Woof and Meow, Part VIII: Socializing your Cat to a New Dog

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

(c) N.M., reader copyright on file

Roxy Loves
her Kitty

We’re on the downhill stretch now. This process is much easier than the latter. When your cat already owns the home, you’ve got half the game licked. Woof will understand immediately upon his arrival at the door that this is Meow’s house.


But first you must make an important investment in Woof’s education. Take him on a very long walk, arriving at your home with a tired Woof, ready to meet him new pack-family with subdued energy. As you approach the door, be sure to impress on him one additional act of leadership. You should always enter the house before your dog. Leaders go first.They understand this by instinct.


Woof should be taken to a small area of your home where you spend a great deal of your time, often the kitchen and family room area, and preferably not carpeted, if Woof needs house training. 


His crate or bed should be located here, and this area should be easy to secure him in, when you must leave Meow and Woof alone. This will remain Woof’s only area to explore until he demonstrates his respect for you, Meow, and all belongings of the house. In other words, he grows up and behaves like a nice dog. When Woof learns good, reliable bathroom manners, he’ll be given the privilege of exploring other areas of the house, one by one, only by your invitation. This is one way you demonstrate your leadership; you expect it.


Woof will know Meow is present from her scent in the home. He will become curious and desirous of exploring. Do not give in. After a couple of days of long walks, and when calm behavior is evident, bring Meow to sniff Woof from behind. Once again, Woof should be leashed and held by a helper. Woof will get only the scent he can gather from this distance. That’s enough for him to understand his status.


Don’t take any guff about sleeping areas, unless you decide for yourself that Woof should sleep elsewhere. As a well-behaved adult, you may choose to have Woof sleep near your bed or perhaps by a doorway. Moving his crate or bed at that time will be fine, but not until then.


Woof and Meow will be experiencing each other from a distance for quite a while before she will jump the gate or sneak in to get a better look at the new boarder. Observe quietly and determine if Woof needs to be leashed or if the two are ready to get acquainted. They’ll need to do this on their own terms, but with manners. Separate them without scolding if either is upset by the meeting. 


Using a gate will allow Meow to visit Woof whenever she desires, with a quick escape route out, as well. This is the best way to separate the two until they learn to accommodate one another. Often this bond will form without you knowing it is happening, and suddenly you’ll find the two playing or lounging together.


When Xena, my Retriever mix, adopted Patches, our 12 year old Heinz 57 cat, the two were both young. They bonded almost instantly and played tag and hide-n-seek for hours. They hunted lizards on the porch and napped together often. Unfortunately those days were before that of digital cameras in every home, and who knows where the photos are. I guess, for now, they’ll have to remain in the recesses of my memory—two diverse species—living the destiny of being best friends.


I hope you have enjoyed this Woof and Meow series, and mostly that you have learned a little something about helping your own Woof and Meow become happier housemates. I'll put the links to these posts on our Best of All Things Dog Blog page, which you can reach by clicking the link just under our header. These posts have brought brisk traffic here, and I suspect there are many of you who have both cats and dogs in your home.  


Check out the gang’s comments at 5 Minutes for Fido, where Tanner shares the somewhat different experience that he and Oliver had in learning to live with Patches. 


Next week is the big drawing. I'll be giving away World's Best Cat Litter, miscellaneous kitty goodies, and the grand prize--a Litter-Robot to one lucky reader. I have about 100 entries so far, and there's room for more. Check out Woof and Meow, Part II, to learn how you can get in on this drawing.


Next week's post will not only announce the winners of the drawing, but also will include a photo slideshow of Patches journey--from using the new World's Best Cat Litter to learning to love her more private Litter-Robot. Join us next week for the big announcement.

Full disclosure: The Litter-Robot and World's Best Cat Litter described in this series have been donated to All Things Dog Blog for an independent review. I have not been paid to provide my opinion of these products, and the opinion provided is my own.

© Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved

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Woof and Meow, Part VII: Socializing Your Dog to a New Cat or Kitten

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© D.R., reader copyright on file

Great Dane, Murphy, and his 

kitten, Fergie Snuggle Sweetly

So you've decided to bring a cat into your dog's domain. You're brave; but it can be done with patience and a few sneaky tactics:

1. Just before you bring Meow home, take Woof on a very long walk to tire him out and lessen his reaction to meeting his new pack member.
2. To meet Meow, bring Woof outside to an area he doesn't call home--a neighbor's yard or nearby lot will do just fine.
3. Leash and hold Woof securely, and ask him to Sit or Down near your car, where Meow will be waiting inside in her carrier.
4. Allow the two to experience each other from a distance of 10-15 feet initially. Believe me, they'll be able to detect one another. Curiosity is healthy, but do not allow Woof to move forward until he demonstrates a calm attitude and acceptance of Meow. Honestly, this probably won't happen for a while.
5. Gradually, if successful, move Woof closer to Meow for a better scent. Stop when Woof's body language begins to become heightened: scruff ruffled, ears and chest forward, tail straight up and not wagging, eyes trained on the carrier, barking, growling, or attempting to move toward Meow. Don't try to manage this maneuver by yourself. you'll need a helper--one to hold the dog's leash and control him, and another to handle the kitty's carrier and position it behind Woof for her first good whiff. Finally, do not remove Meow from her carrier, no matter how smoothly this process seems to go. They both need more time.
6. For best results, stop the exercise at the first sign of heightened arousal of Woof.
7. However, if Woof is interested yet well-behaved, you'll want to make a judgment call. At some point, Meow needs to be brought out of the car, in her carrier, to get a scent of Woof from behind, and fairly close. It is important that Meow get the opportunity to sniff FIRST. This will give her the upper hand, something that is much needed in this scenario. After all, she is going to be entering Woof's domain. Her sniffing first will send a message to Woof that you have given her a higher status than him--a very important message.
8. After getting Woof's scent, Meow should be carried, still in her carrier, into the house ahead of Woof. Place her carrier in an area that will be safe for her, and designated for her food and litter area. Give Woof a favorite toy or chewy bone and secure him in another area while you spend some time with Meow settling her into her new digs. Remain calm while she sniffs and gets acquainted. Show her where her water dish and food bowl are, touching a wet finger to her nose, after dipping it in the bowl. Set her gently in her litter box, so she'll remember where it is. Offer her a cozy bedding of towels in the carrier and leave it open for her. She may prefer a more closed in space during her adjustment period. Dont' give much affection if Meow is nervous--which is expected--as this will only serve to encourage her anxiety. Save this for when she becomes curious and wants to see her new home.
9. Allow Meow to first get used to her new home from the privacy of her personal suite. She'll get smells wafting from throughout the house and will learn a great deal about who lives there and what goes on in the space outside her own area. Then she'll get curious and this will be your cue to let her explore, with supervision.
10. Before letting Meow check out the house, have a helper on hand to leash and hold Woof. Keep Woof well away from Meow while she explores her new home. Close doors to areas she is not allowed to enter, and continue this practice indefinitely. While Meow wanders the house, allow Woof to follow at a distance of at least 10 feet. It is healthy for him to see that she is allowed to explore at will, and he will understand that you expect him to respect her space--no approaches. This, again, is a message that the cat has an elevated status in the house, another cue that he must respect her and her belongings.
11. For a while, when Meow and Woof are in the same areas, you may want to leash and work with Woof to learn calm behavior around Meow, using treats and praise to help him understand when he behaves the way you desire. She, too, will be learning that sudden movements will energize Woof. This is a mutual process of learning how to behave around the other.

Eventually, Meow will have her opportunity to snag a piece of Woof's nose. This may sound cruel, but it will likely be the only chance she'll get to come that close, unless the two are both young and bond easily. Woof will learn quickly that her claws are treacherous. This will give her an edge, no matter how large he is. He will have learned an important lesson about his own behavior around her.

