So, I have a cat & we’ve always slept in the same room & bed. My cat has always been drawn to me & seems to really like me. I recently (as in 4 days ago) got a dog. She sleeps in my room now & now my cat won’t come sleep in my room anymore. Sometimes she comes into the room & just goes to her cat tree. The other day she slept in my room but she slept on the floor instead of on the bed (i have a fairly big bed so there’s enough for me, my dog & her). What are things that i can do so that she can be more comfortable around the new dog & so she can start sleeping in the room again? please don’t judge the fact that i got a dog despite having a cat already. the damage is done, please just give me advice on how to at least make her feel comfortable in my room again.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
A cat and a dog can get along very well and be the best of friends. One of them is going to be dominant over the other, it's just what animals do. What you can do as a pet parent is teach them to share. Play with them both at the same time, cuddle and love them both up at the same time, etc, do everything you do with them simultaneously so they grasp on to it that you love them both equally and show the cat that the dog is her new buddy, not an enemy or replacement. And make sure neither of them gets too dominant over the other. If they segregate toys on their own leave that be, maybe the dog doesn't want to play with cat toys and vise versa but insure that they're sharing things equally...so they share you.
It's a sharing thing. The dog has taken dominance over the cat and possession of you. Make them share you.
Time....that is the only thing you need. Your cat may never get used to the dog and may never sleep in bed again but all of mine over the last 40 years have eventually gotten used to the dogs and now even sleep in the dog beds with them. My last cat never liked my dog but she would lie on bed at night at bottom away from the dog....but it took about 6 months.
you give it time too get used to the new dog
When she gets used to the dog, she might come back to the bed. For now she's just playing it safe.
also my dog is small so there isn’t much of a size difference (chihuahua jack russel mix). also she’s a rescue from a shelter, but she has no issues with aggression or anything like that. my cat is a almost 9 years old & my dog is a year old.