Thoughts on Cat/Doodle introductions and interactions please

[jenn D]

Hi everyone,
I haven't been on in awhile. We have 4 big standard doodles. I call them the sandwich pack because their names make up Big Mac and PB&J. About a year and a half ago we move from a New Mexico suburban neighborhood to Colorado Springs in the forest on an acre of treed land. It's been a big adjustment for our kids and our doodles but after we got our property fenced in and did some serious recall training (there is wildlife out here! Lol) everyone is doing great.

We've recent.y been involved in a cat santuary, volunteering time. My 12 year old wants to be a vet and wanted feline experience. This summer we saved some feral barn kittens and got them to the santuary to be fixed and either sent out as barn cats in the community or domesticated for adoption.

During one of our adventures we came across a 4 year old neutered male orange tabby that needed to be fostered for a few weeks until room in the normal foster homes could be freed up. We are hosting "Aslan" in a dog free cat room at our house until room is available.

He is an awesome cat. And I'm not a cat person. We've done a fair amount of cat volunteering (daughter is a minor and needs a parent there) and I've never felt a pull toward a cat. We've even fostered two other cats for a few weeks (in cat free room) and I was happy to let them go.

However, Aslan is pretty cool. Is there anyway I could even get this to work with 4 doodle boys? How do I introduce? I've read let them eat on opposite sides of a door for smell purposes. . Im assuming 1 at a time, dog on leash. I've taken different things they've slept on to each other's rooms to smell. Cat can see dogs outside playing Fromm the window. So far just curiosity one everyone's part. I would introduce Mac first as he use to sleep with kittens st the shelter and he's most submissive. I know I need a good down and stay, on and off leash. I miss assuming I do each one and the next start doing multiple? Right now dogs and cat are taking turns upstairs with dogs having more time becaus they were here first. When cat is up he drinks out of dogs bowls. Dogs drink out of same bowls afterward. No one has been together yet.

Looking around for a lot of high places for Aslan to retreat to.

But maybe this is a pipe dream.

I need advice.

Thank you all for any thoughts and help.

I'll try to attach a picture of Aslan. And the doodles in the forest if I can find one.

[jenn D]

And sorry for the typos. I'm on my iPad and it like to autocorrect things incorrectly. :(

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Do any of your doodles have a very high prey drive? Go crazy when they see a rabbit, squirrel, etc? (Some doodles don't, including mine. He never tries to chase the small critters that are always in my yard.) Dogs with very high prey drives usually don't do well with cats. 

Does Aslan have his front claws? That goes a loooong way towards peace between dogs and cat, lol.

Besides high places for Aslan to retreat to, look for low ones that the dogs can't access. Under beds, under other furniture, behind wash tubs, etc. Those were my cat's safe places when my last dog (the one with the high prey drive) was around. 

It can work, but it's going to be tough keeping an eye on 4 big dogs, lol.

Aslan is beautiful. :)

[jenn D]

Thanks Karen. Brisby goes after squirrels :(. But he is a big baby if he gets hurt. Aslan has all of his claws. my gut tells me brisby and Jake are going to be higher prey drive. I think pickles and Mac won't care. However, I don't want a cat living here in a perpetual state of fear. I guess I'll try 1 at a time slowly and monitor how everyone is doing.
I was also going to ask about food since we've got great food experts on here. ;) you know petsmart wants me to feed him purina.....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The brands on our recommended list apply to cats as well as dogs. Can't recommend a specific formula, though. Some amount of wet (canned or dehydrated raw) food in the diet is important for cats, and since they're so small, it's affordable.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

What I'm wondering is where you keep the litter box so that the cat can get to it but the dogs can't. That was my single biggest problem when I had a cat and a dog in the same house. 

[jenn D]

In the bathroom with a baby gate that he can get over but the dogs can't. I scoop a few times a day.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

He's a pretty smart cat; I don't think mine would have been able to figure out how to get over the gate, lol.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

We have ALWAYS had cats and dogs. All living in harmony. Litter boxes: we keep ours in 2 places....one in a utility room that has a door. We have a " ships hook" on the door. It basically keep the door open just wide enough for the cats to go through. The dogs can not fit through the door. The second places is in an an extra bedroom. AKA excercise room, closet. Same situation...ships hook keeps prying dog noses away from the litter boxes.

[F, Calla & Luca]

The dogs look great and Asian is lovely. I know little about cats but wish you luck.

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

I don't have much advice about integrating cats and dogs as it's been awhile since we've had both. However, my daughter has two cats and two dogs. She installed a small dog door into the garage - the cats fit but the dogs don't. The litter box is in the garage. The cats are fed in the garage, but all four share the same water.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Introductions should be all about the scent and becoming accoustoned to one another's scent. We have always done the old exchange of towels/ blankets trick. Rub the cat down with a towels....Tub the dog down with a towel...exchange towels for animals to sleep on/ lay on/ spend time on. Introductions should be slow and always have full control of the dog. In your case...one dog at a time, as not to overwhelm the cat. Our dogs have always wanted to chase cats/ squirrels/bunnies, etc. oudoors, but have never given chase in the house. Of course, unless, it was just play. In our house, the cats have always ruled the roost. We currently have 5 cats. All indoor. Enzo, our Goldendoodle ( 50lbs) has great respect for those claws. She learned very quickly what a smack on the nose, from a claw, feels like. There are 2 cats, that she avoids at all costs. They are the elders and do not have much patience with her playing tactics. The other 3, she nudges, plays and cuddles with, daily. It can be done. But SLOW and steady wi s the race!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is such good advice!