How to introduce a cat to a dog, step by step

First meetings set the tone. Rushing can scare the cat and excite the dog, and those first impressions can stick. Plan for the whole process to take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Step 1: Set up separate spaces

Give the cat a room of its own with food, water, a litter box, a bed and a place to hide up high. The dog stays in the rest of the house. Neither animal should be able to corner the other.

Step 2: Swap scents

For a few days, trade blankets or bedding between them so they get used to each other's smell. Rub a cloth on one and leave it near the other's food bowl. Calm sniffing is a great sign.

Step 3: Let them see each other through a barrier

Use a baby gate or a cracked door. Keep the dog on a leash and reward calm behavior with treats. If either one stares hard, growls, hisses or lunges, add more distance and go back a step.

Step 4: Short, supervised meetings

1. Keep the dog on a leash for the first meetings.
2. Let the cat choose whether to come closer. Never hold the cat or force contact.
3. Keep meetings short, a few minutes, and end on a good note.
4. Reward the dog for looking away from the cat or lying down.

Step 5: Build up time together

Slowly make meetings longer. Keep the cat's escape routes and high perches available, and keep the litter box and food where the dog can't reach them. Don't leave them alone together until they've been relaxed around each other for a while.

Signs it's going well

• Both eat and play normally
• The dog can look at the cat and then look away
• The cat walks through rooms with the dog instead of hiding all day
• Loose, relaxed body language on both sides

If the dog keeps fixating on the cat, or the cat stops eating or using the litter box, pause and talk to your vet or a trainer.

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The Paw Plan shares general information, not veterinary advice. Every pet is different, so check with your vet about your pet's health, diet and care.