Puppy+cats Don't Get On

[angeldust]

I have just got a new cocker spaniel puppy ... she has been with us for about a week now and so far we have had loads of trouble trying to teach her to get on with the cats. My 2 cats are about 5 years old ... so i can understand this is a whole new experience and stuff but the puppy don't help herself when she chases them all the time!

We have got a book and that dosen't give much advise ... as it says [and i quote] "introductions between cats and dogs should go pretty smoothly" ... so i just wondered if anyone had any tips ... because i don't want to disown my cats cos i love them to bits but how can i get anywhere near them when i have this 8 week old puppy scratching my legs everytime she sees me with them??????

PLS PLS help

xxx

[Ella Rainbow]

angeldust. I have a 18 week old puppy and 2 cats ( one is 8 years old and the other 2 years old). My advice is to restrain the puppy when the cats are about. This will give the cats a chance to get used to the pup. My Ella gets really excited and wants to play when she sees the cats and at first they were not very impressed.

My older cat Amy has asserted herself and isn't scared of Ella (who is already bigger than the cats). I make sure that the cats have places where they can escape to (other rooms or places too high for Ella to reach). My younger cat is slowly coming around but I am very careful that she doesn't get cornered. The puppy will come off second best.

My cats love their food and nothing stops them from getting to the kitchen to be fed . Even a bouncy puppy. I put their bowls up high so that Ella doesn't scoff their food. It's been one way for them to observe the dog without feeling threatened.

I'm sure your cats will get used to the puppy but it does take time and the pup has to stop chasing the cats. It's like the shampoo commercial - "It will happen but not overnight".

Best of Luck,

Annette

[Scarlet]

They may never be friends but the cat has to feel safe around the dog. It must always be able to get away from the dog. I bought a few high cat scratching posts and put one in different rooms. My adult cat could get away from the pup and by the time the pup was older they were used to each other. Don't allow the dog to jump up on the scratching post-ever.

Good idea about putting the pup on lead to get used to the cat when it is in the room.