INTRODUCING A PUPPY TO YOUR CAT
How (NOT) to introduce a puppy to your cat
Preparing to introduce a new pet to your cat should never be taken lightly. This proved to be the case when we brought our 8-week old puppy home with no deliberation or strategy planned in advance. As soon as we entered, our cat Gatsby went about greeting us with his usual leg-rubs and affectionate meows. But when he laid eyes on the small furry ball in my brother’s arms no less than 3 feet apart, his pupils dilated, his hackles were raised and his back arched as he charged at the unsuspecting puppy with his razor-sharp claws extended and his white fang-like weapons dispatched. I had never before seen him like this. Instead of attacking the puppy (which I was very relieved that he did not, as my brother had the presence of mind to hold on tight and protect her), he latched on to my mother’s arm and then my brother’s hand. Blood was spilled, screams ensued and Gatsby petulantly retreated upstairs. The poor puppy had probably experienced the most intense moment of her entire life amidst the confusion, and her heart was racing. This was when I realized my exigency for documenting our journey of dealing with such a dilemma - to prevent another situation like this from happening again.
Why on earth did our cat so savagely attack my mother and brother – two people who he intensely loves? I buried myself into literature and cyberspace and learned a great deal.
Redirected aggression in cats occurs when an outside person, animal or event instills fear or anger in them, causing them to bring their aggression out on whoever is close by. Usually redirected aggression is triggered mainly by other cats, but in this case, a puppy can also prompt a cat to lunge or hiss at the nearest target. If your puppy is unable to defend itself, steps to prevent the cat from reacting with aggression is the key to preventing any serious injuries to you or the puppy.
Steps To Prevent Redirected Aggression (cat to puppy)
If your cat reacts with aggression to your puppy, separate them from days to weeks. This will allow for the cat to calm down and recover from the situation.
Reintroductions are best done gradually. Take time for your cat to get acclimated to the scent of your puppy by rubbing a blanket over the puppy and leaving it with the cat.
Positive reinforcement such as treats or meals during introductions can make them associate good things with the puppy.
Punishments or significant changes to the cat’s lifestyle should be completely avoided. This could prompt more aggressive behavior towards you or the puppy.
Crates or boxes are also a good way to prevent an outburst in your cat. Crates provide a confined and enclosed space for cats to hide, and they reduce stress and mitigate any aggression. A recent study done by the University of Utrecht discovered that cats with hiding boxes adapted to their environment quicker and recovered faster.
Understanding feline behaviors is a challenging task that can often be misinterpreted. Keeping your cat content during this exchange is the most important tip to preventing redirected aggression. If the cat is showing any warning signs, removing the stimulant and confining your cat is the best solution. Signs of aggression are: dilated pupils, twitching tail, flattened ears pointing backwards, arching back and hissing, growling or spitting.
FOES TO FRIENDS IN 30 DAYS
Day 1-2
Complete separation: We moved Gatsby (our cat) to the basement – a place where he occasionally visits whenever we go there, but this time he was confined there. He clearly was not happy and meowed a lot as he wanted to be near us.
Day 3
Controlled introductions began. Feeding time is his favorite time with us. We kept Gatsby’s feeding bowls about 4 feet away from the basement walkout glass door. Our puppy, by now named Summer, was outside and playing with one of us. Gatsby reacted with his hackles raised and retreated initially from his food.A few minutes later, he came back gingerly, and continued eating, but was clearly very tense.
Days 3-7
With each successive day of our introductions, I gradually inched his food bowls closer and closer to the basement walkout glass door. Gatsby seemed less tense as this went on, and he didn’t express the warning signs of aggression as he did on the first day. However, if Summer ventured too close to the door, Gatsby would hiss in disapproval with raised hackles, but gradually continue his meal.
