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I have lived almost my entire life with both dogs and cats in my house. As a result of this, I know a thing or two about introducing cats to dogs and vice versa. The most important thing to remember is that dogs and cats are never going to act the way that you want them to or the way that you expect them to.

One of the first things that needs to happen is both pets need a "safe" place. By giving each pet their own area to go to without the other animal being there, the animals can separate from one another and both feel safe in the house. Having a bunch of people around is also not a good thing, because if the animals feel threatened, then large groups of people are going to amplify these feelings. The simplest policy when introducing cats to dogs is to keep it simple. Just you and the two pets are the best bet.

If you are introducing a new pet into a house that already has a long standing pet, the pet that already lives there is going to be territorial and not willing to share the house or the affections of the family. Thus, the pet that "rules the roost", so to speak, will no doubt show aggression to the new pet coming into the house. There are a few exceptions, however.

Growing up, I had a dog named Pam. She had one litter of puppies, and the mother's instinct never left her. Every animal that we brought into the house, whether kitten, puppy, dog, or cat, Pam adopted them as her own pups and took care of them. She treated them as any mother dog will treat her puppies. She nurtured them through the transition into the new home. Therefore, the maternal instinct will kick in as new animals are introduced into the house. The worst time to trust this instinct, however, is when the mother dog or cat is still nursing, weaning or just raising her kittens or puppies. The instinct that can kick in at this time is the instinct that tell the mother to protect her young with great ferocity. Pam's puppies were long out of the house when we got another animal.

The most important thing to remember is that the dog and the cat getting to know each other is "pet business". Dogs are going to bark and raise cane with a new cat in the house, and cats are going to lash out and scratch a new dog in the house, if the dog gets close enough and does not heed the warning signs (the low growl, the raised hackles, and the pronounced hissing sound). So long as these spats don't get out of hand, then leave the pet business to the pets. If you have to get involved, be ready to take some collateral damages (scratches to the hand, little nips from the dogs, etc.) and get them separated quickly. Don't admonish the animals for taking their frustrations out on one another. If you have to admonish them, admonish them for taking their disputes out on your house, and don't admonish them much, for you would be punishing them for following instinctual behavior.

Learn more about this author, David Smith.
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