- Location
- Canada
I've been meaning to do this for awhile now...Shamas is not good with the cats, and Helen cat is horrible with him. i'm certain that about half of his outbursts are because she sits and stares at him. Time has been an issue, so has Shamas-I needed to teach him to sit-stay. It's about 50/50 now....but in the mentime, he's now having some issues with Matt, beause he's a jealous-pants and wants to be where the attention's at. And Matt, having just recovered from being ill, doesn't want a doggy snout in his face. So even my big even tempered boy is losing his temper now.
I'm using the technique found at How to Acclimate Cats and Dogs. All steps listed are adapted from the steps outlined.
Treat of choice: frozen chicken strips, by Maple Leaf Prime for now. Both the cats and the dogs eat those. I'll probably add Turkey after our Thanksgiving.
Step 1: Scent acclimation.
Since Helen is the problem cat, she'll be the focus. I know that she does come out at night and while we walk, to investigate....but here we will actively expose her to Shamas' bedding, and vice-verse. Treats will be offered any time she sniffs without hissing. If she lays on it, or otherwise shows non-hostile behavior. On Shamas' side, a blanket from "Helen's room" will be placed in my room. He will have the chance to sniff it out at his leisure, or sleep on it if he likes. Treats will be given for calm tail wagging, laying down, and sitting.
Step 2: Closed-door introduction
I have yet to figure out the best locale for this-Helen is protective of the door to "her room" and will swipe under it to get Shamas if he comes near. So I might skip the Introduction part, and have my daughter offer treats with Shamas laying calmly outside the room to start. Until Helen calms down. Midnight does closed-door at night, while Shamas sleeps in his crate in my room. He'll move faster than Helen.
Step 3 Crate Introductions
Here is where I run into a barrier. I have two crates and they are both Shamas' I am considering using the nylon fold-a-crate for this, as it will have the benefit of being see-through on only one side. Shamas can look at the cats, but they can hide from him. They will have the chance to come to look when they are ready, and not before.
Step 4 Leashed dog, loose cat introductions Dog on leash, and cats loose. By this time, Shamas should be able to see the cats with little reaction. I should be able to get him to lay down and accept treats. Or go back one step. I will probably hold here for a week or two, to proof the behavior. Shamas is about 50/50 if the cats are in "their room" but if he sees them out in the house, he chases them back. I know it's a bit territorial here-although we kept him in the livingroom for over a month, the cats ceded territory when Shamas came in, and now he thinks the house is his and the room is theirs. This damage needs to be undone. Midnight at least would like to come out and about. Has tried to, and been chased back. He's not as afraid of the dog--he's figured out that Shamas isn't interested in catching him-only chasing him back to the room. If he gets there first, sneakily, he's fine. Midight comes out when Shamas is out of the house, and looks for me to take him to another part of the house if he happens to be caught out of the room when the dog's home.
Step 5 Loose pets with feline escape route
Start with one person holdng each animal tranquilly, petting them. Let them look at each other. Then let them go. The cat should be able to exit the room without the dog following.
The cats have a cat door to let them into the bedroom where they live. The couch is moved away from the wall. There's a cat tower in the dining room, and the basement door is usually open. Escape routes are established.
Step 6 Loose, supervised pets
Pets are allowed around the house supervised. praise and treat calm, social behavior. Seperate the animals when you leave. (here is where I'm making a mistake-I stopped putting Shamas in the bedroom a few months ago). He gets left in the house, because hubby is on nights and sleeps in days. The cats doors are closed, so Shamas can't bother them unless they come out-but I know Helen picks fights through the cat door occasionally. I might have to install a one-way cat-flap to let them in, but not let Helen poke at Shamas
Time Frame
Based on Helen's behavior, and Shamas' arousal.......probably 3-6 months. If It were just Midnight and Matt I were desensitising to, It might be shorter....but Helen's from a(30 cats) hoarding house and had no exposure to dogs before coming to my house. The exposure that she had since then was to my dad's CALM dogs, who did not chase her. She has a hate on for Shamas, and not without cause. I don't expect anything better than tolerance between them. The possibility of having to rehome her has come up......but it took so long to gain her trust, I doubt she'd handle a move well. And she's got a stong bond wth the teen whose room she lives in. She waits for the time for school to end, and sits by the room door waiting for her. They play videogames together, and do homework together. She sleeps on her legs for the whole night, and soothes her when she has drems. It would be horrible to seperate them...better the train the dog
I'll keep a log here in this thread. Day by day, so I can track the progress. This way I can know when we're ready to take the next step
I'm using the technique found at How to Acclimate Cats and Dogs. All steps listed are adapted from the steps outlined.
