cats and dogs

[scooby01]

best way to introduce our two cats to my parents border collie, we have had to move in with them short term and so far have kept them apart but the dog is going mental as he can smell and hear them and they are all driving us crackers, please help befor ewe all go insane!! also one of the cats has only 3 legs and doest move as fast as he used to.

[jenky]

If the dog is not allowed on furniture and knows this, you could put the cats up high in a bed on a chair or sofa and sit with them. (hopefully they won't leg it). This gives the signal to the dog that the cats are higher up in the pack than it is which can help dogs accept new additions.
Might seem dotty but works for us. Our collie goes a bit nuts for a while (which they do!) then chills when she realises the newcomers are a)not a toy and b)to be left alone.

[mw]

i would let them meet gradually. Why not put the cats up high and let the dog through to see them? As long as they have somewhere high to get out of the way they will be okay. They will get used to eachother eventually.

[wolf63]

or stick them in one room, lock the door and let them get on with it - my money is on the cats!

There is no easy way to introduce them. It will also depend on the characters of the individual animals. Some cats are pretty mean and vicious and some are quivering wrecks.

Good luck.

[drchasuble]

I got a new dog last christmas and my extremely friendly docile cat walloped the hell out of it.

Sorted.

[divegirl]

I have 4 dogs and in the summer introduced a kitten...it was hell...I cried alot, the dogs nearly lost most of their eyes [?...does that make sense?]....it took a week and then they sort of loved each other! My advice....leave them to it...the cat will always win, just have a pair of heavy duty gloves on stand-by to remove cat from sensitive parts of the dogs anatomy and all will be well.... :o] No...honestly...just gie them time and watch out for major spats...then intervene. Wish me luck..we have another kitten coming in a week or so!

LISA X

[butternut]

hi mate, been there, worn the tshirt lol, i had three cats and moved two dogs in and then got a bull mastiff (from birth), probably a little different, however we now dont have any cats that was several years ago different partner, this time after rest passed away got a rescue lurcher and lakeland and i admit wouldnt dare let the lurcher especially near a cat, he goes absolutely nuts and i mean nuts, untrustable, i think u need to have em together from birth, sorry if this does not help, tc

[scooby01]

thanks for that will give it a try hopefully not too much fur will fly!!!