

I'll try the ham later when she comes back,she does like the scraps when we make up our boys lunchbox.

[Superficial]

Are you planning on crate training the puppy? That way he would have somewhere of his own he could take himself off to, and the cat wouldn't feel like so much of her space had been invaded. You could also put a stair gate up so the cat has upstairs to herself if she wants it, kills two birds with one stone as well as the puppy shouldn't be going up and down stairs at his age.

[durbster]

Jasandjules said:

Both animals associate each other with good food.

Are you sure that's wise?

[illmonkey]

Jasandjules said:

What is the most important food to the cat? Ham? Get ham, lots of ham. Feed the cat lots of ham near the dog..... Keep the dog fed with treats at the same time. Both animals associate each other with good food.

So, you want to kill the cat?

DO NOT feed cats ham.

[bexVN]

I think they just meant as a treat idea not a main diet.

A little bit of ham won't hurt. Some people have to hide tablets in ham for their cats and they've never come to harm because of it.

Though I agree prob not lots of ham as there is a chance of pancreatitis!

Edited by bexVN on Monday 10th September 16:55

[RS16i]

Superficial said:

Are you planning on crate training the puppy? That way he would have somewhere of his own he could take himself off to, and the cat wouldn't feel like so much of her space had been invaded. You could also put a stair gate up so the cat has upstairs to herself if she wants it, kills two birds with one stone as well as the puppy shouldn't be going up and down stairs at his age.

He does have a crate/cage thing that came with him,he's a bit big for it though and they're not really my thing anyway so it'll be going out tonight,just kept it last night so he had something familiar,he didn't pay any attention to it though.

At the moment we're keeping him down and her upstairs as you say,she comes in and out the bedroom window anyway so it's just been a case of moving her food,she seems fine as long as she doesn't hear him.Or see him.

He seems to be quite happy in his new surroundings too,that's the main thing.

[illmonkey]

bexVN said:

I think they just meant as a treat idea not a main diet.

A little bit of ham won't hurt. Some people have to hide tablets in ham for their cats and they've never come to harm because of it.

Though I agree prob not lots of ham as there is a chance of pancreatitis!

Edited by bexVN on Monday 10th September 16:55

Our old cat used to get a bit of ham when I made lunch, he got very ill. Direct cause of the salty ham apparently. £1500 it cost, it happened twice as well, as the first time they assumed it was a dodgy mouse, when I said what we fed him, they told us that was the cause.

[Jasandjules]

bexVN said:

I think they just meant as a treat idea not a main diet.

Indeed. Just a few times to ensure happy families in the house with the cats who forgot very quickly indeed they were scared of our dogs....... (Dogs were already fine with cats). To the extent that I had them eating ham (and liver) off the dog's paws.

I don't feed processed foods to my pets if I can avoid it, they are fed raw food.