Introducing a kitten to an old dog - advice?

[Winston]

If you're unsure as to whether the cat might get eaten, wouldn't it have been economically more sound to get one with a little more meat on it?

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Lonestar
*slams beer bottle onto table, jabs point end at Dinodoc.*

Watch yourself man! Watch it!

PanseyKat might be a more appropiate name.

[DaShi]

Kittens are nasty little buggers. Best to keep it in a cage until your dog can learn its moves.

[Timexwatch]

Let the cat out to play with the dog. As long as the cat is socialized with the dog, it should be fine. Dogs generally get pissed if the cat is trained to hiss or claw at it.

[molly bloom]

Introduce the kitten to the dog when you're all together.

Make sure that you smell of kitten and kitten smells of you. If the dog respects you as pack leader, then it should also respect kitten as fellow (subordinate) member of pack.

In no time at all you should find your kitten sleeping happily on your contented dog's back (as we did) .

[Cranky]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn
I really doubt he'll want to eat the cat, I'm just worried he'll bite it or something.

No he won't eat it. But if the cat comes near the dog while the dog is eating, it might turn on the cat. Kittens necks are pretty fragile. My sister lost a kitten that way.

[Japher]

Introduce the kitten to the dog when you're all together.

We'll duh

I'd play with the kitten by itself first, and then go play with the dog so that the dog can smell the kitten on you. Then bring the kitten with you and introduce it to the dog.

It's similar to introducing a dog to a baby.

[Blaupanzer]

Originally posted by molly bloom
Introduce the kitten to the dog when you're all together.

In no time at all you should find your kitten sleeping happily on your contented dog's back (as we did) .

Once they are socialized, make sure you stick around the first time you serve food to each of them. If there are no initial clashes, this is the only other moment when they might hurt each other.

I've intro'd cats and dogs several times with no issues. Cats to other cats, that's a lot tougher.

[LordShiva]

Loki's Kitten by Rachael Hale

[Japher]

you could try coating the kitty in BBQ sauce

[Blaupanzer]

Japher, the idea was for the kitten NOT to get eaten.

[Colon™]

That's such a weird idea.

[Blaupanzer]

So, Jimmy, how did the intros go?

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Update:

Introduced them in the living room with the dog on a short leash and the kitten free to roam, but with me close behind it.

To my surprise, the dog is terrified of the kitten and the kitten is completely brazen. As she went up to it to investigate him, the dog kept backing away. Then she (the kitten) got on her hind legs and went to bat at him with her paws (like she does with us, she's still learning to only bat at toys) and the dog jumped back.

There was still no hissing or barking, which is good. The kitten arched her back a couple of times when the dog got excited, but she didn't seem afraid... in fact, if the dog would let her I think she just wanted to play.

Now here's my concern. The kitten will go to play with the dog too rough and the dog will bite it. Another thing, the kitten likes to get at one end of the hall and charge full speed at the dog, turning away at the last second, and I'm afraid it will cause the dog to go crazy.

We still have the cat in the guest room while we're not away and all visits are supervised with the dog on a short leash. Any ideas?

[alva]

For the time being, I would keep doing that...keeping them apart I mean.