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Here are some tips from feline behavior professionals to make the first meetings less stressful and more positive for your two furballs!
The perfect environment for your feline and canine!
Here, you are not asked to embark on renovations and excavations! Only a few small attentions, a few small gestures in order to change your environment in order to generate the least stress in your two animals ... And therefore less stress in your home! You avoid fights, whining, yapping and peeing out of the litter (which are often generated by stress)!
Provide as many heights as possible in the house for the cat (in all rooms) so that it can run away from the dog at all times;
Ensure that these heights cannot be reached by the dog;
Prefer good height cat trees (1.5 - 2 meters) so that there are small shelves where the dog should not be able to climb;
Put the cat's food and water on a tall cabinet where the dog will never have access, creating a feeling of security for the undisturbed cat. This place can be the kitchen counter for example;
Do the same for the places where the cat will rest: provide a place where the dog will not be able to climb and put a small kitty bed, a blanket or a cushion there, thus allowing your purring friend to rest and sleep without having fear of being surprised by Pitou;
Offer hiding places where only the cat can sneak in and shelter from the dog who becomes too curious or insistent (a small box for example);
Providing hiding places and heights in each room of the house will make your cat feel safer and more inclined to explore the house easily knowing that he always has a safety zone no matter where he is.
Present your dog to your cat:
You can't wait for your dog or cat to meet their new boyfriend! However, rushing things around, making presentations too quick risks triggering fear and aggression (and even predation!) Reactions on both sides!
Here is the list of important points to remember:
Never hold the cat in your arms, put it in a transport cage or even in the cage with the dog. The cat must be able to escape at all times if it is afraid of the dog;
Even if the cat was in the house before the dog, it is better to isolate it in a room with all its things (litter, food, water);
Let the cat get used to this room. Take the opportunity to hide lots of treats that your cat likes and play with him regularly to make the isolation pleasant. Wait until it is calm before taking it out. A calm cat walks with its tail and head high. This can take one or more days. The dog and the cat can feel and touch each other under the door, but that's it;
Be careful when entering and leaving the room to avoid the cat running away or the dog entering. You can add a barrier that you can step over (examples: baby fence, wooden board, mosquito net, etc.) to help you enter the room.
Is it time to leave them together