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In reply to the discussion: I need some advice from people who are cat savvy (UPDATED WITH PICTURES) [View all]Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)If you bring her inside, you can close her off in a room, while you're gone. I wouldn't leave them alone together, w/o you there, at first.
Nikita may scratch your dog, if he gets too close. When I adopted a cat from rescue, after I had a dog, I left htem alone together. I figured she could stay on top of furniture, to get away from the dog (that was the cat that didn't like dogs). When I got home, I saw my dog had a bloody scratch on his nose! He learned his lesson right away...don't get too close to the cat!
I have two dogs. I keep them separated during the day, while I'm away. There is such a thing as too much closeness. They were together 24/7 and were getting irritated with each other. They seem to appreciate having their own space and their own time to be free from others. When I get home, it's a big welcoming for me AND for each other, as they wait for the other to be let out of his/her room. They have all evening and all night (they sleep with me) to be together.
When I found Puddin'head as a stray, he didn't come inside right away. And I wasn't sure I wanted him to. I started feeding him outside my door. He'd wait for me to leave, then cautiously approach to eat. He started coming to the food bowl, when I was still there. He finally let me touch his head briefly. I brought the food bowl closer and closer to the door. Then I finally left the door open one evening and put the food bowl inside the door. He came inside to eat, and left. Another time I left the door open when he was outside. He came in and walked around a bit and checked things out. Then he came up to me and purred and let me pet him. And pick him up. Then he urinated on my door (spraying, they call it, when a male does it). He was marking his territory.
So it was gradual. But it didn't take many days, all told. You do need a carrier to take him to the vet. But if she's never been in a carrier, that will REALLY scare her, to be confined in that small space. It was a job for me to get Puddin' to the vet. But it had to be done. In fact, I'm not sure if I succeeded, even. Or if I risked taking him in teh car w/o a carrier (dangerous). I just don't remember. But he ran all over the vet's office in a panic. Still, the vet said he was just scared and he could tell Puddin' wasn't wild or mean, just scared.