Well this is going good... NOT!

[Andie]

Mom suggested that I get Isis use to Bull and being an only kitty.


So Friday I go pick her up (for those that don't know my aunt is keeping her til I get my own place) and bring her here. She was wrapped up in her blanket when I brought her in, I walk over and place her on the couch. Both dogs rush to see what's going on and sniff the little thing on the couch. Isis freaks and starts hissing and slapping which in turn starts Bull barking. :rolleyes:
Ok, time for a different approach. I pick her back up in her blanket wrapping her up and let Katie sniff without having to worry about claws. All is fine a little hissing from Isis but Katie seemed satified so I move on to Bull. Dear God! Every hiss sent Bull on a barking spree, he seemed afraid to even sniff her. Ok, maybe we need a newer approach. Time for the cat carrier, I put Isis in and shut the door. The dogs came over and sniffed thru slits on the sides. Everything is fine, dogs are calm, cat is calm. I open the door up so if Isis wanted to she could come out. The problem Bull decides to take up camp in front of the carrier and bark to get her out (now he wants to play). So for the last hour or two she was her she spent at the back of the carrier being barked at. (she didn't seem to mind cuz she took a nap)

So I gave up, I'm sure they'll grow to like one another but I prolly will have no part in it. Maybe this week's visit will be better. ;)

[Cataholic]

You might try a different approach, one that I have found works with new introductions. First, put the kitty in a room with a door, and let it have free run of the room...for two days or so. That gives everyone a chance to get used to the new smells. Then, let one dog at a time in, in a very supervised setting...with you very close to the dog...a few times a day. Switch dogs, same thing. I would think by week's end, things should be ok. I do not recommend quick introductions- even IF the animals lived together at one time before. It really isn't fair, and can be quite damaging to the cat's character to confine it in a towel while big dogs (to her, they are probably considered big) sniff her....

[Andie]

Originally posted by Cataholic
You might try a different approach, one that I have found works with new introductions. First, put the kitty in a room with a door, and let it have free run of the room...for two days or so. That gives everyone a chance to get used to the new smells. Then, let one dog at a time in, in a very supervised setting...with you very close to the dog...a few times a day. Switch dogs, same thing. I would think by week's end, things should be ok. I do not recommend quick introductions- even IF the animals lived together at one time before. It really isn't fair, and can be quite damaging to the cat's character to confine it in a towel while big dogs (to her, they are probably considered big) sniff her....


I would do that but I still live with my parents and Dad would have a fit if he knew there was another animal in the house.
I wasn't trying to damage the cat's character by putting her in the blanket, it was more of a way to protect me than it was anything else. I'm not trying for a quick intro that's why I'm bringing her over a day or two outta the week (while Dad's at work) to get her use to Bull (and being an only kitty cuz she lives with her sister at my aunt's) instead of all of us moving in together and all of a sudden there's this new house AND this big strange dog to deal with. I was only looking out for Isis cuz I didn't want to tramatize the poor kitty by taking her away from what she thinks as her home and her sister and put her in a new house with a new dog. I thought that might be a little much to deal with at once.

[aly]

I do cat/dog introductions pretty much the same as what Cataholic said, except I also have the dogs leashed at the initial face to face meeting. I also rub towels on the dogs and cats to get their scent, then put the cat towel under the dog food bowls and vise versa.

I would just wait until you move, then have the cat by herself in a room for a week or so to adjust to the environment. After she's comfortable, I would start the process of meeting the dogs.