I put Lily in the bedroom, since she spends most of the day in bed any way and won’t get her nose out of joint for being in bed by herself for a few hours, and then spent some time trying to work out a relationship between Boss and Rosie.
Again, I have no idea if I am doing this right, but here is what I did. I opened the door to Tunch’s bedroom, but left the gate up. The gate, as some of you laughably implied, is not there to keep Boss in, but to give him a safe haven. If something goes wrong or the girls go after him (worst case scenario), he can easily vault the gate and get up onto his pillow on the dresser before they can get to him.
So I took the gate down, and Rosie is here watching 42 with me, and I just let Boss explore. At one point, he came to the living room, and I got down on the floor with him and let Rosie come down within a foot of him. She’s starting to get out of the tail-wagging OMG WHAT IS THIS NEW TOY stage, but still, she is a JRT. So every time she started to stare intently at Boss, I snapped my fingers or clapped my hands to break her concentration.
JRT’s easily get fixated on shit, so I figured clapping or snapping my fingers would serve as a clicker, to break her fixation, and then every time I did it I would lavish Rosie with love while also petting Boss.
Am I doing this right? Or am I screwing up? What advice do you have? When Rosie came here, she was brought into an environment where Tunch was already the established boss, so this just feels a little trickier, and I hope I am reading these animals right. So far, Boss has had no aggressive tendencies other then when Rosie lunged at him the first night (I had my hand on her collar and yanked her away) and he boxed poor Lily’s ears. Sweet Lily was an innocent bystander just sitting there, but since I had yanked Rosie away, she got the big Boss oven mitts to the ears and just looked at me like she wanted to cry- “What, what did I do?”
Am I fucking this up? Am I reading these guys wrong?
Corner Stone
I still can’t believe Erik Bedard took himself out of his own no-no the other night for the Astros.
Talk about not doing it right.
JPL
The experts will be a long shortly but when my son lived here with his cat, I let the cat and dog sniff under the door for ten days. It does sound like a controlled experiment though.
Corner Stone
For anyone who may have missed it – the SyFy channel is running a Buffy-thon.
dr. bloor
@Corner Stone:
Only Bedard would have done that. His name should be Bartleby.
As for matters at hand, no clue on how to get a dog and cat together. Cat and a cat, sure. Dogs? Meh.
Sure would like to catch a few episodes of 42, though. I hear it’s the answer to everything.
imonlylurking
I don’t know anything about JRTs, but you’ve got the most important thing-the gate to keep the girls out if they get too aggressive and Boss needs to get away. (We put a box fan in front of the stairs to keep Manny away from the upper floor. He was a good boy and obeyed the restriction, because he could have blown right through it any time he wanted to!) Boss isn’t shy about defending himself, and you are keeping an eye on Rosie. I’d say you’re doing it right.
Ruckus
Sounds about right. One thing is they still need to figure out how to get along with each other no matter what you do. I think taking too long is almost as bad as moving too quickly because they may get territorially defensive. But each situation is different and as long as a peaceful coexistence is happening there isn’t probably much more you can do.
Woodrowfan
roll Rosie in catnip. Boss will LOVE her!
Seriously, it sounds like you’re doing it right, but that’s just a WAG.
JWL
What you need to do is simply this: introduce a raccoon into the mix.
ant
My own take on it is that Boss will be in charge of who’s who, and what’s what.
I’d say just to make sure things don’t escalate too far. Having the room as off limits to the dogs sounds like a great idea.
I’m always worried about my neighbors pitt bull dogs when they mess with my cat. Both off them are very nice and sweet to him though. It’s him that makes all the racket, and snapping with the teeth. I worry about infected puncture wounds with cat bites.
