Introducing Kittens To Dogs
It is important to socialize kittens with dogs at an early age. Here are my recommendations for the process:
1) Establish a safe room for the kitten(s). Give them plenty of time to acclimate to their new environment before introducing them to a dog. During the adjustment phase, spend extra time with the dog working on their obedience skills of sit, stay, down, come, relax and leave it. Use a head collar to provide extra control.
2) Allow the dog and kitten to experience each other's scent through towels and rugs. After one days use, place the kitten's towel in the dog's bed and vice versa. In my experience, the dog will spend much more time sniffing the towel and rolling on it than the kitten.
3) Feed the kitten on one side of the door while the dog has treats on the other side. The idea is to teach the dog to associate the kitten with good things.
4) Allow the kitten to explore the house without the dog around and vice versa. When both animals are comfortable with all of the above, it is time for a face to face introduction.
5) Before the initial meeting, tire the dog and the kitten out with vigorous exercise. For the first meeting, I let both animals view each other from a distance. Place a head collar on the dog and place them on a down stay with a handler. On the other side of the room, have another person hold the kitten in their lap. Allow the animals to look at each other. If both are calm and curious, move them closer together. Stop immediately if either displays signs of stress.
6) When both are comfortable with visual contact, allow them to interact. I usually place the dog on a down stay and let the kitten approach. Keep firm control of the dog via the head collar and leash. Reward the dog for calm behavior. When the dog is bored with the whole process, it is time for the last step.
7) Give the dog and kitten supervised access to each other. Start out with short periods of time and stay close to prevent injuries. Keep a blanket close at hand just in case you need to break-up a fight. Do not allow the kitten to play rough with the dog. Reward each for good behavior. Gradually increase the time they are together. Always make sure the kitten has an escape route if something goes wrong.
8) Some kittens will unmercifully pester their canine companions. Be sure to give the dog breaks by returning the kitten to their safe room. It is unfair to the dog to expect it to put up with a youngster who is constantly chewing on its ears or biting its legs.
Although I have had great success using the above steps, their are some dogs and cats who will never live peacefully with each other. So be careful when adding a new member to the family. Remember, a dog that is great with cats might not tolerate a kitten because of their immature behavior. Below I have included a video of my dog Buddy and the foster kittens. As you will see, he finds four of them curious but a bit overwhelming. Enjoy!
1) Establish a safe room for the kitten(s). Give them plenty of time to acclimate to their new environment before introducing them to a dog. During the adjustment phase, spend extra time with the dog working on their obedience skills of sit, stay, down, come, relax and leave it. Use a head collar to provide extra control.
2) Allow the dog and kitten to experience each other's scent through towels and rugs. After one days use, place the kitten's towel in the dog's bed and vice versa. In my experience, the dog will spend much more time sniffing the towel and rolling on it than the kitten.
3) Feed the kitten on one side of the door while the dog has treats on the other side. The idea is to teach the dog to associate the kitten with good things.
4) Allow the kitten to explore the house without the dog around and vice versa. When both animals are comfortable with all of the above, it is time for a face to face introduction.
5) Before the initial meeting, tire the dog and the kitten out with vigorous exercise. For the first meeting, I let both animals view each other from a distance. Place a head collar on the dog and place them on a down stay with a handler. On the other side of the room, have another person hold the kitten in their lap. Allow the animals to look at each other. If both are calm and curious, move them closer together. Stop immediately if either displays signs of stress.
6) When both are comfortable with visual contact, allow them to interact. I usually place the dog on a down stay and let the kitten approach. Keep firm control of the dog via the head collar and leash. Reward the dog for calm behavior. When the dog is bored with the whole process, it is time for the last step.
7) Give the dog and kitten supervised access to each other. Start out with short periods of time and stay close to prevent injuries. Keep a blanket close at hand just in case you need to break-up a fight. Do not allow the kitten to play rough with the dog. Reward each for good behavior. Gradually increase the time they are together. Always make sure the kitten has an escape route if something goes wrong.
8) Some kittens will unmercifully pester their canine companions. Be sure to give the dog breaks by returning the kitten to their safe room. It is unfair to the dog to expect it to put up with a youngster who is constantly chewing on its ears or biting its legs.