In time, Woof will understand what is required of him to live with Meow as a housemate. When he behaves admirably, be sure to continue with praise, affection and treats, although you'll need to wean him of these to maintain his 'figure'. The praise and affection will speed the process of their socialization and one day they will surprise you. You'll arrive hom to find them napping together like best friends on a sleepover. Well, with one exception. Meow's back will be to Woof. It's a cat thing.

We hope to see you next week for the reverse of today's post--how to acclimate a new dog or puppy to Meow's territory. Join us for some tips. 


The big drawing is getting near for the World's Best Cat Litter, Tote bags, cat goodies, and a Litter-Robot. Have you entered? Check out Part II for instructions if you'd like to get a chance at the prizes, to be announced on Saturday, November 27. Good luck!

Full disclosure: The Litter-Robot and World's Best Cat Litter described in this series have been donated to All Things Dog Blog for an independent review. I have not been paid to provide my opinion of these products, and the opinion provided is my own.

© Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved

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Woof and Meow, Part III: Strategies for Stopping the Treasure Hunt and Keeping the Peace

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
So Much for the Child-Guard Latch

Today, we'll start by talking about barriers. If your goal is to give Meow some space of her own, while also allowing Woof plenty of room to roam, you’ll have to evaluate your home and determine a cutoff point—that one place where you can separate the home into two segments—where Woof cannot pass into Meow’s territory. The reverse may not be true, as cats can often scale barriers, but that’s another topic.

Baby gates: This was the method of choice for our house when Oliver came to live here. You see, at the time, our rabbit, Robby, and our cat, Patches, both outweighed the feisty little puppy by a considerable margin. Yet puppies think that all things that move are toys, so Oliver had no clue. He was all about playing with Patches and Robby, no matter their size. Tanner and Xena’s ample 50+ lbs. was no worry for him either; he just wanted to play. 

Baby gates are available in budget-conscious models that can be stepped over; free-standing, attractive ones that look elegant in your living room, and models with gates that can open and shut. With a Houdini, Tanner, in our midst, we chose the child-guard latched, super secure version of the gated model, and went home feeling we had it licked. No more worries that Patches would take off Oliver’s little nose. Unfortunately, the child-guard latch did not stop Tanner from learning to open it. Again, that's a story for another day!

On day 2 of this adventure, we found ourselves stacking two budget models above one another, simply to keep Patches from investigating the little munchkin that wanted to play. Go figure. Most families would worry that the dog would eat the cat, but in this case it was the other way around. Our little three pound Oliver was no match for 10 lb. Patches and her claws.

Covered litter boxes with small entrances work great for keeping large dogs at bay, especially if the opening is faced toward a wall, leaving little availability for a snout to sniffle in. Some Woof and Meow families use a second one of these contraptions for a private feeding space, as well. Not a bad idea. If your toy-sized dog or puppy has access to this area, though, all bets are off.

Kitty doors offer much the same benefits as covered boxes. Before Oliver, our Papillon, arrived, our 2 big Retrievers could not get through Patches' cat door, and gain access to her area. Success….but only until Oliver arrived. The moral of this story is, if you have a toy-sized dog, kitty doors and covered litter boxes won’t solve all your problems. You’ll still have to employ some of the ideas below. Keep reading...

Raised areas for litter boxes and feeding: Now this could be your ticket if you have a dog that is not large enough to ‘counter surf’. Feeding a cat on top of a dryer, sturdy shelf or table, might work if you own a Cocker Spaniel, but your Great Dane may be another story. A jumper could also be a problem. Consider all your pets’ talents when choosing the right option for your home.