Carl Weese
Three years ago we lost our two cats (17 and 15 years old) in a six-week space. We didn’t get a new cat the first time, because a young cat might have been too much for the survivor to deal with, but when he died we were all over the intertubes to find rescue cats. We adopted a Maine coon who had two failed adoptions (not his fault and we hope those people don’t have human children) and then a little tabby holed up at a nearby dog pound. She was half the size of the MC but in terror of other cats and kept trying to kill him. He just protected his eyes, pushed her away, and tried to get her to chase him around the house. After about four or five days, it worked. She realized it was more fun to play than to fight. You know you have to be careful with a JRT, but Maine coons have a combination of temperament and physicality that works pretty well.
Litlebritdifrnt
The only thing I know about this stuff is to let the dogs smell the cats butt on all available occasions, once a dog knows its cat (ie knows its butt) then there is no longer a problem. If I ever had to introduce a new cat to the household the first thing I would do was to stick the cats butt into the dogs nose, so they got a good whiff and knew it was their cat, from that moment on there would not be a problem. Any cat other than their cats however would be in a world of hurt.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Corner Stone: Get back to me when your pitching shoulder has been surgically reconstructed three times. Then I’ll take your opinion seriously.
mai naem
It sounds like you’re doing it right but I’ve never done it so I don’t know.
Anyhow, there’s a story in Wonkette which is sad and hilarious at the same time.
http://wonkette.com/523233/why-did-black-tv-pundit-best-selling-author-and-former-white-house-aide-keith-boykin-steal-that-white-ladys-phone#more-523233
Anne Laurie
No, you’re doing real good, John. Just don’t let your guard down too soon, and assume that “everything will be fine, starting now”. Especially since Boss is going to the vet Tuesday & coming back a whole different cat, practically. Keep Boss & the girls physically separated when you’re not in the house, and don’t be horrified if one or all of the animals “backslide” after Boss’s neutering. Boss may be cranky/woozy, and JRTs will take advantage of any weakness (even Lily might take the opportunity for a little payback — she’s a sweetheart, but she’s still a dog).
I’m of the school that it’s better to be a little over-consciencious than to have things get out of hand & create a permanent grudge between housemates. But your house is always more orderly than ours, so I’m sure it’s easer for everyone to adapt!
Corner Stone
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): The day I start taking advice from you…
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
The hotel started swaying rather precipitously a half hour ago while I was eating breakfast on the 31st floor. It lasted several minutes. I was glad that I was with others because I was first afraid that I was getting lightheaded and dizzy. No idea if there was an earthquake or if it was something else.
Eljai
I have little experience with JRTs except the time my friend’s JRT got hold of my wallet and chewed up my ATM card. Found an article from Healthy Beginnings magazine that seems credible.
It says to start out by letting the cat and dog eat on either side of a closed door so they start to associate each other with something pleasurable.
A Ghost To Most
@JWL:
LOL
I am currently going through introducing two female cats, but I can barely fathom introducing an un-neutered male Maine Coon with a JRT. Have fun.
Corner Stone
@JWL:
Even though I have a blood oath against raccoons, I have to admit – I like the way you think.
Princess Leia
I think since Rosie already had a cat overlord, and Boss has already swiped her, you have an advantage, but here’s what I learned in clicker training- reward the good over and over. Watch for when they do what you want and treat like crazy. Reinforce the times Rosie ignores Boss with lots of love and treats. Break the fixation with a clap or a distraction, but wait until she is only fixed on you before you reward with loving or you will get the opposite behavior from what you hope for. But then again I have a cattle dog,not a JRT. Good luck!!!!!
RoonieRoo
@Anne Laurie: I think what Anne Laurie said is right on the nose. You are doing well. I’ve introduced cat to dogs, dogs to cats in various way into our herd. Your plan is well thought out. Just remember what Anne said, don’t let your guard down and be prepared for a slight backslide after the neutering.
seaboogie
@JWL: Nah….a ferret – definitely a ferret! And maybe an open bag of flour, and cameras in every room…
Mary G
I have never introduced cats and dogs, but I’ve always read about rewarding good behavior, and Rosie loves her food, so when they are nice together give her an extra treat. I wouldn’t leave them alone together yet, though, and Boss probably needs a lot of peace and quiet in his room after his surgery.
