Ok. I'm a long time dog lover. I like cats, but don't have a lot of experience with them. I believe they should be indoor pets.. ( all animals should IMO ) and I did have a cat once. We were in the process of moving and a mover accidentally let her out of my bathroom and she escaped and we never found her. That was probably 10 years ago.
Anyway...background. Me, DH, DD 16. Own a large ( over 3000 sq feet ) home. Have all tile and wood floors downstairs. ( My dogs aren't allowed upstairs where the wall to wall carpet is either ) Kitty would stay downstairs.. ( master BR is also downstairs )
We have a fenced yard with a 6 foot privacy fence and locked gates. We DO have a doggy door that is a necessity when DH is on a long assignment and I work a 12 hour day.. ( it's rare we're both gone all day as well as DD ).
I have dogs. A boykin spaniel adopted from a shelter. Got her as an adult. Have no idea how she is with cats. A spaniel mix I got from a gas station as a tiny puppy. She's never been around a cat. She's young, not yet 2.
Greyhounds, one known cat safe, lived in foster with a cat. The other unknown, but was small animal tolerant of our tiny puppy. Loves to play. The greyhounds would be muzzled during the introductions and kitten would be left in a room when we were gone until we were sure everyone got along.
Specific questions.
How do I introduce a kitten to the dogs? In a crate and let them sniff her? It seems like the major danger would be to ME and getting the crap scratched out of me?
Would the doggy door be an issue? Do you think kitty would climb the fence and take off?
Anyone with experience on those little balls you can put at the end of claws. I don't believe in declawing, but would like to save my furniture. Also maybe then kitty couldn't climb the privacy fence?
Would one kitty be lonely? Would she make friends with my younger dogs and would that make enough company for her?
What else am I not thinking about?
Opinions please?
Anyway...background. Me, DH, DD 16. Own a large ( over 3000 sq feet ) home. Have all tile and wood floors downstairs. ( My dogs aren't allowed upstairs where the wall to wall carpet is either ) Kitty would stay downstairs.. ( master BR is also downstairs )
We have a fenced yard with a 6 foot privacy fence and locked gates. We DO have a doggy door that is a necessity when DH is on a long assignment and I work a 12 hour day.. ( it's rare we're both gone all day as well as DD ).
I have dogs. A boykin spaniel adopted from a shelter. Got her as an adult. Have no idea how she is with cats. A spaniel mix I got from a gas station as a tiny puppy. She's never been around a cat. She's young, not yet 2.
Greyhounds, one known cat safe, lived in foster with a cat. The other unknown, but was small animal tolerant of our tiny puppy. Loves to play. The greyhounds would be muzzled during the introductions and kitten would be left in a room when we were gone until we were sure everyone got along.
Specific questions.
How do I introduce a kitten to the dogs? In a crate and let them sniff her? It seems like the major danger would be to ME and getting the crap scratched out of me?
Would the doggy door be an issue? Do you think kitty would climb the fence and take off?
Anyone with experience on those little balls you can put at the end of claws. I don't believe in declawing, but would like to save my furniture. Also maybe then kitty couldn't climb the privacy fence?
Would one kitty be lonely? Would she make friends with my younger dogs and would that make enough company for her?
What else am I not thinking about?
Opinions please?