Midwoof Diaries: Socialization Sunday - Socializing an adult dog with a cat
We've been working on socializing our Pomsky, Katniss, with our Ragdoll cat, Dusty, for quite a while. I'm going to be honest...it makes me nervous to put an adult dog with a strong prey drive with a cat who's breed is known for their mellow, trusting nature. For this reason, it has been a slow process.
Ragdoll cats are the 2nd largest domestic cat breed, and I wanted him to be large so he would be a little more intimidating to the Pomskies than a smaller cat. He's a pretty awesome cat, very majestic.
So Katniss has done really well. She's been mildly interested, seems to like him. They now walk around the house together and we catch them keeping each other company. Dusty is a bit of a brat, he likes to paw at her tail and she hasn't been fazed by it. Some of our other Pomskies haven't shown nearly as much grace and decorum with his presence as Katniss, so I do think a lot of this is personality based for some Pomskies. It is much easier to socialize the dog with cats as puppies, which is what we do with all of our puppies before they go home.
All in all, I am going to call this experiment a success and it's so nice that they don't have to take turns spending time with us anymore!
Are you considering bringing a cat into your home with adult dogs, but nervous about the socialization process? Here are some tips to help you get started:
Don’t rush the process. Keep the dog and cat separated for the first few days so that they each slowly start to notice the other’s presence through smell and sound.
Place some of each of their belongings where the other (cat vs. dog) has access and can become acclimated to the smell.
Supervise, supervise, supervise. Any interaction at the beginning needs to be controlled and supervised. The dog needs to be on a leash with a harness for quick pull back. If the dog tries to go after the cat, the leash is pulled back so that the dog knows it is not acceptable behavior. Allow the cat to get away, never force interactions.
Short intervals. Just a little bit of time goes a long way at first. Use neutral areas for the meetings - never in the sleeping areas of your pets. Always give the cat plenty of space to retreat from the situation.
If any signs of aggression are shown, immediately end the socialization session and try another time.
Give the cat plenty of access to safe areas.
Never have the food and water for each animal in the safe space of the other pet.
Work on recall with the dog BEFORE trying to socialize with your cat.
Redirect bad behaviors and hold onto your patience in particularly stubborn cases.
Be willing to seek professional help if necessary.
All good things in life take time, patience is a virtue. :)