Violet
Poor Lily, getting smacked by Boss’s paw! I can only imagine her sad face. Awww…. Sounds like you’re doing a good job introducing the new critters. Agree with the others that say everything could be different when Boss comes back after neutering. You might want to treat it like you’re starting all over, to a certain extent. Maybe not completely, but he’ll be different and that can change the dynamics again.
muddy
My house rule is that you can only bite those of your own species. Of course everyone follows the rule carefully. When I’m watching.
KG
@Corner Stone: I have less trouble with a player asking out then when a coach pulls a player in a situation like that. The player is going to know if he’s losing/lost it or if something is wrong. But it always drives me crazy when a coach pulls a pitcher during a gem… As Kurk (and I loathe agreeing with him) said on the radio the other day about the Nationals shelving Strausberg last year, the baseball gods are fickle and will punish you for that stuff
Lizzy L
Sounds like you’re doing okay. Don’t hurry the process. As you’ve figured out, it’s crucial to give Boss a safe space, more than one safe space, where the dogs cannot get to him. Anne Laurie’s advice — don’t let down your guard — is good. Our local SPCA has an animal behaviorist who gives advice over the phone about this sort of thing: you might consider checking that out.
Botsplainer
I’m at Jethro Tull in Indianapolis. Anderson is doing an entire rock opera around Thick as a Brick in a small venue.
This is, beyond a doubt, the rudest set of small venue concert attendees I’ve ever seen. Talkative, shouty, and their bladders are about as big as a thimble. This shit would not fly in Louisville – people would be escorted out.
After intermission,
Corner Stone
@KG: I’ve never seen a coach pull a pitcher throwing a no-no. Somewhere around the 7th inning or so most other players stop talking to them and stay out of their way.
I mean, I agree with the guy having the sack to say the team has a better shot with me sitting, and all that but.
If a coach has pulled a pitcher in the 7th inning or later of a no-hitter I missed it. Not saying it’s impossible, just saying that would be really ballsy.
The worst part is he still took the loss 4-2.
B Lehmann
I agree with Anne Laurie and Princess Leia. Basically you want each animal to receive something positive while behaving. So when you break Rosie’s creepy stalker gaze, reward with a high value treat–like cheese or hot dog–just a taste. It’s harder to figure out what cats like but if Boss likes a kitty treat, toss him one as well.
But don’t rush things. Physically separate them in your absence for as long as it takes. My old kitty, Pearl, was kept in a separate room from my shepherd pup for months. He has high drive and she was an old cat, after six months or so he started grooming her on the back porch. He was a bit too avid about it but she started seeking him out and that was their relationship. A big shepherd pup nibbling on an old cat’s back–she was practically bald on her spine but she purred and purred. I never let them be alone unsupervised though.
She was too old and fragile.
Culture of Truth
The animals will take their cues from you.
Which means they will all have blogs soon.
Botsplainer
Meant to say “after intermission, 30% will be late coming back.”
RandomMonster
The only tiny piece of advice I have is to repeatedly let the dogs see you petting and loving on the cat, so that they understand that you value him.
Culture of Truth
Lilly: “What, what did I do?”
Boss: “You got in the way of my fist, dog. Don’t let it happen again.”
Betty Cracker
@Corner Stone: Thanks for that heads-up. My FiOS router shat the bed, and I’m lost without my Roku. A Buffy-thon will do nicely.
Anne Laurie
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN):
As you know, skyscrapers are designed to ‘flex’ with the wind. Sometimes the degree of such ‘flexion’ can be alarming if you’re not prepared for it — maybe that’s the problem?
