How To Introduce A French Bulldog To A Cat. Learn Today!: Even though French Bulldogs can typically encounter and get along relatively well with a new dog, it can be tougher with a cat.
Although the meeting will most probably be easygoing, there is always a chance that it will just not succeed as hoped. In this article, you will learn how to have the best chance of making this work.
It’s a special and exciting time to introduce your new Frenchie to the family but can be a bit daunting for all involved.
It is necessary that you carefully plan the new addition to your family, and that your Frenchie and cat is always monitored until you are certain that everybody is safe and relaxed around each other.
Be Prepared
Before you bring your new Frenchie home, you’ll need to think over how best to introduce them to your other pets and make sure everything goes seamlessly. It can be a challenging time for all the pets, and it’s crucial that you’re careful and prepared for the adjustment to occur over at least a week or more.
It would be best if you spent time planning for their arrival before bringing your Frenchie home. It is a very good idea to make sure there are plenty of elevated resting places in which your cat can escape from the French Bulldog if they so wish.
Moreover, if your cat usually has their food, water bowl or cat litter tray in an area where the Frenchie is now going also, be then prepare ahead to relocate these to a place to which only the cat has access. Make sure your cat is used to the new spot before your Frenchie arrives.
The First Day Home
The day you bring home your French Bulldog, safeguard your cat with their bedding, water, food and cat litter tray in the room you prepared earlier.
Let your Frenchie explore their surrounding in their own time then place them with comfortable bedding, water, toys and a treat in a room or area in the house of their own. When your Frenchie is out of the way, allow your cat to investigate the house.
That way your cat can familiarize itself with the smells of your French Bulldog.
Continue this over the next several days, letting each pet switch and have access to the entire house without either your cat or your French Bulldog running into each other.
Meanwhile, work on training your Frenchie, so you have some influence over them when your dog does meet your cat.
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Get Use To Each Others Smell
Smell is extremely important for both your cat and your French Bulldog for communication. You will transition your pets more effectively into your home if they have become used to each others scent.
You can begin the process by swapping bedding between both pets. That way, well before they interact, they have gotten to know each other a bit.
The Introduction
Please be aware of the mannerisms of both your pets when introducing your Frenchie to the cat. If your cat’s ears are laid back, or their tail is swinging back and forth, it is a reliable indicator of unease.
You also want to be aware of the body language of your Frenchie as they do have a strong prey drive due to their ratter heritage.
When your French Bulldog displays this prey drive, they may stiffen, glare, and can begin to bark or whine. When you see those signs, don’t let them close to the cat. In a ideal world, their body language around your cat should be calm and relaxed. Now let’s work through the following steps.
| Ahead of time, exercise your Frenchie and give them something to eat. Then either put your French Bulldog on a short leash or put them in their crate. |
| Do the same with your cat by putting them in their cat carrier if they seem frightened. Otherwise, let them walk around. The next day try again but with your Frenchie on a leash. |
| Give your Frenchie and your cat time to check one another over at a distance. Pat but also speak comfortingly to your French Bulldog. It’s not quite time yet for you Frenchie to approach your cat. Offer your Frenchie and cat a few goodies and praises as incentives. |
| If your Frenchie runs at your cat, correct them with the leash by holding them back. If your French Bulldog shows any signs of increased excitement, calm them down if you can. If this isn’t working, stop the visit and try again tomorrow. |
| Try to repeat these steps a few times a day, slowly allowing your Frenchie more leash, as required. |
| Keep this up until you have had many consecutive days of incident-free encounters where both your Frenchie and cat can prove that they feel comfortable and secure around each other. |
Stage Two
When your Frenchie and cat can get along well throughout the leashed encounters, it is time to move on to the next stage. Let your French Bulldog off the leash but watch them carefully for signs of excitement or discomfort.
Whenever you see issues, and your Frenchie is not listening to your commands, then go back to the earlier process above for several days.
Slowly extend the no-leash exercises. Please don’t leave your Frenchie and cat alone till you’re certain they’re familiar with one another. Please ensure your cat has a safe space they can get to if they feel overwhelmed.
As mention above provides a spot for your Frenchie and Cat in your home that is their own “safe space”. Using pet doors or child gates can also help, if they are available, and also positive training and incentives when everyone is behaving.
Bear in mind that your Frenchie and cat may never be great buddies. Hopefully, they at least accommodate each other and learn to live peacefully in the same home.
For cases where your cats do not like you Frenchie, they would still be able to coexist in relative harmony by finding their separate place and spending much of their time separated. Animals are quite capable of making a compromise and share their territory.
When the introductions do not go well, immediately seek professional trainers help. Your pets can indeed be badly hurt in fights, and the longer the issue persists, the more difficult it can be to remedy it. Punishment is not going to work and could make the situation worse.
Some Extra Things To Be Aware Of
Frenchies love to eat cat food. Keep your cat food out of reach of your dog. Consuming cat faeces is also a somewhat common habit of your Frenchie (yeah I know). Even though there’s no health concern to your French Bulldog, it’s probably awkward to you.
Chastising your Frenchie after the occurrence will not alter their actions. The easiest option is to put the cat’s litter box somewhere your dog can’t reach it.
Kittens and Puppies
Since they are a lot smaller, the kittens are far more likely to be hurt, or even killed by a young over-excited dog or dog experiencing prey drive. A kitten has to be kept apart from your Frenchie until it is finished growing.
Normally, a very well-socialized cat should be capable of holding a puppy in place. However, some cats may not have enough courage to do that. When you have a particularly nervous cat. You may need to keep them apart from your French Bulldog puppy till it matures sufficiently to have much more control of its actions.