https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 04:57:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380970 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:47:08 +0000 Jenn23 1380970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion: I wanted to do that but our basement is unfinished and cold down there now with it being winter, plus all the various hiding places worry me, too. So for those two reasons, I'm worried to do that so that is why we decided the quiet guest room would be best at first. But if it wasn't so cold down there, I definitely think that would be easier! I'm not happy about putting the litter box in a carpeted room for the next few days/week! I'll be laying down something underneath to protect the carpet for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380954 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:44:20 +0000 Jenn23 1380954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion: @Mae: Thanks for the tips. Sounds like a combination of treats, plus if needed having the dog nearby will help encourage her to jump through. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380950 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:43:25 +0000 Mae 1380950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion: true about making the basement "theirs." At the start of things we had their litter box, food, and several pet beds down in the basement to make it a comfy and happy place for the kitties to hang. And they spent a LOT of time down there at first because they were scared of the dog. Now they much prefer being upstairs and they also for some unknown reason decided to pee on their beds down there (seriously-- weird. they don't pee on things upstairs) so we tossed the beds and brought the food up and the only reason they go down anymore is to use the litter box. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380940 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:41:24 +0000 Dandelion 1380940@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: also I'd put her in the basement from the beginning instead of the guest room. Make it her place down there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380934 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:40:01 +0000 Mae 1380934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: No. Cats are smart. I think we just taped the flap up so that it was just a hole in the door and put the cat by the door then let the dog downstairs. Cats see a dog + a hole, they are going through the hole. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380933 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:39:55 +0000 Dandelion 1380933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: if you use the cat door, put the cat in the basememt for a while to get used to where her stuff is and like mae said, keep the flap up for a while. Cats are smart and are good at getting to where they know the food is! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380923 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:36:58 +0000 Jenn23 1380923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I've been thinking it is possible, even likely that the kitty won't ever be best buds with our dog, but I'm just hoping that she can at least get to the point of tolerating him. Sounds like that is the situation you have, so hopefully that'll be the same here! Thanks! Did you have to teach the cats how to get through the door? Use treats? I'm just wondering how to teach her that. I bet youtube has videos....going to check those now. :)</p> <p>@Dandelion: Never thought about a chain latch. Hmmm, I'll definitely look into that, too, since I'm not sure she'll get used to the kitty door. That's a good idea, but I'd just have to be sure it is super secure and can't be broken with my wild toddler pulling on the door. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380886 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:26:49 +0000 Mae 1380886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: re: kitty litter we keep ours in the basement and have a cat door installed. we taped the flap up for the first week or two we had it so it was just a hole and once the cats got used to that we dropped the flap down and they figured it out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380885 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:26:13 +0000 Dandelion 1380885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: We have a utility room that we put a baby gate up to so that the dogs can't get into it. I've had it in the laundry room before, too. </p> <p>Growing up, we had the cat box in the basement, and my mom installed a chain latch on the door that could leave the door open enough for a cat, but the dog and my little brother couldn't get down there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380884 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:26:00 +0000 Mae 1380884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would just make sure the cat has a place to hide and feel safe and then give it time. Cats are pretty good at setting their own boundaries :) Also don't get discouraged if it takes a while. It took like a full year for our dog and one of our cats to get along. Now they coexist peacefully but for the first year the cat would just run whenever he saw the dog. Now at 4 years living together our dog and our other cat still don't get along. The cat is just terrified of him and I think that is just her personality. We just make sure she has high places she can be (window sills for example) to get away from him, and we keep him upstairs for a little bit every day to give her lap time, and the co-exist in (relative) peace without really having to interact. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380872 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:23:48 +0000 Jenn23 1380872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion: Thanks! Where do you keep the litter box(s) so that the dogs can't have access? That's another concern we have. We'd like to move the litter box and cat food dish to the landing going down to the basement eventually, however we'd have to install a cat door and I don't know that we'd be able to train her how to use it. Otherwise, we'd have to keep the door cracked and I don't want to do that with our 16 month old around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380842 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:17:05 +0000 Dandelion 1380842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just make sure kitty has a place to get away to, and I'm sure everyone will be fine. Let kitty get used to everything at her own pace and don't yell at her for hissing. Just tell her everything is ok.</p> <p>The dog and the kid will be fine...kitty can handle the dog. :) My cats have the dogs better trained than we do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bringing-home-cat-today-how-to-introduce-to-dog-and-toddler#post-1380833 Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:14:43 +0000 Jenn23 1380833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Unfortunately, my mom has to separate her two nine year old cats, because they've been fighting lately and despite numerous attempts to fix the situation, they just can't live together anymore. (They grew up together since kittens and were fine until the last few months) Anyway, my husband and I decided to take one. The problem is we have a dog and a 16 month old son, so I have no idea how this will work out. We will get her tonight and keep her enclosed in our guest room for at least a few days, but after that I will have to begin the introductions to our dog and our young son. </p> <p>Anybody been through this? Any advice, tips? I know that it is good to introduce the scents of both the cat and dog to each other before they meet by using blankets. And I know to keep our dog leashed when they meet (he is a sweet dog that loves cats, other dogs and all animals so I'm not worried about him-just the cat). </p> <p>I'm worried our son will be the hardest since he is at the difficult age to introduce to new animals since he may try to pull at the kitty. </p> <p>Thanks for any stories/advice!! </p>