How best to socialize dog and cat?

DeadlyByDesign

Hi all

Just need some advice on how best to socialize a cat and dog. We have 2 cats that have been with us for 2 years. 1 cat is outgoing and natuarll friendly andd curious, the other is adorable with a heart of gold but has a skittish "run at the sight of his Own shadow" nature.

We will be getting a dog before xmas and want to know how best to get the 2 groups to bond with each other. Dog will be about 11 weeks old by the time he gets into the house,

mymo

Best introduce them under controlled conditions, keep the dog on the lead(helps if dog has been walked and is tired), make sure cats have an escape route, I got a baby gate to keep the dogs downstairs and the cats have no problem jumping it.
If the cats want to hiss and run let them, but don't allow the dog to chase or lunge after them. I would highly recommend a crate for the pup, crate training helps with toilet training and also means the pup is safe at night and cats can roam around freely, it definitely reduced the stress on our cats when they could roam the house at night freely. They can also approach the crate for a sniff without the fear of being chased.

Don't leave them alone until you know they are settled, took about 2 months here, I shut dogs in kitchen and let cats have the rest of the house.
I have to say our cats were like yours, one outgoing, one skittish, funny thing is the skittish one is best of friends with both dogs, while the other is friendly but not as close to the dogs.

Really its just time and patience, there's no magic solution, but my cats are 9(no contact with dogs apart from next doors terrier, until I got the first dog) and 4 and the dogs 2 and bit over a year, and all get on well.
Best of luck, oh and when you feed the cats, do it up high(I use windowsill) or the pup will steal it;)

Graces7

With some , nothing works. And they learn to stay safe . Collie here hates cats with a fury, so now they have learned to come in and out at an upstairs window safely. Cats are very adaptable indeed.;)