Bringing a kitten into a house with a dog

Did you bring Shawn Mendes into your house with Justin Bieber?

Put the kitten in a room, bathroom if you must, to help it settle down for a week. Then introduce it to your dog.

That's a tough one, I recently got a kitten and though he can be sweet and loving he loves to bite on things (and me). I am hoping after I have him neutered he will calm down.

There are tons of videos and articles about how to introduce a new pet into a house with an existing pet.

A lot of people think that you can just throw them together, and they'll eventually work things out. Huge mistake.

It should be done in steps.

First, keep them in separate rooms for a few days.

Then, switch the rooms, so they can get used to the other's scent.

Then, you feed them on opposite sides of a closed door for a few days or a week, so that they will associate each other's scent with something pleasurable (food).

Then, you keep them separate, but allow them to see each other, such as on opposite sides of a screen door, or with a doggie gate in a doorway separating them.

Then, eventually, you give them a little time together under your supervision and see how it goes.

Feral kittens hiss a lot. That doesn't necessarily mean they're going to get violent, sometimes it's just a natural reaction to overexcitement, or something new and scary.

Animals can be amazingly tolerant with babies of other species.

I remember visiting friends when they had a big adult dog and a tiny kitten, and the kitten was amusing itself by repeatedly jumping onto the dog's muzzle, hanging on with all its claws for a few seconds, and the falling off, and doing it over and over several hundred times. The dog just signed and put up with having its muzzle repeatedly clawed, he was such a good dog.

I have a two year old border collie (actually 7/8 BC, 1/8 Rhodesian Ridgeback, webbed feet, and not-at-all neurotic) and a 14 month old black kitty I introduced in late August of last year, all indoors. Six week old kitten in bathroom for a few days, then spent supervised time inside a fenced in area in the living room as 🐕 spazzed out excited and sniffy (which he remains to this day). But this dog is quite submissive and really loved small ones in socialization class. Kitten climbed, dog sniffed and head-butted slightly. All very sociable and not too rough with all sorts of playful gestures easily identifiable from both sides. Check out Youtube videos about dog and kitten language and interactions. It might put your mind at ease.

Oh, sorry OP. I didn't quite process the skittish and feral parts. My baby's batch was rescued from a local Little League field by neighbors at about 5 weeks and started getting handled immediately. Yes, isolate as much as possible at first but they'll still become accustomed to each others scents, feed kitty close to your pup making sure the dog sits and stays, share toys with your dogs scent and gradually bring them closer. Make sure the pup is on a leash and the kitten is properly enclosed upon first meeting.

[quote]Feral kittens hiss a lot.

So they're like eldergays?

Keep us updated, OP.

Got a pic of the hissy little scrap?

If you plan to keep it, just declaw the cat.

They are all different, so no right or wrong way to do it. I'm not a huge fan of a drawn out introductions. I'd bring the kitten into the house and it will go and hide to observe. It will come around when it is ready.

r12 is correct, unless you need to.

Cat + dog = a $2000 vet bill for dog’s scratched eyeball. Go with caution.

“If you plan to keep it, just declaw the cat.”

What the fuck is wrong with you?

Progress!

I let the kitten inside. She seems better in the big house since there are so many ways to get away unlike on the porch. She hides a lot under or on furniture. But has ventured out occasionally. The dog seems to have lost interest in her and doesn't go after her much. She's made some cautious approaches to it. The dog acts very friendly now wags its tail seems happy to see the kitten. If the dog sits still the kitten will sit and stare at it. It is like a cautious stand off.

I think they might be friends! (the kitten was pretty friendly with people. That's why I took it. The whole litter was living under a bush down the street. (no sign of a mother) I stopped and looked at them. This one was the boldest. It started showing up at my door sometimes like it followed my scent.

OP sounds like you are going to have so much fun with a dog and cat. I recently got a kitten and he is so much fun, I love that little guy like crazy.