Don’t know about your hotel, but it’s worse when the skyscraper stands alone in a sea of much shorter buildings. I worked for many years in Boston’s John Hancock Tower, which is notorious for this. Even after thirty years of retrofitting by the best minds at MIT, on a windy day, if you paid attention you could feel the building sway even on the 23rd floor, and on the higher floors you could watch the floor-to-ceiling blinds tremble. I kept a spare pair of SeaBands in my desk, because sometimes people found themselves getting “seasick” without being able to understand why!
Pogonip
She spends all day in bed? Does she also watch trash TV and drink whiskey?
And do you have any openings?
Anne Laurie
@Corner Stone:
And here I figured they were your totem animal! — when I wasn’t wondering if you were an unusually well-connected racoon your own self…
RandomMonster
And for what it’s worth, justice in our house goes like this: when an incident occurs, the dogs are the only ones rebuked with a “No!” or “Bad dog”, even if the cat started it. The logic is that the dogs are bigger and the only ones who can escalate the violence, so they have to be in control. Good thing our house is not a Stand Your Ground state like Florida.
We will warn the cats though when they have that look in their eye of “I think I’d like to bat at that dog walking by”…
Southern Beale
Sounds like you’re on the right track, it shouldn’t take too long for the dogs to figure out Boss isn’t a self-propelling dog toy.
mai naem
I just got a call from Voter Consumer Research and they started with a couple of questions about Target and Walmart and then veered into all Walmart. Ofcourse, being the liberal I am I slammed Walmart almost all the way down the q’s. So, I looked up this VCR place and its run by the Bush 04 pollster. And the phone I got the call on used to be an old Republican woman’s number so I’m thinking they thought they were getting an old Republican white woman. They asked about the Bangladeshi factory proposal in a way that was almost a push poll.
Mnemosyne
Don’t worry too much about the ear-boxing — Boss just decided that Lily was getting a little too uppity and he had to show her that he was in charge. It’s what mama cats do with their kittens when kittens play too rough. I once saw Boris do it to Natasha when she bit him while they were playing, and she mended her ways.
MathInPA
Looks good to me so far. Honestly, there are a lot of methods; if you’re feeling comfortable with the way things are going and are being observant/responsible, that will really go a lot further than any method. If you think you need something else, well, there are people like me who will yammer on in comments plus people who pro yammer in books. :) Disclaimer that you already know: all animals are different, and even the sweetest-tempered critter can develop a grudge. Anyway, I dunno if this is relevant to your pups, but one of the things you might want to do is start immediately establishing two things at one go: What We Do When We FIND THE CAT! and Who Is Boss Around Here.
Here’s how we did it with our hyperactive but amazingly sweet-tempered one year old Mutt (My wife calls him a Pure American Mutt, and she’s not wrong.) He has a tendency, when not leashed, and sometimes even when leashed to go ZOOM! towards the NEAREST COOL THING. I’m not capsing for dramatizing; honestly, if the boy could type, I’d have to take away his capslock key. So what we did was let him on the leash– it might not work for a dog who’s used to obeying the leash and not tugging; he’s mostly learned, so the same lessons might not work now– and look around for a cat. Short leash, of course, and brace for jerk.
Soon enough, a cat would come by or he’d find a cat and he’d try to zoom. We let him get close enough that it’s established that this has to do with the cat. Two or three feet is what I remember, but my memory can be vague. When he got close, then, we worked on teaching him to Down. The leash meant that he was getting used to stopping away from the cat, with some distance so the cat wasn’t threatened. Then we’d put him in a Down and pour on the praise and petting as soon as he was flat.
The Down– say Down in a confident, projected voice, neither screeching nor roaring, then go down to a crouch and tug the leash below the neck with a hand on the back just in front of the tail to guide him down– is a good thing for them to learn in terms of discipline anyway, but it’s also a submissive/vulnerable posture that they should be giving more dominant members of the pack, anyway. Plus it puts the dog closer to eyelevel with the cat, which is generally more comfortable. Dogs are REALLY praise driven and pets driven, though for the first five or six times, you might want to include a treat, but you have to move away from the treat or they’ll be looking for it when you want the to concentrate on the submissive, nonthreatening posture to the cat.