Eliminating lures such as access to food and litter boxes is extremely important. In another installment of Woof and Meow, I’ll introduce you to a product that will offer Meow the privacy and safety she needs in a ground level litter box: the Litter-Robot. We'll also look into some sustainable cat litter made out of corn, a much better solution that our old-fashioned clay, offered by World's Best Cat Litter.

The cleanest litter box possible is one very important strategy to remember--smell is your dog's best sense, so keeping Meow's box super clean will reduce the enticement for Woof.

Selecting a single room for Meow’s stuff to be housed, such as a bathroom or laundry area, will give all the pets access to the whole house. There’s just one issue with this method; your dog and your cat have to learn to live peaceably TOGETHER. Training Woof and Meow for this is another of our upcoming articles. 

That's enough for today. Have you missed any of our earlier posts? Here's the links:

Woof and Meow: Can they Coexist Happily?

Woof and Meow, Part I: Stop the Treasure Hunt

Woof and Meow, Part II: How to Win our Prize Packages....and a Sneak Peek at What's to Come

Have you entered the drawing for our prizes? You can enter at any or all of these sites, as often as you like:

All Things Dog Blog on Facebook  and  All Things Dog Blog on Twitter

World's Best Cat Litter on Facebook  and World's Best Cat Litter on Twitter

Litter-Robot on Facebook   and   Litter-Robot on Twitter

One last place you can enter is my dogs' blog: 5 Minutes for Fido

Full disclosure: The Litter-Robot and World's Best Cat Litter described in this series have been donated to All Things Dog Blog for an independent review. I have not been paid to provide my opinion of these products, and the opinion provided is my own.

Visit Adopt a Dog Park

Help protect our precious dog parks

© Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved

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Woof and Meow, Part II: How to Win our Prize Packages....and a Sneak Peek at What's to Come

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

(c) Carrie Boyko
The Prizes are Here
 and Well-Guarded by my Big Guy

So I guess I peaked your curiosity with yesterday's post, huh? You'd love to try the World's Best Cat Litter? You want to win that Litter-Robot that cleans itself? 

Strap on your seatbelt; there are a ton of ways you can enter. Check them all out:

1. Send me an email to enter your name in the drawing: LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com.
2. Send me an email with a photo of your cat, his name and yours, to enter yourself twice in the pot. Your kitty will get a modeling spot on All Things Dog Blog’s Facebook page (no people faces, please! This is your Meow's chance to shine), and may even be included in one of the posts on the blog.
3. Leave a comment on any blog post in the Woof and Meow series to get 2 entries in the drawing. Looking for the comment box? It's at the bottom of every post, to the left of the cute little envelope icon. It looks like this: "X Comments".
4. At Twitter, you can follow All Things Dog Blog, World's Best Cat Litter, and/or Litter_Robot, each for an entry in the drawing. These links are repeated at the bottom of the post in red.
5. You can also enter by visiting Give Litter to vote for free litter for rescues (it's free!). Check out their additional entry methods when you visit.
6. Wait for it……The two biggest entry methods: Tweet about the Woof and Meow series at All Things Dog Blog to get 3 entries in the drawing.  Be sure to send me an email that you did this, so you get your 3 credits that you’re due.
7. Send me a photo of your cat and your dog TOGETHER, for a whopping 3 entries in the drawing. If you do this early enough in the series, your very own Woof and Meow may have a chance at being in a photo for one of the posts. Now wouldn't that be fun!
8. Finally, enter as often as you wish. I want these great prizes to go to someone passionate enough to put some effort into it. Get those engines purring......