By Day 5, my brother moved his bed to the basement as he felt sorry that Gatsby was sleeping all alone (maybe he also wanted to get away from us). This had a positive effect on Gatsby – he meowed less, and generally seemed to accept his new surrounding. I am sure his increasing comfort and acceptance was helping him also accept Summer. The feeding ritual became more routine, and he would leisurely chomp at his food even though Summer was just inches away from him, albeit separated by a glass door.
Day 7
We started presenting Gatsby his meals with the glass door opened and only the mesh door separating him and Summer. Gatsby must have felt the effects of this change because he retaliated when he saw Summer so close with no real protection of the glass door he had last week. Yet, he grudgingly ate his food. Days 8-13 went by uneventfully with continued introductions during meal times through the mesh door. By desensitizing Gatsby to Summer along with positive reinforcement of meals, he was able to eventually eat his meals peacefully even though Summer was sitting in close proximity to him.
Day 10
Scent mixing: We exchanged Gatsby with Summer, so now Gatsby could wander upstairs with us while Summer was being taken care of in our basement. Summer was allowed to play with Gatsby’s toys, sleep on his bed and even lick his food bowls. Eventually, when Gatsby returned to his basement habitat, he endured (probably with great disdain) the unfamiliar and disconcerting smells Summer had cast all over his territory. This proved to be a good way to mix scents so they would both get used to each other’s presence. So far, it seemed to be working!
Day 14
Open introductions: We put Summer into a doggie crate and we fed Gatsby within 5 to 10 feet of Summer. We observed the signs to see how he reacted. Gatsby was aware of her, but was more interested in his food. Ignoring her was a good sign. He finished his meal with relish and glanced around, somewhat nonchalantly. He stared at Summer with big eyes but did not seem very perturbed, even though she was next to him. We slowly increased the time that Gatsby and Summer were together – although Summer was confined to the crate. Luckily for us, she didn’t seem to mind at all, and watched Gatsby with great curiosity, but seemed to sense that she needed to be still.
Days 14-20 consisted of slowly inching Gatsby closer and closer to our puppy in the crate via cat treats for positive reinforcement. We kept a careful watch of his behavior and soon enough, he grew accustomed to Summer and her fidgety tendencies. Any sharp movement from Summer would not provoke Gatsby into his defence stance, but he seemed much calmer than before, although he still seemed to be on edge. On the last 2 days, we let the crate door open, so Summer could come out. They regarded each other intensely, but there was no aggression from Gatsby.
Day 21
Freedom: We finally let Gatsby out of the basement to roam around our house. Summer would be kept close to us in case Gatsby were to confront her, but to our surprise, he was fascinated by Summer and seemed to realize that she was no longer a threat to him. There were times when Summer would approach Gatsby, but he would jump onto a table and regard her from his perch, or he would just leave the room. Coexisting became a hard realization to Gatsby, and he no longer seemed to be nervous around Summer.
I think my family can fairly conclude that this was a huge success story, and I am happy that my journey in documenting such a dilemma has concluded.
SOURCES
Care, International Cat. International Cat Care, 6 Oct. 2019, icatcare.org/advice/aggression-to-humans/.
Horwitz, Debra. “Cat Behavior Problems - Aggression Redirected.” vca_corporate,
vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-behavior-problems-aggression-redirected#:~:text=Redirected%20aggression%20occurs%20when%20a,direct%20aggression%20toward%20the%20stimulus.&text=When%20this%20happens%20between%20resident,whenever%20they%20see%20each%20other.
Johnson, Ingrid. “Welcome to the Cat Division.” Redirected Aggression in Cats: Recognition and Treatment Strategies | IAABC Cat Blog, 17 May 2014, iaabc.org/cat/redirected-aggression-in-cats#:~:text=You%20can%20alternate%20which%20cat,back%20behind%20solid%20doors%20again.
Vinke, C.M., et al. “Will a Hiding Box Provide Stress Reduction for Shelter Cats?” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Elsevier, 20 Sept. 2014, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159114002366.