The boy’s really smart and eager to please, so he picked it up– and that this was what he was supposed to do when he ran up to a cat. I have to say that I was an Entrapping doggy daddy; a couple of times a day my wife or I would walk him around the house on a leash to lure him into a training moment. The cats got over their “What is this, this is a strange beast and not our dog!” pretty quick for the most part; he even took claws to the nose that made him bleed (and got mom and dad rushing for first aid stuff and scolding the cat) a few times and still learned to adore/submit to the cats, and so that’s usually what he does when a cat walks by or he’s been let for a bit of supervised running time. Actually, at this point, when there’s a cat in the room and it’s feeling friendly and Sammy wants to play, he’ll often scoot on over, put himself into a Down, wag his tail and whimper at the cat, “Play? Play? Play?” :P The cats have actually trained him to groom them. It’s weird– here’s this fifty pound dog, licking a ten pound cat, the cat makes a single noise, dog backs off, goes into a Down. Well, weird and adorable.
If your girls already know Down, it’ll be easier, of course; if they’re not interested, but it sounds like there’s mild interest?, it might not work at all. None of this EVER EVER should happen off a leash until they’re wayyyy comfortable with each other; even then, honestly, it’s a good idea to always be around if they’re mixing. It’s a matter of comfort level– not just yours, but also the animals. No two interaction sets will usually be alike. Similarly, if you ever feel there’s danger or that your ability to judge the leash distance or hold back a lunge, even a Lunge for Snuggles, stop and/or don’t start.
Another contraindication is if you are personally not comfortable with this sort of training and the interactions you’re already seeing. When it comes to training and socialization, we can joke about the title of Boss all we want, but all three of them have been bred to see you as setting the emotional/social basis of the interactions. If you’re cheerful and confident, all of the animals will pick up on that and it will increase their likelihood of being so as well. This is not a guarantee; we move back around to the “every animal is different” rule. If you’re afraid or hesitant and let it show, that will affect things too, and your girls and Boss might try to protect you and themselves– from each other. Actually, this goes for any training method, period. And I know, this is like telling you not to be nervous. You can’t be hesitant; you have to lead. That doesn’t mean being strict, and it doesn’t mean being a dick to them. Love and confidence will work wonders all their own; the key thing is the confidence. :)
MathInPA
@RandomMonster:
Oh heck yeah, this. Though as you noted, you also have to get cats who start getting nasty to the dogs out of that habit, too. But dog control is the A#! top priority.
John O
As long as everyone has time to recognize that you’re the Man around the house you’re doing it right. Rosie has to learn the cat is out of bounds, and that takes time and discipline.
Sounds like you’re doing fine to me, John.
NickT
@JWL:
Slate writers recommend an alligator. Possibly with bonus python.
NickT
We should know this from our collective thousands of miles away and having never met the critters? This is rapidly turning into the Zombie Terri Schiavo Pets Episode.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Anne Laurie: It was an earthquake. 5.9 about 200 miles west of here near Tianshui.
Pogonip
@mai naem: What is the Bangladeshi factory proposal?
johio
John, I have been away for the weekend, so may be repeating what others have aleady said, but the advice from other Maine coon caretackers is to have Boss shaved to the Lion cut while he is knocked out for the castration. He will will be cooler, more comfortable and in a short time will resemble a curly lamb. Then get used to daily groomings to avoid matted coat.
Origuy
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN):
Are you still in Xi’an? USGS says there was an 5.9 earthquake near Chabu, about 200 miles east of there at 23:46 UTC. No idea what that is local time.
Edit. You got in before me.
MathInPA
Play, btw, is one of those Things. Most cats don’t like being chased, though I’ve noticed the siblings tend to trade off being chased here, and they don’t like dog-style roughhousing, and honestly, if there’s any weight difference at all, it’s probably not a good idea to allow that sort of Play in the first place. Generally, they’ll find their own balance based on cues from you– what you consider acceptable while you’re around.
