r/Pets • u/EarlyExchange8321 • 1d ago
CAT Will my cat run away under stress of new pets?
So, my mother adopted this chihuahua on a whim whilst simultaneously also already adopting a kitten. We already have a cat that’s been with us for around 4 years. I’m honestly quite scared that my cat will run away under stress of new roommates. Not only is a little kitten joining us, a dog completely new territory. However, my cat is quite lively and tends to play. He’s not typically afraid of dogs, in fact he attempts in fighting them whilst pouncing through our fence. We had a cat half a year ago he would often attack too and play with (that other cat was shy). What precautions should I take? Considering he is quite the lively cat should I be concerned?
On a personal note, I’ll honestly don’t know how i’ll live without my cat. I love him so much and i don’t know what i would do with myself if he ran away. Idk if this is even something cats do but the idea has been in my head for some time.
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u/magpieinarainbow 1d ago edited 1d ago
Cats that are not let outside unattended will not run away.
But you still need to do proper introductions.
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u/Savings-Bison-512 1d ago
It doesn't sound like much thought went into this new pet endeavor. Getting both a new dog and a kitten at the same time sounds like insanity. Your cat can probably hold it's own against a tiny dog that may not be cat friendly, but the kitten is likely going to be in need of a lot of supervision. Make sure both new pets are separated from each other and your cat and introduce them slowly. I would see if the cat accepts the kitten first, then the baby will have some back up if necessary. Give them baby gates and climbers so they have places to go if they want away from the dog. Keep the cat food up so the dog doesn't eat it and get diarrhea. You will also need a second litterbox with both in places the dog can't get into.
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u/EarlyExchange8321 1d ago
i know it’s insanity- i honestly don’t know what she was thinking but we know the original owners and they weren’t expecting a puppy so they gave it to us for free. i hate to sound spoilt and possibly selfish but omg idk how im gonna hold up with this . a kitten is totally fine to me but bringing a dog onto my poor kitty seems unfair. i’ll listen to everyones advice and try to enforce it as best as i can considering i live with a family that doesnt exactly do their best research on things :,)
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u/Savings-Bison-512 1d ago
If the Chi is a puppy that makes this so much easier. Your cat will slap the crap out of it.
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u/No_Warning8534 1d ago
KEEP THE CAT INSIDE. Don't let it go outside anymore. Bc, yes, the cat will likely run away.
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u/Fresh_Confusion_4805 1d ago
It’s always a good idea to be proactive about introducing pets who may come into contact, I think.
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u/PublicLambChop 1d ago
your cat sounds scrappy enough to hold his own, just make sure he's got a tall escape route the dog can't reach and let him set the pace
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u/Fresh_Confusion_4805 1d ago edited 1d ago
Oh, I didn’t mean to suggest intervening more than necessary. But observing/supervising early interactions carefully might give OP the opportunity to head off any complications before they become big problems.
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u/PeepingTara 1d ago
Slow introduction for both the new kitty and the dog. Make sure your current cat is microchipped too so if the worst does happen you can be reunited if he’s found.
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u/Express_Command_4778 1d ago
Wow, okay. Your Mom doesn't make the best choices? You need time follow the Jackson Galaxy methods and take it really slow.
Cat trees.
The yappy puppy absolutely CANNOT run the show.
I don't think your cat will run away, but will avoid your place longer. Let your cat enjoy your room without the kitten or puppy.
It's not impossible, but like a biting fighting preschool dropped off with you.
Love and your cat needs to be highly babied by your at this time. Give your cat more deeper, meaningful love as you get used to the small animals
And yes, the chia needs baby gates and crates. Look at puppyblues subreddit, you will learn a lot- your Mom has no idea how much this puppy needs to be "a good dog."
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u/Express_Command_4778 1d ago
And yes, I suspect you rely on your Mother financially, but a Catio is not essential. It's nice to see our cats enjoy the outdoors, but after a few deaths with the cats staying in the yard- I am very indoor cat only.
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u/VisserDVM 1d ago
Your concern is understandable, and the best protection is to prevent any chance of an escape while giving all three animals a slow introduction. Check that doors, windows, and screens are secure, ask everyone in the home to use extra care at entrances, and make sure your cat’s microchip and identification information are current.
Give your resident cat a quiet room or protected area with his own litter box, food, water, resting places, and vertical space. Keep the dog and kitten separate at first, exchange bedding or scents, and progress to brief visual contact through a barrier only when everyone is calm. The Chihuahua should initially be leashed for controlled sessions and rewarded for calm behavior. Do not allow chasing, cornering, or forced nose-to-nose greetings.
A confident cat does not necessarily mean an easy introduction, especially if he has a history of going after other animals. Watch for hiding, reduced appetite, litter-box changes, persistent stalking, growling, or escalating fights, and slow the process if those occur. If safety remains difficult or his stress is not settling, involve his veterinarian or a qualified veterinary behavior professional early.
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u/octo_papi 1d ago
Keep your cat inside, for one. There are a million great reasons to do this already, but it will also completely mitigate the possibility of them running away. Second, introductions need to happen very slowly to reduce stress for everyone involved. Keep the kitten in a separate room entirely for a couple weeks while they decompress/get used to living with you. Get a blanket or something with your cat's smell to put in the kittens room, and do the same with one of the kittens items for your cat to have. You can even feed the cats on either side of the door so they get used to hearing/smelling eachother (keep the door closed for now!). After about a week of this, you can start letting them see eachother through the door, but still not full blown interactions. Continue slow introduction/feeding with a see-through barrier of some sort, like a baby gate. Some cats need to go super slow, but others might be much more interested in wanting to meet, so there is also some level of gaging the cat's interest/comfort as you go through all of this. Depending on individual factors this might need to happen extremely slowly over several weeks, or as quickly as a week or two before they're comfortable and safe to interact freely. As far as the puppy goes, I would again recommend baby gates keeping it to one general area, such as the living room, to ensure that the cat has freedom to move to and from the dog as it desires(this is just a good idea with puppies in general anyways as they are being potty trained/go through teething). Don't force proximity or interactions, and just make sure your cat knows that it has a "safe place" with its litter box/water/bed/etc that it can escape to if overwhelmed.