Help! My new kitten keeps hissing at my dog. How do I introduce them?

Great question! I can give you a method for introducing them to each other: Introducing them should be done slowly. When you first bring your kitten home, I would keep them in rooms separated by a door. This way, they can get used to the smells and sounds of each other without contact. Make sure your kitten has a litter box, food, and water in their room. You can also place a blanket with the dogs' smell in the kitten's room, and a blanket with the kitten's smell in the dogs' room. I would also consider get a Feliway for your kitten and a DAP for your dogs. These are pheromone diffusers that help with anxiety and should also help ease the transition. Once all the pets seem relaxed with the current situation, swap rooms placing the kitten in the dogs' room and vice versa. You can do this switch several times over the course of the introductions. Once they are all comfortable with the smells of each other, it's time for them to meet face to face. I would introduce the dogs on a leash to the kitten while he is in a cat carrier or on the other side of a baby gate. Reward the dogs for being calm and quiet near the kitten. Once they seem comfortable with each other, the baby gate can be taken away. Make sure your kitten has a cat tree where he can escape from the dogs as needed, and don't allow the dogs to chase the kitten. I hope this helps!

It does take time for the existing cat to get used to a new addition to the house, and I recommend introducing them slowly to each other. Take the kitten, and put her in her own room with her 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 the other cat in the kitten's room while the kitten 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 the second cat 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 the kitten out of her room, and see how she interacts with the other cat. 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 the kitten in her room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other.

Separate Lilly from the kitten for a few days. Gradually reintroduce them. Start with a closed door between them so they can hear and smell each other. Progress to seeing each other but without physical contact. Once they are acclimated, try short periods of supervised contact. Use a pheromone prodcut such as Feliway Spray or the plug in diffuser to decrease any anxiety or aggression.

You can try acclimating him to one dog or cat at a time. Do this on "neutral" ground and begin with very short periods of time. Once he is fine with sight and smell, physically introduce them under strict supervision. Choose a new pet when he accepts one and begin the gradual process again. Praise and reward him as he progresses. be patient and be consistent.

Here is a great article on introducing a new cat to the household. https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-steps-to-introducing-your-cat-to-a-new-feline/ You might want to back up a few steps and try to start the introduction over from the beginning. The second thing you can try is to help Fiona deal with the anxiety of the new kitten by using Feliway, which is a cat pheromone that can be calming. It is available in a diffuser that is plugged into an outlet and is great for a room in the home. It is also available as a spray, which can be used on towels, or the most common locations Fiona likes to spend time. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8906 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37241 Another product I like is Composure, which is available as a little treat. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetri-science-composure-feline-bite-sized-chews If these do not help, you might consider discussing prescription medication for anxiety with your veterinarian. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I would try a Feliway spray, diffuser or collar. It is a pheromone that helps with relaxation and anxiety. There are also supplements for anxiety. Set up separate areas for feeding and two litter boxes so they each have their own space with an area that they both have access to. Usually over time they will adjust if left alone. If she’s still aggressive there are prescription medications to give her for a little while to help her adjust so please discuss this with your veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kaji.

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!