Introducing a scared cat to a dog

[Georgey :)]

One of my foster cat's is scared of dog's after being chased by a large dog before she came into care.

When she is over her cat flu I'd love for her to be able to roam the house.

I have a parsons terrier who is very lively but when on a lead can be kept calm.

How do I go about introducing them? Do you think it's worth trying? I would love for her to be allowed out during the day so she isn't cooped up in my bedroom

[angieh]

Sorry - I have no experience of cats with dogs - but plenty of members here do, so I hope that someone will come along to offer advise.

I think it's a very good idea to try to get your foster cat at least accepting of dogs - it may help her chances of being rehomed. Good luck!

[Georgey :)]

She has a possible home lined up :D but they want a dog in the future so the better she is with dogs the better it is for everyone :D

[dandysmom]

Good luck! I haven't a clue, but lots of members have dogs also; hope someone will have good advice for you.......

[jamie18]

I have had two kittens after getting my dog and both were terrified of him for the first couple of months. What i did was put a baby/stair gate on one of my doors so that the cats could have full roam of one room/part of the house whilst still being able to see the dog. Slowly they got used to the dog being there and started taking small trips over to the dogs side of the baby gate. Eventually there was no need to have the stair gate up and now my cats are best friends with the dog. It does take a while for the cat to get used to the dog this way but i find it works well.

Maybe you could put a stair gate on one of the doors so that your cat can see the dog and get used to it being there but still feel safe.

[Tanya]

Maybe you could put a stair gate on one of the doors so that your cat can see the dog and get used to it being there but still feel safe.

Ella, my tortie is a very nervous cat. We have used a stair gate and if she feels threatened, she jumps over the gate and knows the dog can't get to her. (She is quite capable of beating our dog up!)

[Georgey :)]

The home for her fell through :( and her flu night be back ( off to the vets again!! Oh the baby gate idea is great! I could start out with it on my room door ( where the fosters live) Gilly has beaten my dog up twice now! Whoops! Dotty does try and jump on her though daft animal! Need to find a tall baby gate I think :)