Helping new cat adjust to home with older dog
Dear Cathy: We adopted a cat in mid-March. She is approximately 2-years-old and was captured as a stray and spayed. We were told she “hates” other cats but is okay with dogs. We have a 13-year-old male dog who is totally complacent about everything. The cat has started to lay her ears back, meow annoyance and chase him from wherever she doesn’t wish him to be. Thus far, our corrections have been clapping hands with a displeased voice. She will exit the situation but will repeat behavior later in day. I’ve also sprayed pheromones around sleeping areas and tried calming cat treats. I would appreciate any suggestions to curtail her behavior. A can of coins or noise correction would freak out our old dog.
— Regina, Northampton, Pennsylvania
Dear Regina: Whenever a new animal is brought into the home, there is an adjustment period for everyone. In order to have harmony, the new arrival must find some space to call her own, which means the other animals already in the home must give up some space. This can cause conflict and take many months to work out.
But you can help things along by creating some private space your feline can call her own. This might involve putting up a doggie gate that she can crawl under or over to access a room that your dog can’t access; moving boxes out from under beds so she has a place to escape; or leaving empty boxes in closets so she can sleep in them. But the thing I recommend most is getting her a tall cat tree with lots of perches and levels so she can expand her territory upward. Rub catnip on the cat tree and add a few treats to each level for about a week to encourage her to climb up.
Pent up energy also can be a problem for some cats. Because she is a stray, she may be used to spending time outside.
If so, consider training her to wear a harness and leash so you can eventually take her into a yard for some mental stimulation. A 10-minute “walk” in the yard every morning can give her mind something to do.
If you don’t have a yard or supervised outside time won’t work, then make sure she receives a minimum of 10 minutes of exercise/ playtime, twice daily. Animals that don’t get exercise/playtime can remain moody and irritable with the other people and pets in the home.
Dear Cathy: I have a 9year-old female German shepherd dog. We have had her for six years. She is a rescue, and we are her third home. She is a sweetheart but has anxiety issues when we go for our morning walks. It is difficult to get in a 4-mile walk while avoiding other dogs. I can feel the anxiety in her voice when another dog approaches. After reading an article by you, I am hoping that you can give us a suggestion of what we can do to help her.
— Dan and Martha
Cover, Tucson, Arizona
Dear Dan and Martha:
Dogs who lack confidence can become quite vocal in an attempt to keep other dogs away.
If your sweet dog was never properly socialized with other dogs, she might experience anxiety when meeting another dog on the street. I suggest starting
with some basic obedience training — i.e., sit, stay, down, come and heel (walk beside you on a leash). On the surface, this may not make any sense considering the problem. But, the goal of obedience training is two-fold — to encourage your dog to always look to you for what to do next and to build your dog’s confidence, which makes for a mentally healthier dog.
When you’re actually walking her, encourage her to heel. If she gets out too
far ahead of you or misbehaves at an approaching dog, turn quickly and walk in the opposite direction. This surprise maneuver reminds your dog to pay attention to you.