[Turi]

Oh Colin I’m sorry to hear things haven’t worked out as well as you’d hoped. I suppose it’s a bit of a gamble – even with all the preparation in the world you don’t know how animals will respond. Perhaps when Betty has calmed down a bit they will get on a bit better – only time will tell.

With three cats I worry that they will gang up against the puppy! Bluebell will initially be scared but she has a real mothering instinct (even though she’s never had a litter herself) and so fingers crossed it won’t be long before she’s giving the puppy a good groom. However, she wouldn’t tolerate being chased as she is a bit of a madam and really just likes cuddles.

Elmo is very playful at five and likes to chase Bluebell so I’m hopeful he will find a playmate in a puppy and will leave poor Bluebell alone.

Zulu, our Bengal, is very vocal and howls, chirps, purrs and makes a whole host of other noises. I have no doubt in my mind that he will HATE the puppy. But I could be wrong…!

Turi x

 

[colpa110]

triple trouble - I wish you luck.. maybe the three of them en masse will keep puupy in it's place. Will be interested to see what happens x

 

[Cockapoodledoo]

Morning,

I also have cats (three) and have been trying to devise a 'plan' for when we bring our puppy home:

- Before puppy arrival get a higher scratching post so cats can view puppy from above
- Put the litter tray somewhere private for cats (also stops puppy from eating poo)
- Trim cats’ claws
- Get catnip toys and spray for cat
- Get plug-in Feliway and start using a day or two before puppy arrives home
- Prepare crate and let cats explore before bringing puppy home
- Install baby gates at the bottom of the stairs so that cats can escape upstairs
- Before leaving the house to pick up puppy spray furniture etc with Feliway
- Arrive home
- Put cats in room upstairs
- Respray room with Feliway
- Take puppy outside to pee/poo & have a drink/food & cuddle
- Stroke puppy with a damp cloth (to put its smell on it) and take to cats to let them smell. Do the same in reverse
- Holding puppy let cats in
- Don’t scold cats for being hostile initially but move puppy away if things get nasty. I've been told that you shouldn't move cat as they'll get even more upset that their territory is being messed with!
- Feed the cats so they associate the puppy with good things and are distracted…
- Give cats lots of attention
- Keep puppy on a lead so he doesn’t chase
- Cross your fingers...

Is there anything else?

Turi x

Turi, are you a Project Manager in the working world? If not I believe I have discovered your true vocation in life! I have never known someone quite so organised. I think you're probably a bit of a spread sheet queen aren't you?
Do you have contingency plans in case things ......don't go to plan? Lol

Karen xx

 

[Turi]

Karen, you’re right I should have been a Project Manager! I’m in fact a PA and yes, rather obsessively organised with hundreds of spread sheets (am I that transparent?!)!

Hmmm… nope, no contingency plans. That’s when I’ll be coming onto the forum and begging for people’s advice!

Turi x

 

[dollyonken]

Hi

Just resurrecting this thread! Getting puppy in just over 10 weeks and beginning to seriously think about tactics to get my 2 one year old british shorthair cats used to a puppy.

I had a question about Feliway and whether people thought it had really helped their cats to keep calm in the stressful situation of introducing a puppy into their home!

Seriously thinking about investing in a feliway diffuser. Should I?

Eleanor

 

[Turi]

We got a Feliway diffuser and my cats were SO much better with Saffi's arrival than I thought they would be. Under no circumstances did we let Saffi chase the cats, eat their food or bark at them. The cats are allowed upstairs but she isn't... so far it goes well

 

[dollyonken]

Turi thanks, that is great to know.

Cats will definitely have access to upstairs whereas puppy will not! Will be getting a stair gate.

I am nervous but am not going to let this stop me getting a dog. We will have to take one step at a time and give the cats lots of attention and space.

One of my cats is very shy with strangers, he hid under the sofa (a 3 inch gap if that!) when an electrician came around last week! Am thinking it will take him a while to get used to a puppy

 

[Turi]

I was nervous too – my three cats are very different. Zulu (Bengal) can be ferocious – I was petrified he’d maul Saffi to pieces. Elmo (half Siamese) is scared of everything but very playful with people he knows. Bluebell (Blue Burmese) is incredibly affectionate and sweet. Elmo probably has the best relationship with Saffi – he lets her lick his face and sometimes rubs against her when they're about to be fed! As an aside we ALWAYS feed the cats first. Zulu often puts Saffi in her place and Saffi squeals like a piglet. I leave them to it – I’d only intervene if I thought one of them was going to get hurt. In fact I've never scolded the cats for warning Saffi. Bluebell is the one who doesn’t really like Saffi – if Saffi gets too close when she’s sleeping she’ll bop her on the head and hiss. And she didn’t come downstairs for the first two weeks that we had her which made us feel terrible. Now, however, if Bluebell is desperate for a cuddle she’ll tolerate Saffi next to her.

What we did enforce was that the cats and Saffi would sleep in the same room, albeit with Saffi in her crate. I think they have to get used to each other’s presence at some point!

Also, we set everything up (crate, toys, puppy gate) a week or so before Saffi's arrival so that there weren't too many changes for the cats at one time. I wrote about it on my blog: http://abfabcockapoo.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/preparing-the-cats/

The cats investigating Saffi's crate:

Peering out tentatively on Saffi's first day at home:

Zulu getting a bit closer (still on the first day):

Feeding time!

Bluebell reluctantly sharing cuddle time with Saffi:

Please drop something Daddy!

Ready for bed:

Sorry, picture overload . Hope this reassures you somewhat

 

[dollyonken]

Turi thanks so much for the advice and the amazing photos! I will take on board all that you have said.

I love the last photo especially, I hope I can get my 2 to sleep on top of the crate! It's also made me want to get a big cat bed that my 2 can snuggle up together in.

This is Claude and Coco this morning waiting to go in the bath after I had had a shower (they like to go in and lick the water off the side of the bath..they are such oddbods!).

 

[Turi]

Your babies are beautiful! And I love it when pets have funny little traits like you've described with yours.

Let us know how the introduction goes and if you need any more help don't hesitate to ask