Preparing Your Cats for a New Dog's Arrival
Watching Larry the cat outside Number 10 and the news that PM Andy Burnham has a dog, Axel, is a reminder that it’s important to be prepared. With that in mind, here is some guidance to help prepare resident cats and set everyone up for a successful introduction.
The Three Most Important Things
Keep your puppy on a lead around your cats initally. Do not allow chasing, even if it appears playful. Chasing is highly rewarding for dogs and can quickly become a habit that is difficult to stop.
Install baby gates that a puppy cannot get through. These allow cats to observe the dog from a safe distance while still having the option to move away.
Feed cats separately from the dog. Place food and water in areas that the dog cannot access.
If supervision is not always possible, plastic bowls are recommended, as they are less likely to break if knocked over. Keep the water bowl on the floor, but well away from the litter tray.
Preparing the Living Area
Begin making changes before the dog arrives. Introducing new routines gradually is far less stressful for cats.
Purchase the crate and playpen in advance so the cats become accustomed to these new objects.
Spray a small amount of pet stain remover onto the floor occasionally so the scent is no longer unfamiliar when accidents inevitably happen.
Start closing the living room door at night so the cats become used to having restricted access before the dog arrives.
Consider temporarily applying frosted or opaque window film to the lower section of glass doors. This prevents the dog from constantly staring at the cats, which many cats can find intimidating.
Feeding Area
Consider adding another litter tray and placing it close to the cats' feeding area (with the tray facing the same direction), or alternatively placing the extra tray somewhere quiet, such as a landing.
Litter-catching mats or rugs are useful for reducing mess around the tray.
To prevent the dog from accessing the cats' food, place feeding bowls on top of a cabinet or another elevated surface. Avoid positioning food directly above a litter tray, however, as one cat jumping down while another is using the tray could startle them.
Place the water bowl away from the food bowl. In nature, cats generally drink away from where they eat, and food odours can contaminate the water, making it less appealing.
Litter Tray Guidance
Cats have an exceptional sense of smell. They may avoid using a litter tray if it smells strongly of urine or faeces, but equally they may dislike trays cleaned with heavily scented products such as citrus or lavender cleaners.
Avoid strong-smelling detergents and opt for unscented cleaning products wherever possible.
Size
Ideally, a litter tray should be around 1.5 times the length of the cat, allowing enough room to turn around, dig and cover urine and faeces.
For elderly cats, remember that arthritis can make climbing into high-sided trays difficult. Low-entry trays are often much easier for them to use.
Location
Choose a quiet location that is:
Easy to access
Not tucked tightly against a wall where the cat may feel trapped
Free from obstacles that make reaching it difficult
Cats generally prefer to have a clear escape route while using the tray.
Choosing a Litter
There are many different litter types available, so it is worth experimenting to discover individual preferences.
Some considerations include:
Sand-based litter is soft underfoot and usually clumps well.
Wood pellets can feel uncomfortable on sensitive paws.
Scented litters may smell pleasant to people but can be aversive to cats.
Offering different tray and litter options allows cats to choose their preferred substrate.
Intersand is an excellent litter worth considering.
Encouraging Consistent Litter Tray Use
Avoid placing litter trays near:
Beds
Food and water bowls
Under shelves or cat trees where another cat could jump down unexpectedly
Keeping trays away from these locations helps cats feel safer and encourages consistent toileting rather than spraying.
Cat Flap
Installing and setting up a cat flap before the dog arrives is a sensible step, allowing cats to move freely between indoors and outdoors whenever they choose.
Baby Gates
Glass baby gates can reduce the risk of heads becoming trapped and work particularly well upstairs.
Although many cats are easily able to jump over them, mobility can change as cats age, so alternative arrangements may eventually become more suitable.
Initially, introduce the gate gradually. Draping a blanket over part of it allows both species to look away if they choose, giving them greater control over the interaction.
Offer both the cats and the dog something particularly tasty while they calmly observe each other through the gate. This helps create positive associations, teaching them that seeing each other predicts good things.
Scent Exchange
Cats rely heavily on scent to understand their environment.
Before the dog arrives, begin exchanging scents between the animals. This can be done by rubbing a soft cloth over one animal and placing it near the other, allowing investigation at their own pace without pressure.
Gradual scent familiarisation often makes first introductions much less stressful.
Environmental Enrichment
Providing plenty of environmental enrichment helps cats feel secure and gives them opportunities to perform natural behaviours.
As access to some areas of the home may be reduced, consider providing additional scratching opportunities such as:
Corrugated cardboard scratchers
Sisal scratching posts
Cat trees
These provide opportunities for scratching, climbing and resting safely above ground level.
Useful websites include:
Pulling the sofa slightly away from the wall can create an additional escape route, allowing cats to move away from the dog without feeling cornered.
Positioning a cat tree at the end of the sofa or providing window perches and window-mounted cushions gives cats additional elevated resting places.
Cat tunnels and enclosed beds are also excellent additions. Wherever possible, choose hideaways with both an entrance and an exit so that if another cat approaches, the cat inside never feels trapped.
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