Finding Harmony & Balance at home
- The Pet Temple
- Aug 30
- 2 min read
What do you do when you find yourself in a situation where the new dog does not get along with the new cat, or the new cat doesn't settle with the resident cat?
I'm sure many of us in multi-pet households have come across this before, when the settling-in period doesn't seem to be progressing as quickly as we would have hoped.
What I have found with my recent additions is that it will always take time. As humans, we can be very impatient and expect immediate results; unfortunately, animals do need time. For some animals, it can take anywhere from 6 months to a year until they are finally settled. Moving around can be unsettling, particularly when it comes to cats. However, we can't blame the animals if we haven't been prepared to make some adjustments.
What I mean by adjustments is:
Have we given them enough time to truly settle
Can we provide the newcomers their own safe space, so they can also have time to adjust to new in their own time?
When introducing a new animal into your home without the benefit of a trial period, it is important to minimize stress for both the newcomers and the existing residents. A gradual introduction is recommended. For instance, when bringing in a new cat, experts suggest delaying a formal introduction for a couple of weeks. Some individuals take this process seriously, ensuring that the cats remain separated for up to two weeks before meeting face to face. This approach requires patience and the ability to keep them apart during this period. The ultimate goal is for the animals to develop a harmonious relationship, which is more likely if they have time to acclimate to each other's presence and scents beforehand. I have always been fascinated by interspecies friendships, and cats and dogs can really become the best of friends! If your new family really are struggling to get along and you have given your all trying to get them to adjust, i would recommend speaking to a professional trainer first for some tips and guidance. If at any time you feel that one of the other is going to be a danger to each other, then i would of course speak to the Rescue Shelter where you adopted the animal from, but that should only be the very last resort.
Here are some tips to help your pets settle in:
Amazing Hong Kong Trainers to contact for advice are: https://www.dogsinclusive.com/training-behaviour
My go to online references are:
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