Hi, I have 2 cats who are both 15 and were raised alongside dogs. Our 16 year old dog passed away and now we are going to be getting a puppy in a couple of weeks. Though the one cat will be fine as long as a strange dog isn't in his face, the other is a lot more nervous with new dogs. Is there anything I can do to help them transition when the puppy comes? They have plenty of hiding spots that will be unreachable to the puppy but is there anything that will help?
So the hiding places are a good start. But keep in mind if a cat is cornered, or does not have a significant amount of escape paths, that’s where trouble can arise. Make sure hiding places have at least two entry-exit points, if a cat gets trapped in a structure, they’re going to get stressed and possibly retaliate.
As far as what you can do for alternative paths, look around and try to find at least two ways out of a room for your cat. It can be in the air, or on the ground, and obviously out through the door (you don’t have to cut holes into your wall I promise). My biggest note is always hallways, those are typically ambush points for cats, and can cause a lot of stress. The easiest, cheapest way to solve this problem is putting up a tunnel, or even a long cardboard box with an additional hole cut in the side.
Other than that it’s entirely based on what you can realistically do. Some people can install skyways or shelving, and that’s a HUGE help to allow cats to escape from dogs. Consider adding more vertical movement possibilities through cat trees if shelves aren’t possible (and you don’t have to buy them, search around online and you’ll find dozens of how-tos on making your own for much cheaper than buying). Of course, consider their age when it comes to this. They may not be able to jump as high, but they still may want to go up when it comes to avoiding a very energetic young dog.
Make sure your cats have their own areas to eat, drink, and go to the bathroom without having a dog sniff their business. They may eventually be okay with sharing the space, but giving them their own option will help ensure harmony.
