How to socialize my cat and dogs?

Question

Okay, so i was two dogs and a cat, but they have never really been socialized. My dogs are a lab, who is 2 years old, and a shih tzu, who is 5 years old and my cat is 7. The cat is really, really afriad of the dogs [but they would never bite her or anything..] and she always wants to stay in the basement, so shes not around them. She only comes upstairs to eat and stuff at night when the dogs are sleeping in my room and when i bring her up here, she runs right back down to the basement.

How do I get my cat to stay upstairs and be social with the dogs?

Answer 1

Your big dog could be scary to her. Try to introduce them at a time when no food is involved and the dogs are in a sleepy time mode. If the dogs are laid back and quiet she will be more interested and not so scared. So take the dogs for a good run and feed them. Bring her out and play with her around the dogs but not with the dogs. Give her a place that is safe away from the dogs so she can hide if she needs to. I have a place that is the top of a book shelf that my cat Mouse uses when the kittens aggravate her. When she gets upset pick her up and remove her from the scene and comfort her. She will learn to turn to you when she is scared instead of running away. And you need to strengthen your bond with her. I suggest daily snuggle sessions one on one with her until her need to be with you is stronger than her fear of the dogs.

Answer 2

well if your cats afraid of dogs why force her to comfront them?!

Answer 3

well my cat has been in our family before i was born and we got a husky last october and by christmas they were best friends. there was a period where my cat would constantly stay upstairs but she was fed up of it and comes downstairs now in fact she wont come upstairs tbh. But try locking your cat out of the basement make her realise the dogs wont heurt her and that she cant stay in the basement all the time. she need to go outside and get fresh air