Although I have had great success using the above steps, their are some dogs and cats who will never live peacefully with each other. So be careful when adding a new member to the family. Remember, a dog that is great with cats might not tolerate a kitten because of their immature behavior. Below I have included a video of my dog Buddy and the foster kittens. As you will see, he finds four of them curious but a bit overwhelming. Enjoy!
HAHA...I love how they all decide to follow him down the hallway! "hey guys, it's mom! let's go!" So cute.
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Oh how sweet! More like Buddy is practically herding them, LOL.
You didn't waste any time, did you! I love the article, very well-thought out and appropriate, I wish more owners would spend as much time and commitment toward slow and gentle intros, as opposed to simply forcing them and ending up with a disaster.
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Myself and my son are fostering two kittens and we have a 10.5 female golden retriever...she is not used to kittens so this article was very helpful. Thank you.
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sophie wants more videos of buddy and a kitten but daddy and broo say no to the kitten
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This is exactly the kind of article I was looking for! I found a kitten by the trash can just before thanksgiving so I brought him in the house with my papillon and mini dashchund - it did not go well. He terrorized them, the bites becoming more and more vicious, everyone chalking it up to 'kitten play' until they saw it in person. I feel like it was my fault because I didn't take the steps you've listed here to introduce them, I gave them a few days to sniff each other thru the door because that was the only advice I'd found. Maybe I did it all wrong, maybe he wasn't a 'dog' cat - I am not sure but I had to make the best decision for my family and let him go. He has since been rehomed to a fantastic family with an adult cat and 3 kids where he is thriving. I really loved having a kitten around and wanted to know the appropriate way to introduce them if I ever decide to bring another kitten in our home. I really appreciate this information and I am sure it will come in handy someday. thank you! i love the video of buddy and the kittens too. :)
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Thanks for the kind words. You sound like a caring person and I hope you try another cat when you are ready. -Dr. Nelson
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Very nice tips and thoughts on introducing cats and dogs. The number 5 tip I think is all new but effective step, especially for super active and young dogs and cats.
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I found your website while hoping to learn the best age to socialize the kitten to dogs. I am trying to decide between 2 kittens. Both are from loving homes and are well-cared for and are being handled by adults. The difference is this: #1 is already being exposed to dogs and children before the age of 11 weeks while #2 has not been exposed to dogs or children at all, so it would be up to me to expose the kitten to these factors. I will receive either kitten I choose around 12 wks old. I would love to know if it will make a substantial difference in the kittens' nature and ability to socialize with dogs and children to be confronted with them at the earlier age. Do you have any thoughts on this or do you know where I could locate further guidance about this question? Thank you so much Dr Nelson.
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Yes, early positive exposure to kids and dogs will make a big difference in how these kittens view the world. There are some critical socialization windows that occur before 12 weeks of age that have a lasting impact on the kitten. This does not mean that the kitten without exposure cannot be acclimated to dogs and kids. But it will take more work on your part.
If you love each kitten, I would recommend adopting both! It may not be possible to get both, but often kittens do so much better having a buddy. The less socialized kitten will adapt to dogs and kids more quickly with the sibling setting an example. I recommend that you set them up in a safe room for a few days to get comfortable with the smells and sounds of the new environment. The notion of a safe room is vital to cats and for more information on that concept, see my posts on Feral Cats. Once they are comfortable, slowly start letting them out for supervised exploration.
Congratulations on the new edition(s)!
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Thank you! I really appreciate your advice.
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I own a 10 years old Amstaff, now he is really more calm than in past. As I moved in a house with a big garden in country I would like a cat too. An 11 weeks old kitten is too old to introduce him to the dog? Thank you very much Silva
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Cats of any age can be successfully introduced to dogs as long as you introduce them slowly. Kittens less than 20 weeks in age are ideal. Until you know how the dog will react, always supervise the visits to make sure the kitten stays safe. Thanks for the question and good luck with the introduction!
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Loved your article! We are getting 2 new kittens....siblings both 7 weeks old next week. We have a 3 & 14 year old cat, 2 older labs and a 5 year old brittany. My concern is the brit. The brit has a very strong prey drive and has chased one of our cats but leaves the other one alone. He has gotten into a scuffle with a raccoon also. I plan on keeping all the cats in our "cat room" which is dog safe. How do I introduce the kittens to the brit without incident? I am thinking of using high rewards for him with real chicken as well as the leave it command. He gets a ton of exercise and is usually tired for the night but is not always the best listener if something has his attention. Honestly, I am a bit nervous about his reaction. What about his Gentle Leader collar? Would that help? Any suggestions are more than welcome. The shelter has offered many suggestions but the more I hear the more confident I am feeling.
