I have two spayed cats, 5-year-old sisters I adopted as kittens. I grew up with dogs and cats, and have missed having a dog. I am now able to adopt a dog, but I want to keep the transition smooth.
I've noticed that some shelters indicate whether a dog gets along with cats. How accurate do you think this information is?
And what else can I do to keep from freaking out my cats?
– N.D., via e-mail
Shelters and rescue groups can find out this information by getting it from the dog's previous owners or by exposing the dog to a cat and evaluating the response.
The latter isn't as awful as it sounds. They'd never test a dog who's clearly aggressive, and they don't haul out some terrified guest kitty to be the guinea pig, so to speak. The tester cat is usually a permanent resident of the shelter, often a staff favorite who has proved to be calm and disdainfully confident around dogs.
Dogs who are aggressive toward the cat (but not people) are so noted, as are those who are too friendly (and will need training to leave a cat alone), are friendly but not intrusive (ideal), or couldn't care less about the cat (also fine).
Ask the folks at the shelter how they determine cat-tolerance in the case of any dog you're interested in.
In general, I'd look for a quiet, gentle and well-mannered adult dog of 3 to 5 years of age or older who falls into the friendly but not intrusive category, preferably one who has lived with cats before. You'll find lots of such dogs in shelters or rescue groups – check Petfinder.com for all the possibilities in your area.
When you find your dog, don't force the pets to be together. Let the cats decide how much interaction they want, and always offer them an escape route to a dog-free area.
It may take a month or more for the situation to settle down.
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