Treat of choice: frozen chicken strips, by Maple Leaf Prime for now. Both the cats and the dogs eat those. I'll probably add Turkey after our Thanksgiving.
Step 1: Scent acclimation.
Since Helen is the problem cat, she'll be the focus. I know that she does come out at night and while we walk, to investigate....but here we will actively expose her to Shamas' bedding, and vice-verse. Treats will be offered any time she sniffs without hissing. If she lays on it, or otherwise shows non-hostile behavior. On Shamas' side, a blanket from "Helen's room" will be placed in my room. He will have the chance to sniff it out at his leisure, or sleep on it if he likes. Treats will be given for calm tail wagging, laying down, and sitting.
Step 2: Closed-door introduction
I have yet to figure out the best locale for this-Helen is protective of the door to "her room" and will swipe under it to get Shamas if he comes near. So I might skip the Introduction part, and have my daughter offer treats with Shamas laying calmly outside the room to start. Until Helen calms down. Midnight does closed-door at night, while Shamas sleeps in his crate in my room. He'll move faster than Helen.
Step 3 Crate Introductions
Here is where I run into a barrier. I have two crates and they are both Shamas' I am considering using the nylon fold-a-crate for this, as it will have the benefit of being see-through on only one side. Shamas can look at the cats, but they can hide from him. They will have the chance to come to look when they are ready, and not before.
Step 4 Leashed dog, loose cat introductions Dog on leash, and cats loose. By this time, Shamas should be able to see the cats with little reaction. I should be able to get him to lay down and accept treats. Or go back one step. I will probably hold here for a week or two, to proof the behavior. Shamas is about 50/50 if the cats are in "their room" but if he sees them out in the house, he chases them back. I know it's a bit territorial here-although we kept him in the livingroom for over a month, the cats ceded territory when Shamas came in, and now he thinks the house is his and the room is theirs. This damage needs to be undone. Midnight at least would like to come out and about. Has tried to, and been chased back. He's not as afraid of the dog--he's figured out that Shamas isn't interested in catching him-only chasing him back to the room. If he gets there first, sneakily, he's fine. Midight comes out when Shamas is out of the house, and looks for me to take him to another part of the house if he happens to be caught out of the room when the dog's home.
Step 5 Loose pets with feline escape route
Start with one person holdng each animal tranquilly, petting them. Let them look at each other. Then let them go. The cat should be able to exit the room without the dog following.
The cats have a cat door to let them into the bedroom where they live. The couch is moved away from the wall. There's a cat tower in the dining room, and the basement door is usually open. Escape routes are established.
Step 6 Loose, supervised pets
Pets are allowed around the house supervised. praise and treat calm, social behavior. Seperate the animals when you leave. (here is where I'm making a mistake-I stopped putting Shamas in the bedroom a few months ago). He gets left in the house, because hubby is on nights and sleeps in days. The cats doors are closed, so Shamas can't bother them unless they come out-but I know Helen picks fights through the cat door occasionally. I might have to install a one-way cat-flap to let them in, but not let Helen poke at Shamas
Time Frame
Based on Helen's behavior, and Shamas' arousal.......probably 3-6 months. If It were just Midnight and Matt I were desensitising to, It might be shorter....but Helen's from a(30 cats) hoarding house and had no exposure to dogs before coming to my house. The exposure that she had since then was to my dad's CALM dogs, who did not chase her. She has a hate on for Shamas, and not without cause. I don't expect anything better than tolerance between them. The possibility of having to rehome her has come up......but it took so long to gain her trust, I doubt she'd handle a move well. And she's got a stong bond wth the teen whose room she lives in. She waits for the time for school to end, and sits by the room door waiting for her. They play videogames together, and do homework together. She sleeps on her legs for the whole night, and soothes her when she has drems. It would be horrible to seperate them...better the train the dog
I'll keep a log here in this thread. Day by day, so I can track the progress. This way I can know when we're ready to take the next step
