By Jolene Miklas, Director of Communications
I never idea my truthful cat would allow me receive got a dog.
My cat, Firefly, is fourteen years old, suffers from irritable bowel, together with hates everyone
but me.
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| Firefly: trying to flip you lot the bird. |
And I dear that truthful cat then flippin’ much. She showed upwards every bit a stray kitten when I was inwards college. Firefly was yesteryear my side (or inwards my lap) though my root threadbare apartment, unopen to of life's traumas, together with she outlasted several (shut up!) boyfriends. And inwards a way, the fact that she hates everyone but me makes our bond all the to a greater extent than sweet. She is my ever-loyal, doting picayune darling.
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| Firefly: "Let's teach this over with." |
Even though I dreamed of bringing abode a dog, I never wanted to upset Firefly’s frail routine. Some of my friends at assured me that Firefly would “get over it” if I adopted a dog, but I adored my truthful cat every bit good much to discipline her to the bother.
Then I met Porter.
That was Porter the solar daytime I discovered him inwards his kennel. He had lived amongst unopen to other Canis familiaris who, a calendar week earlier, was senselessly beaten to cash inwards one's chips amongst a metallic rod. You tin flaming come across how frightened together with sick Porter was when this film was taken, but you lot can't come across that his tail, which he was sitting on, was attempting a forlorn wag.
It turns out that Porter tested positive for heartworm, a serious together with potentially fatal disease. He had several weeks of intense handling ahead of him together with he needed a rubber identify to recover.
My see broke for him. I offered to foster Porter inwards my home.
Initially, I agreed to accept inwards Porter for i month. I did non facial expression Firefly to adjust good to having a dog. In fact, I idea she mightiness nowadays a dealbreaker, together with I'd receive got to sheepishly halt my foster menses at the adamant behest of my cat.
But to my surprise, having a foster Canis familiaris made my feisty truthful cat friendlier! In fact, subsequently i calendar month amongst a foster Beagle, Firefly became to a greater extent than confident together with is friendlier amongst strangers. Now, I’m basking inwards the joys of having a multi-species household. I couldn’t live happier. And Porter is straightaway a “foster failure”—a permanent fellow member of our picayune family.
Here are unopen to of the steps that tin flaming help a cranky truthful cat accommodate to a novel dog.
Pick the Right Dog
Not every Canis familiaris volition live able to safely alive amongst cats. So, piece of employment to a shelter similar that volition cat-test a Canis familiaris before you lot accept him home. They mightiness fifty-fifty live able to innovate you lot to a Canis familiaris who has experience living amongst cats!
Choose a Canis familiaris who’s calm, doesn’t receive got a strong reaction to cats, together with who responds good to correction.
When I met Porter, I introduced him to both a shelter truthful cat together with a rabbit piece he was securely leashed together with nether my control. Both times, he acknowledged them, backed off slightly, together with calmly resumed minding his ain business. What a adept boy! While that didn’t hateful I should allow him loose inwards my house, I felt comfortable that I could innovate him to Firefly without putting her inwards danger.
Always innovate a Canis familiaris together with truthful cat slowly, piece your Canis familiaris is firmly nether your control, together with where your truthful cat has access to an escape road if needed.
Establish Separate Spaces
Your truthful cat is going to experience real vulnerable at first, then brand certain she has a dog-free zone. Firefly spends well-nigh of her fourth dimension inwards my bedroom, then from Day 1, I taught Porter that my sleeping accommodation is off-limits to him. Firefly tin flaming ever piece of employment at that spot to teach away from him.
Have a dedicated identify to set your dog. Porter has his real ain sleeping accommodation inwards my house. If you lot don’t receive got an extra room, consider crate training. Porter gets unopen inwards his room amongst something to piece of employment on him occupied (a compressed rawhide) when Firefly eats or wants to cuddle amongst me.
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| See: Happy, relaxed Canis familiaris together with compressed rawhide. |
Establish a Pecking Order That Favors the Weaker Pet
Lots of pet owners written report that their truthful cat is the boss of their dog. This is okay, because a pushy Canis familiaris could seriously wound a cat.
Firefly established herself every bit the queen of the household, together with I reinforced that hierarchy. I never scolded her for hissing at the dog. Instead, I taught Porter to teach out Firefly lone when she hissed at him. It’s okay for your Canis familiaris to live intimated yesteryear your cat; otherwise he could accidentally wound her.
Share Your Affection
Spread the love! When Porter moved in, I was tempted to dote on him endlessly. I wanted to pass all my fourth dimension adoring him.
But Firefly definitely appreciates it when I carve out lone fourth dimension for us girls. As I type this, Porter is freshly fed together with walked together with sleeping happily inwards his bedroom. Firefly is curled upwards inwards my lap, purring. For a Pet Person similar me, this is Heaven.
Be Cautious, but Project Calm Confidence
Dogs together with cats reply to our signals. So, fifty-fifty though I was constantly policing their behavior, my household mantra was “You’re okay.”
Don’t deed similar you lot demand to rescue your truthful cat from your dog, or she’ll perceive that she’s inwards danger. In fact, don’t deed similar anything out of the ordinary is going on. Tell an anxious Canis familiaris or truthful cat “You’re okay!” together with allow them come across that they’re overreacting for nothing.
Celebrate Small Successes
Don’t facial expression your Canis familiaris together with truthful cat to piece of employment best friends—and don’t force it! They may start to cuddle together with play together, or they may rest stoic roommates for life. This is fine.
Call it a success when your truthful cat greets you lot together with your Canis familiaris at the door, instead of bolting at the sight of your dog. Celebrate the solar daytime that your truthful cat climbs onto the couch amongst you lot piece your Canis familiaris naps at your feet.
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| Firefly: "Tell me I'm all the same your favorite. Say it!!" |
Your cranky truthful cat may fifty-fifty practise what mine did. Firefly surprised the heck out of me when she started coming out together with greeting guests inwards my home. She used to cower together with cover when my friends came over, but now, it seems similar Firefly volition genuinely compete amongst Porter for attention. For the root fourth dimension inwards all her fourteen years, she’s joining parties together with mingling! I’m then happy for her.
As millions of pet owners know, a multi-species household tin flaming convey then much dear together with laughter into your life. And only imagine how many animals could live spared senseless euthanasia if to a greater extent than families would only adopt unopen to other pet.
It may accept time, but tin flaming help you lot add together unopen to other animate beingness to your home. Just piece of employment slowly, together with adept luck!
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