Introducing a cat and dog when they aren't living together.?

Question

Hello,

I have a 2 year old cat that I rescued from a shelter. Since coming home, he's never been around other animals as I live alone in an apartment. My parents have just rescued a dog from another shelter who is used to cats and dogs. How do I introduce them? I sometimes bring my cat to stay at my parent's house for one or two nights at a time when I am out of town.

Normally when you introduce two animals, you do it on neutral territory, or you keep them separate and allow them to sniff at the door for a few days before introducing them. However, I don't really have the luxury of doing either of these.

Any suggestions? Oddly enough, they are roughly the same size. The dog is a 12 pound poodle and I have a large, 18 pound cat (not fat... just big). Most likely the dog will have no problem and the cat will simply hide under the bed.

Thanks!

Answer 1

If the dog is used to cats you don't have much to worry about. The cat may hide for a few days or hiss at the dog but eventually they'll get used to each other. Good luck :)

Answer 2

Start swapping their bedding or anything else that they use on a regular basis - like brushes/toys -  so that they get used to each others scent before the actual introduction.

Actually - if you could get your parents to send you a brush they use on the dog, you could start to use it on your cat and that would be a good start.