CHENNAI:Hi Anil,
It looks like your kitty is either too shy or too stressed about the newly arrived member in your family.
When introducing a new pet in the family, your cat might simply want to run away from the scene and hide. Hiding helps her cope with the stress and confusion around the presence of the new member, in this case, the dog. It is important to give her this freedom and access to a safe spot that she can use to hide away, or simply stay away for a few days until she is ready.
Start with slow and minimal interactions, and keep them apart at all other times. Familiarize both of them with the scents of each other. Use towels interchangeably so that they get smells of the other around them. Meanwhile, train the dog to be in a calm state. If he is overwhelmingly enthusiastic or jumpy, enforce some basic obedience and teach him to be relaxed and calm.
Introduce them to each other in a controlled environment where you can pull them apart anytime you see the need to. It is ok if they don’t play and interact right away. Just teach them to stay around each other in the same room, without unnecessary excitement or panic. Use treats as motivators and keep encouraging good relaxed behavior from both of them with lots of praises. Keep repeating the interaction
sessions until she feels confident being around the dog.
You might be tempted to let go when your dog shows eagerness to play, but do not overwhelm the cat especially if she is not comfortable in the first place. Give her the time and space she needs.
Remember, the socialisation has to be slow, relaxed and in the pace that is acceptable for both the dog and the cat. Do not reprimand, punish or force them at any point.
Playing and active interactions are more often a personality trait and not necessarily applicable to all. If they simply stay with each other in harmony and choose not to be play buddies, that is still ok and you have to accept their decision.
How to make them friends
● Start with slow and minimal interactions, and keep the animals apart at all other times
● Train the dog to be in a calm state. If he is overwhelmingly enthusiastic or jumpy,
● Introduce them to each other in a controlled environment
● Socialisation has to be slow, and in a pace that suits both