My cat is protective of the new dog. How can I help her adjust?

Hi there Adjusting to a new animal in the home can sometimes take months. There are a few things that can help, but honestly time is the best remedy. I would make sure all the pets have enough space, and a safe place to eat and drink that is away from the new cat. I would also use the Adaptil spray and Feliway spray diffusers in your home. This helps animals calm down and can make their enviornment more neutral while they adjust. Finally, just be sure to keep things routine. Pets love routine and while a new cat isn't routine, keeping everything else this way will help. Best wishes and thanks for using Pet Coach!

The key is with slow introductions. Adding in barriers or baby gates that your cat can get over but your dog can't can also make it easier for your cat to get away if they need. It is also a good idea to make sure your cat has access to their own access to food, water, litterboxes, and bedding/hiding places without your dog being able to harass them. Adding in a pheromone diffuser such as Comfort Zone in shared spaces can also help with stress. You also only want to let them interact when you are home to supervise as even the best behaved dog can still accidentally injure a smaller cat. Otherwise, giving them time to observe and interact, and separating them if they become too stressed can help during the adjustment period.

Getting a new kitten into the house is stressful for the existing cat, and that is likely why Luna is acting this way. I would slowly introduce them to each other. Take Odie, and put him in his own room with his own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let Luna in Odie's room while he is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove Luna from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let Odie out of his room, and see how he interacts with Luna. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep Odie in his room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other. I hope this helps!

Cat-dog introduction can definitely be tricky particularly when the kitty is somewhat shy or aloof. Cats are usually pretty picky in terms of who they choose to like and dislike at first, so I would not be surprised if you see some swatting and hissing in the very beginning. The best thing you can do to up your odds of a pleasant coexistence if a very slow introduction under supervised settings. I would first have your dog and cat completely separate, but in adjacent rooms so they can hear and smell each other through the door. Once this has happened for a day or two, you can place the dog in a crate and allow the cat to mosy into the dog's area. This will allow you to gauge the dog's reaction as well as the cat's in a safe way. Any positive interaction between the two should be rewarded (both the cat and dog). Once you feel comfortable, you can begin to let the dog out but only on a leash. You need to be convinced that the dog is not going to try to harm Shadow in any way. The dog should be rewarded for any good behavior (in this case, even leaving Shadow alone or ignoring completely should be considered good). If Shadow tries to approach this is fine as long as you have a solid hold on your dog. If this goes well after several supervised sessions, you can try off-the-leash supervision. Keep at this, for a while until you feel completely comfortable that they aren't going to try and kill each other! Hopefully they can have a peaceful coexistence or even be friends if your lucky!

In addition to a gradual introduction or acclimation, consider using a pheromone product such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser. Either may decrease any anxiety or aggression. Correct any aggression or negative behavior immediately. Praise and reward good behavior. Be consistent and be patient.

I suggest you put some Feliway diffusers in your house starting about a week before the dog is to come over. This is basically "happy cat" pheromones and they really work to decrease stress. Their website has a lot of great information. ( https://www.feliway.com/uk/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) Also, make a "safe space" for your cat so that, if needed, she can get away from the dog. The best way to do this is to put a baby gate up across the door to one room so that the cat can get in but the dog can't. Put the litter box, food and water in there. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Be patient and keep doing what you are doing! Consider purchasing feliway and using the diffusers and spray. In a few more weeks I would recommend putting Luna in a kennel in the main living area and allowing Lupe to see her without direct contact. Maybe do this for a few hours every day for a few weeks. Cats hold grudges and can take weeks to months to calm down. You are doing great- keep it up! Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.