Dear Sinéad and Siouxsie:
We are getting ready to welcome a new puppy into our household, but we have an older cat who has lived without other animals for 7 + years. How do we help her transition? We did a "practice run" this summer with a visiting dog (full-grown golden retriever) for 9-10 days, and Brandy (the cat) kept her distance -- which was certainly easier as it was summer. Now that the weather will be colder, she will be in more and we would like to keep her "upset/unsettled" feelings to a minimum. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Shaunna

Sinéad: We presume you've lived with dogs before, so you understand how important it is to train the dog and get it socialized properly with humans and cats both, so your question primarily involves how to help Brandy deal with this upcoming (big) change in her life.

Siouxsie: First of all, you're probably going to have to change the location of her food and water bowls so the dog doesn't snack on her food while she's away. We suggest an elevated eating surface.

Sinéad: If you do need to move Brandy's dishes, make sure you do so gradually, she knows where they are, and she can get to and eat in her new dining area without risking life and limb.

Siouxsie: You may find that you need to move the litterbox, too. Cats don't like being ambushed in a vulnerable position by a rowdy dog. Also, dogs like to eat cat poop because it tastes good to them. Yuck!

Sinéad: Covered litterboxes don't help. A smart dog (or a small puppy) can easily get inside the catbox and eat the little morsels anyway. The best idea is to put the litterbox in a room where the puppy can't get access to it.

Siouxsie: A "safe room" -- or two, or three -- will also help Brandy be less stressed about the puppy's arrival. Especially now that it's colder and neither Brandy nor the new arrival will be spending as much time outside, those safe rooms may just save the relationship from an early doom.

Sinéad: Baby gates will keep a puppy or small dog out of a room, and all but the most arthritic and crippled kitties can easily get over or through them. So put a baby gate in the doorway of the litterbox room, and perhaps another of her favorite rooms as well, so Brandy can sun herself or sit in her favorite ray of sunlight without having to worry about being rousted by the new puppy.

Siouxsie: Before you introduce the puppy to Brandy, make sure you work off some energy with the pup. Take a long walk with him or play outdoors with dog toys. That way, hopefully the puppy will be less "spazzy" and excitable.

Sinéad: When you first bring the puppy in, make sure he's on a leash. Do not restrain the cat in any way. If Brandy takes off when you bring the dog inside, that's okay. She'll come out to reconnoiter on her own time.

Siouxsie: Make sure that any initial contact between the puppy and the cat is supervised. If the puppy plays too rough, tell him "no" and give him a gentle correction tug (if he's on his leash). Regular and consistent training will help the puppy to understand that you expect him to be gentle with the cat.

Sinéad: Brandy will help train the puppy, too. If he gets too rambunctious, he's sure to get a swat on the nose from the annoyed cat. Most cats easily teach dogs the Rules Of Interacting With Cats if left to their own devices.

Siouxsie: Cats and dogs have different body language, and this tends to cause confusion. For example, if a dog wags its tail, it means "Hey, I'm happy, let's play!" But if a cat's tail is lashing from side to side, it means "Leave me alone! I'm really annoyed!" Again, dogs are pretty fast learners in the body language department.

Sinéad: It's very important that you give Brandy just as much love and attention as you did before the arrival of the puppy. And don't revoke any special privileges Brandy might have (such as sleeping in your bed) simply because the puppy is around.

Siouxsie: The emotional upheaval of a new animal's arrival is often the hardest for a cat to take, especially if the cat has been your "only child" for a long time. There probably will be some jealousy, but just keep reminding Brandy that you don't love her any less and that there's plenty of room in your hearts for her and the new pup.

Sinéad: Dogs and cats can and do get along wonderfully, once they understand each other. Generally the dog will recognize the cat as the "alpha" (leader) of its pack, especially if it is introduced to the cat of the house as a puppy.

Siouxsie: Our kitty grammie Shaughnessy had a long and wonderful relationship with her dog, Aki. They met when Aki was a puppy, and even though Aki grew to be at least 10 times bigger than Shaughnessy, Shaughnessy was always in charge. The two of them played together, went for walks together with their human, and even slept together in Aki's dog bed.

Sinéad: Good luck, Shaunna. We hope you and Brandy get to enjoy many happy years with your dog.

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.