What the younger dog we trained to Down does to play with the cats is generally sit down while one of the cats– all of them will do this– will gently play ‘two for flinching’ more or less. He goes flat, wriggling, with his nose up while a cat climbs up onto a chair or someone’s lap– I have seen him go up to a cat, Down, and whimper, and then the cat, “reluctantly” for our oh-so-dignified queens, will stroll over to the nearest perch, go up, and wait for him to be in position– pulls his paw out. We were worried at first that it’d get serious, but the cats learned during the training phase that claws that drew blood like they did on the poor dog’s nose a few times mean getting banished to one of the bathrooms with the litterbox and some water for an hour. So the cat has his or her paw out, and will keep air-batting near the dog with the claws completely in while he tries to dodge his nose, and they speed up if he “dodges” a fake-out. No claws, no blood, and all five cats do this, from StressyKitty to the young ones to the Cranky Maine Coon.
Mostly, the two younger toms will do this Play with him, and they’re also the ones who demand grooming from him in those oh-so-imperious calls (nothing on the queens, but they try) and shove their hindquarters into his face for grooming. The queens play more reluctantly, but they have that whole Dignitas thing going on. The older tom used to do both, about middle between the queens and the young toms, but when the hyper-overgrooming started, he began to distance himself socially from the other cats. :/ Thankfully, the otherwise more jerkish of the two younger toms has decided that the fact that the older tom gets more people time means he has to butter the boy up, and so he’s not letting our poor overgroomer completely distance himself from the grooming.
There’s other types of Play, but it generally follows a given theme. Dog begs and/or cat decides it’s time, cat decides what gives it the advantage over the dog, and then demands doggie action. Dog obeys. And that’s the way we like it.
Pogonip
I’ve always found a long leash on the dog, so you can reel him in from a ross the room if you need to, and a high space for the cat to retreat to, and lots of tasty rewards for good behavior, will usually allow them to work it out themselves pretty well. Keep a bucket of water, though, in case Rosie suddenly decides she’s General Sherman and Boss is Atlanta.
MathInPA
Oh… I don’t know if anyone’s mentioned this to you, and you may have noticed it from when Tunch adjusted to the girls, but pets are in many ways children who never grow up and don’t usually know how to take themselves to the bathroom in the case of dogs. One of the grad students in college who was working on her PhD, a few years older than me, discovered that her dog was learning to pee in the toilet. Missed the seat less than her boyfriend, who broke up with her over this fact. The dog hadn’t figured out how to flush, but… yeah.
Anyway, the actual point is that they socialize like children, and like children, there’s going to be a lot of possibility for either jealousy of or desperate need for acceptance from the old/new pet(s). Sometimes both in the same critter. So it pays to watch and make sure no one’s getting more or less attention than they need. If you’re only seeing slow improvement, or even if you do the two steps forward, one step back routine, that’s fine– happens. Positive socialization can happen overnight but it isn’t likely to do so. And even if one animal takes a serious dislike to another now, a few weeks to months of regular approval from you and being careful how they mix can work wonders.
WereBear
Sounds to me like you are doing great. They associate each other with Happy Fun Time, any rudeness or aggression from the dogs is declared Off Limits, and you are The Boss of Cat (and Dog) Town.
And get Boss a matt splitter. You’ll use it the rest of his life.
mai naem
@Pogonip: There’s 2 proposals. The stronger one is supported by more european companies(and some American). The weaker one supported by American cos(Walmart,Target,Gap, JCP)
This piece covers the differences really well –
http://qz.com/102528/here-are-the-differences-between-the-us-and-european-retailer-plans-to-make-bangladeshi-factories-safer/
Mary
One thing that really worked when I introduced a pair of kittens to my terrier was that I spent about 10 minutes working with the dogs on all of their tricks while the kittens wandered freely. Daisy, the terrier, is very food motivated and loves to work on tricks, so that was enough to break her intense focus on the kittens. After going through this routine just a couple times it was like a switch went off and suddenly the kittens weren’t interesting at all any more.
