How long should I give my cats to adjust to new puppy?

[Courtforshort27]

I have 4 cats, who all get along very well. The oldest being 16 and my youngest is 2. I rescued a puppy out of a bad situation 2 months ago and fell in love with the thing and he is 5 months old. The puppy and my youngest cat get along very well, they both sleep in the bed together with me and even play together. However, my puppy still has issues with chasing the cats due the my youngest cat’s playful nature, so we’ve relentlessly been working on this with training, I’m currently saving to enroll him in professional classes, he is very smart so I know will learn. He is a boxer/lab mix and means no harm, he only wants to play but is big so can be intimidating. My cats have the upstairs of the house that has plenty of room, litter boxes, cat trees, scratchers, beds, you name it, and that is where my 3 oldest cats mainly stay at but they always have access the the downstairs. My downstairs has a baby gate separating the living room and the kitchen/bedroom area, so they only come down when the dog is gated in the living room. They have gotten to the point now where they can hear him and not be bothered, and at times they will look at him through the gate and continue on. But for the most part they see him and run up the stairs. I know that they are jealous, and I feel so guilty for bringing a dog into my all cat household, but does anyone have any stories where it did work out but just took time? I know cats can get stuck in their ways, but I am willing to do anything to try to make this work.

 

[neely]

Thank you for rescuing this puppy from a bad situation so please don't feel guilty. You're absolutely correct, a boxer/lab is definitely a mix of two smart breeds. Since the pup is still young, (5 mos. old), the good news is he will grow up with the cats and learn to respect their territory. I'm thrilled to hear you want to enroll him in obedience classes. Make sure it is a CGC program where he can master good behavior and manners.

Also glad the cats have an escape route upstairs. I did the exact same thing when I was introducing my last dog to our cats. One suggestion would be when the puppy is outside give him plenty of exercise and let the cats have the run of the house. When he comes into the house bring him over to a crate with treats so the cats can sniff but he can't chase them. Or for the time being he should be on a leash when he's in the same room with the cats so you can grab the leash and give any necessary corrections. Once he learns the "leave it" command that will help too. But he's still a puppy and full of vim and vigor. This is a fun stage and I know you want to enjoy it with him. The more you can stimulate him with exercise both physical and mental the better.

Last but not least, our dog coexisted with two of our cats and was best friends with another cat. They were inseparable and even slept side-by-side. So my answer to your question is, absolutely yes, it can work out in the end but it just takes time. Be patient and you will get there too. If you have any pics we would love to see them. BTW, what is the puppy's name?

TCS has an article about introducing a cat and dog that may also have some helpful tips for you:
How To Safely Introduce A Cat And A Dog – TheCatSite Articles

 

[fionasmom]

I really do think that neely has covered the major points of introducing a dog to cats. I have brought several adult rescued dogs into my house including an adult male GSD years ago. It definitely can work. His command was "kitty no no" and it was remarkable how quickly he learned it. In fact, he ended up being bossed around by the cats. Current GSD loves the cats and they all come and rub up against him.

Remember that the cats know that they can make you feel guilty and are working at it. It was very kind of you to have rescued this puppy from a bad situation. He will never forget it.