How do you ensure a good introduction between your dog and cat?

Exchanging scents

Where people mainly rely on sight, dogs and cats use both smell and sight to assess their environment. Scents are therefore an extremely important means of communication for both dogs and cats. Animals also use scents to become familiar with new things. So it’s a good idea to first bring the new animal’s toy or blanket and introduce it to your pet. It’s best to place the toy or blanket in a spot where the new animal will spend a lot of time (near the dog’s or cat’s bed/crate), but not near the current pet’s sleeping area! This way, the animals can get used to each other’s scent in advance.

A good second step in this process is to pet both animals (who are still in separate rooms) and let them get to know each other’s scents through your hands. When they sniff your hands, you can reward them with a treat so they associate the ‘strange’ scent with something positive. If this goes well, the next step is to let the animals explore each other’s space. This way, they can sniff each other’s scent without seeing each other.

The real meeting

When you feel that 'the time is right' and you have the feeling that both your dog and cat are ready, you can introduce the pets to each other. Take it slow, because just like with people, a first impression is important. The best way is to let the cat roam in a room where it has a hiding spot or where a cat tree is placed, so the animal can literally and figuratively 'wait and see'. Keep the dog on a leash and distract him with a treat (the Riverwood reward snacks are guaranteed to help here 😊), so the dog's full focus is not on the cat. Dogs who have never seen a cat before can sometimes be a bit too enthusiastic in greeting the cat. Many cats do not appreciate this, which can lead to an unpleasant first meeting, and of course, we want to avoid that.

If the cat tends to flee or hiss at the dog during the first meeting, let it be. This means the cat simply is not yet ready for interaction with its new housemate. It is important to stay calm yourself in such a situation and keep the dog close to you. Give both animals more time to calmly get used to each other's presence, but do not force anything.

Step by step

Keep the first introductions short. Reward both animals when they are friendly to each other and make sure the dog and cat get to know each other at their own pace. Patience is key here. It takes time for cats to adjust to dogs, and the same goes for dogs who need to learn how to behave around cats.

The most important thing to remember when introducing your pets is that all cats and dogs are different – what works for one may not work for another. So give the animals the time they need to get used to each other and only let them be together under supervision, so you can intervene if necessary. In most cases, with a little patience, your dog and cat will happily live together in no time!

Many pets already enjoy Riverwood every day. Do you want your dog or cat to also enjoy our delicious foods and are you curious which variant would suit your dog or cat best? Then answer here a few questions about your dog or here about your cat and order a discounted trial package right away.