How to safely introduce a new kitten to a dog with high prey drive?

The best way to begin introducing a large dog to a cat is with a basket muzzle, on a leash, with extremely careful supervision. This is particularly true if you already know that Loki has a high prey drive. If Loki is a Border Collie, his intelligence may work for you or against you depending on his temperament. It is all about positive reinforcement in this sort of situation, and taking things slowly and carefully. I would not throw the kitten and dog together in the same room freely right away. Keep one of them in a crate and the other outside of it so they can see and sniff each other but not have any direct contact. After a couple of days, I would try the above thing I mentioned ( you will obviously require your mom's help with this ), making sure to have plenty of treats available on hand to reward any sort of positive response. If there is any negative response or act of aggression, do not punish Loki. Simply end the interaction and walk away for a few minutes, return, and try again. Punishment is ineffective in this instance and in most in my opinion. Once you are convinced after several sessions that Loki is not acting in an aggressive manner, try the same exercise but without the basket muzzle. Continue to do this until you are comfortable enough that they are buddies instead of foes. Hope this helps.

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!

Hi there. This is a complex question that can't really be fully answered in forum like this, so I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer in your area who can help you in person. In general, you need to introduce them slowly (usually by having a separate "safe room" for the cat during the introduction process), and keep the dog on-leash whenever the cat is around at first. The dog should be rewarded with praise and treats for calm behavior around the cat. Over time, if all goes well, you can start to allow the dog off-leash for short periods around the cat, as long as she isn't showing any signs of aggression or intense interest. Be aware that some dogs with a strong predatory instinct may never be safe off-leash around cats, in spite of training. You can search for a veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org or a qualified trainer here: www.ccpdt.org

Some dogs do get very excited about meeting cats, and don't realize how big they are in comparison - I can definitely sympathize! The best way to manage this is to keep Moose on a leash at all times around the kitten at first. Practice asking him to sit or lie down, and reward him with treats for being calm around her. It may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for him to be relaxed enough around the kitten to be allowed off-leash, so be patient! I would also definitely recommend keeping them separated for now unless someone is actively supervising their interactions.

Oh dear! This is potentially a very dangerous situation for your cat, so I would definitely recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist if you want to keep both pets - he/she can evaluate your dog in person to help determine the level of risk involved, and will put together a detailed training plan to work on the problem. Generally, treatment for this problem would involve rewarding the dog for calm behavior around the cat, while also managing the situation carefully to ensure that there are no injuries - this may mean that the dog needs to be on-leash at all times around the cat, or they should be separated using a baby gate or some other physical barrier during training sessions until things are calmer. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Good question! 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 Jax's smell in the kitten's room, and a blanket with the kitten's smell in the his room. I would also consider get a Feliway for your kitten and a DAP for your dog. These are pheromone diffusers that help with anxiety and should also help ease the transition. Once both pets seem relaxed with the current situation, swap rooms placing the kitten in the dog's room and vice versa. You can do this switch several times over the course of the introductions. Once they are both comfortable with the smells of each other, it's time for them to meet face to face. I would introduce Jax on a leash to the kitten while he is in a cat carrier or on the other side of a baby gate. Reward him 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 dog as needed, and don't allow Jax to chase the kitten. Best of luck, I hope the helps!

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.