Late kitten introductions

Kittens and dogs aren't natural enemies but they do have their problems with each other, especially when they first meet.

This is because while they both use the same communication signs, but they use them to communicate totally different things!

A dog, for instance, wags his tail to say, "I'm really happy!" To your kitten this means, "I'm under a lot of stress!" After all, she wags her tail to show that she’s annoyed. The same confusion happens when a dog lifts his paw to say, "Let's play", which your little one interprets as, "You're dinner!"

Misunderstandings like these don’t stop the two living peacefully together side-by-side though. Cats and dogs are extremely adaptable and if they see each other often enough, they'll soon learn each other’s language.

Encouraging the friendship

If you want your kitten to get on with your dog, the best approach is to make sure that the dog is well established in the home before the kitten arrives. Keep them in separate rooms for the first few days but within hearing distance of each other. When you introduce them, hold your kitten in your arms and let your dog have a good old sniff. After that, they'll probably approach each other gingerly, but it shouldn’t be long before the dog allows your furry friend to join his ‘pack’.

Things are much more difficult if your kitten was there first, as cats are generally more jealous than dogs. In that case, make a real fuss of your kitten to show her that she’s going to be loved as much as she was before the dog barged onto the scene.

Giving her the bird?

Can a bird and a kitten really live peacefully under the same roof? It may seem unlikely but, in fact, there’s usually no problem, as long as you observe a couple of rules:

• Firstly, it’s wise to keep the bird cage out of temptation’s way, safely beyond your kitten’s reach.

• And secondly, when the bird is allowed to fly around the room, make sure the room is a no-kitten-zone.

With small pets like mice or hamsters it is always safest to keep your kitten safely out of the room when you have them out of their cage.