Now that you're all set to enter, you can practice right now by commenting on THIS post. After you've entered, you'll probably wonder what's coming up next. I've mentioned posts, but what, where, and when? Here's a little peek at what's to come:

• When? Posts will be each weekend through the end of the series, to be sure you have the best opportunity to read, and also to enter the drawings. Don't forget the social networks. All the links are at the bottom of each post.
• Where? All the posts will appear on All Things Dog Blog, but there will be commentary at 5 Minutes for Fido, as well. My dogs have to get their 2 cents in, and often this is a little comic relief!
• What? I'll start with some ideas to help with separating Woof and Meow while they learn better manners around one another. After all, they can't behave perfectly right from the getgo.
• There will be lots of tips on decision-making and pulling this all together.
• Best of all, I have some product suggestions that may be good investments in your furry family's ability to live peaceably.
• Perhaps there are a few things to consider before you adopt another species?
• A game plan for socializing a dog into a cat's home, and vice versa. This is some major stuff that will help Woof and Meow begin to become packmates. Don't miss this post; it's the meat of the series. But what about the dessert?
• That would be the prize giveaway!

Enter the drawing at any or all of these sites:

All Things Dog Blog on Facebook  and  All Things Dog Blog on Twitter

World's Best Cat Litter on Facebook  and World's Best Cat Litter on Twitter

Litter-Robot on Facebook   and   Litter-Robot on Twitter

One last place you can enter is my dogs' blog: 5 Minutes for Fido

Visit Adopt a Dog Park

Help protect our precious dog parks

© Carrie Boyko, all rights reserved

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Woof and Meow: Can They Coexist Happily?

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko

Patches Lives Peacefully
 Among 3 Dogs

The answer to that question is yes, but some of you may be asking "How?" With a poll that just wrapped up on my blog asking how many of each type of pets you have, I've learned a great deal about my readers. You guys don't just love dogs; you loves cats, rabbits, ferrets, and more. I’m impressed! I find myself among a group of truly animal-loving folks.

© Carrie Boyko
Our Rabbit, Robby, Lounges in the Kitchen

In my house, we have integrated cats and a rabbit into our pack-family with success. This series of posts, beginning with this intro, is going to share some tips with you to help your whole furry family get along better. Our aim is to help you bring your whole pack-family into a cohesive unit. 

There’s one more thing. We'll be giving away some amazing prizes, hand picked to help you make things run more smoothly. One piece of advice:

Don’t miss the entry for this. You’ll regret it!

If you don't want to miss any of these posts, now is the time to subscribe. It's FREE! Just type your email address into the box at the top right sidebar, prove you’re a human, and be sure to activate your subscription in your email box. Don’t miss that last part, or you’ll miss the posts.

Here's the line up, not necessarily in order; hope you'll join us for the whole series--should be about one a week: 

• Dogs and Cat’s Stuff: Stop the Treasure Hunt (health info, and a prize package announcement you don’t want to miss) 
• Tools to Impede the Treasure Hunt
• Patches’ Product Review of a new green, sustainable, biodegradable cat litter.
• Strategies for Keeping Dogs out of Kitty’s Food and Litter (Training Tips)
• Review of the Litter-Robot: a New Automatic Cleaning Litterbox (don’t miss the free giveaway…) This thing will amaze you!
• Helping Your Cat and Dog Move Toward Living Harmoniously
• Socializing Your Dog to a New Cat
• Socializing Your Cat to a New Dog
• Finally, we'll wrap up with prizes, prizes and prizes. Three lucky winners will receive a reusable tote bag of cat and dog goodies, including a bag of World’s Best Cat Litter. The Grand Prize will include a Litter Robot, valued at $329-349. Entry rules will be posted in each article in this series.

Entries may begin with the next post, so get your subscription rolling now. Your entries at 5 Minutes for Fido will count as well, so you might want to visit there and do the same; you can enter as often as you wish, following the instructions in the next post. You don't want to miss this great giveaway. 

Meanwhile, you can also keep tabs on us through other social media:

All Things Dog Blog on Facebook  and  All Things Dog Blog on Twitter

Litter-Robot on Facebook   and   Litter-Robot on Twitter

And finally, don't miss my pack's commentary on all of this kitty hoopla. Today Tanner is up with some tips on remaining calm. Hope to see you soon for our next post. Thanks for joining us.

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