Welcome back to Talking Tails!
Exciting news alert…We have a new cousin and his name is Binx! The not-so- exciting news is that he is a cat. This will take some getting used to for us!! Our Aunt is really enjoying getting to know Binx, although he is a little timid. From what we have learned, that is not unusual for cats when they arrive at a new home.
We have never really interacted with a cat, so we did some research about our supposed “arch enemy!” One thing we discovered is that both dogs and cats can be territorial, so introducing a cat into an established home with a dog has to be done gradually. The dog should be on a leash when meeting the cat, with the goal being for them to coexist in the same space for a few minutes. The leash keeps the dog from chasing the cat, thus learning that is an inappropriate behavior. Assuming all goes well, both animals are rewarded with a treat and they try again the next day for a slightly longer period of time. This type of interaction should continue for a few weeks before letting the dog off the leash during their
“together time.”
Cats are generally more nervous about a dog than dogs are about a cat. For this reason, it is less stressful for the cat if it can escape to a refuge room. This allows for the animals to be safely separated and for each to have their own space. We image the dog has the rest of the house! Litter boxes and cat food tend to be of interest to dogs. We are not sure why, but then again we have never encountered either of these items. Our guess is that Joey would probably love them! Placing the litter box, food bowl, and water bowl in a place inaccessible to the dog helps to reduce the cat’s stress. Since cats can jump, putting these things up on a shelf may be ideal. Joey can jump, but not like a cat. They must have springs in their legs!
Letting your animals get to know each other cannot be rushed. Patience on the part of the human is key. We all need to remember that relationships take time to develop and grow.
Talk to you soon!
Buster and Joey
0 Comments