Anne Laurie
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): Ah. Thanks for the update!
Keith P.
Hard to really say if there’s a right way to do something. But the problem with asking pet owners is that most of them feel compelled to tell you that you should be doing things their way. It’s weird to me that people let other people raise their kids on their own, but when it comes to pets, every other pet owner has no hesitation in saying “You *should* be doing this or that”, or, even worse, “How do you do so-and-so? Well that’s wrong.” Here endeth my grumpy observation of people for the day.
Daffodil's Mom
John, Boss is going to smell very different when he returns from the vet: first all the hospital/med smells, and then his lack of body parts and what-all they produced. He’ll be a new cat to them and I’d keep a good eye on Rosie and slow down the intros, especially until he’s fully back to normal.
Sandia Blanca
@Keith P.: I disagree with this assertion: “people let other people raise their kids on their own.” I see people giving unwelcome advice to parents every day.
Mnemosyne
@Keith P.:
I would have known you were a dude even if you didn’t use a male nym. Total strangers on the street are completely comfortable approaching mothers with children and telling them exactly what they’re doing wrong.
serena1313
John, I suggest you keep doing what you are doing.
As you are well aware, each animal is unique in how they handle different situations. While most pet “owners” are keyed into their pets’ behaviour and seem to instinctively know what the best course of action is to take, it never hurts to ask for tips, advice and/or validation.
Nevertheless based on everything you’ve said or written, you’ve got it handled. If whatever you are doing seems to be working, then keep doing it and do not worry about it. But if for some reason it stops working, then try something else.
One last comment, I agree with the person who posted that our pets take their que from us. So by keeping our e_motions/reactions calm and our energy or vibrations in-check the situation usually does not escalate into more craziness. And it is more than quite evident you already know this, so not to worry.
Plus you are doing a great job with introducing Boss to Rosie and Lily and vice-versa. Will there be some jealousy? Probably. It will take time for everyone to adjust which is exactly what you seem to be describing.
Love, patience and time…you got this covered John.
susan
“Boss is going to the vet Tuesday & coming back a whole different cat, practically. Keep Boss & the girls physically separated…”
Good advice since Boss is going to smell like the vet’s, and the dogs may be afraid/hostile around him due to the smell.
I had three cats who were usually very compatible, but whenever one returned from the vet’s, the other two would hiss at him until he smelled like himself again. This usually took a few days.
Good luck!
jak
We had a jrt and a cat that co-existed for 14 years starting from when both were about 8 weeks old. During that time the cat always had a safe place to escape. But even after 14 years one had to keep a wary eye on both of them. The cat would sometimes take a swipe at the dog and the dog would bark and lunge at the cat, most often when the cat was sneaking around the perimeter of the room. The JRT was very protective.
But all in all everything worked out.
Good Luck.
Montarvillois
I think you are making much, too much of the Boss introduction into the household. I’d simply put them in a room together and let them adjust naturally. The dogs are already familiar with a cat’s behavior and know instinctively to be wary of them. Also, be careful not to transfer your apprehension onto Rosie.
RedKitten
John, a friend of mine is an animal behaviourist and knows her shit. I’ve put you in touch with her via FB.
Moe Gamble
I have five German Shepherds rescued at different times and ages with different behavior problems and three rescued cats rescued at different times and ages with different problems. They now all get along great and love and trust each other.
I think you’re doing perfect.
I agree with what people above said about vet hospital smells on the cat and the danger of Rosie seeing the cat differently due to that smell.
Don’t have that cat shaved, John! Please don’t! It’s not cooler for the cat–it’s naked and vulnerable, right at a time when he needs confidence to deal with his new home.
Paul in KY
@ant: Wonder why your cat would do that…