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Congratulations on the new kittens. You are correct that Brittany spaniels usually have a high prey drive. If it moves, they want to catch it! I would strongly recommend a head collar, either a Gentle Leader or a Halti, to give you better control. You might also want to get a basket muzzle that allows the Brittany to drink and open its mouth but not bite or eat. Establishing a safe cat room is very important. I would never leave the cats and kittens out with the Brittany without supervision.
Since your dog is tired at night after a long day of exercise, I would start the introductions then. Follow the phases outlined in the post and slowly progress from one to another. You must be extremely careful with kittens as they do not possess the knowledge, experience and physical abilities of adult cats. Sometimes, they do not have sufficient fear either and proceed with reckless abandon into any situation. My kitten Mauka fits this profile. He simply does not understand proper cat protocol. This led to more than a few hisses from my adult cats.
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Thank you for your response. I am still very anxious about this whole introduction. Gunnar,the brit, does not bother Toby, our 14 year old at all! So I know that he can leave cats alone. Should we have both kittens at one time during the introduction or just one? Also, one dog at a time? I would think that all three would be overwhelming and since they have that pack mentality this may be a bit crazy on my part! The labs are pretty laid back but one will whine and nudge our 3 year old cat. Ugh! Wondering if I am doing the right thing! Rescue is a good thing....introductions are not!
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I would recommend keeping the kittens together and introducing them to the dogs one at a time. Keep the kittens in a carrier so they can see the dog but are still safe. Once they are comfortable with that, put the dog in a crate and let the kittens approach the dog when they are ready. When they ignore each other they are ready to meet the dog on a leash. Give the dog the "settle" command so it is lying down and calm when the kittens approach.
Again, remember to introduce them slowing. If the kittens seem fearful or the dog becomes restless, stop right away and go back to the last phase in the introduction plan. And never leave the kittens or cats alone with the dog without supervision.
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Hi Dr. Nelson.
I got a new kitten about 3 days ago and it was absolutely TERRIFIED of me when i first got it. I'm not sure if that makes it semi-feral because it was brought from a friends house where the people don't pay any particular attention to the cats.(not sure about its age either but it eats solid food and it's about the size of a small rat)
today was a major turning point for us after three days of waiting patiently for the kitten to calm down. i followed some advise from the internet that said I should try keeping it in a small room like a bathroom at first, with a cage, food and water. we couldn't get a cage so i substituted that for a box with pencil holes, some bedding and a teddy bear.
the kitten however favored the gap behind the sink which i realized too late that i had to block. i noticed however that the food was being eaten and the litter box being used whenever i visited. i didn't see the kitten till today when i decided to try getting it out but settled for petting it through the gap...and then it started to purr!
i was so relieved because my research told me some feral/semi-feral kittens can never be tamed, and that it could take as long as 2-6 weeks to tame one. now that it is confident enough to climb into my lap for a petting session,(and even comfortable enough to accidentally do a tiny number two in my lap as well) is it okay to introduce it to my dog? when would be the appropriate time?
we've never had cats since we got the dog about four years ago as a puppy...also i live in Ghana by the way and I'm going back to college in about a week. I'm wondering if that's enough time to introduce the kitten to my mom, my sister AND the dog, and keep it comfortable enough not to runaway.(I'm the only cat person at home so it's highly unlikely for my mom and sis to play with the kitten, plus they think I'm crazy for putting so much effort into caring for it. also, my mom would probably want to keep it outdoors)
also i wanted to know if there are any serious cat illnesses that are not obvious by just looking at the cat since I'm going to have a hard time convincing my mom to take the kitten to the vet(which is really expensive here) even though it looks healthy.
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Thank you for taking in this little orphan. From what you have described, I think this kitten is a passive-response feral. With patience, it can become a loving pet that will get along with other cats and dogs. Unfortunately, it will take a lot of time and effort. Unless you can find someone who will commit to this kitten the way you did, its future is bleak. Since your mother and sister are not cat people, I would try to find someone else to adopt it.
As for cat illnesses, I always recommend doing blood work to check for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus, and a fecal analysis for gastrointestinal parasites.
I wish you the best of luck with this kitten. Hopefully, you can find a nice home for it.
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Hello, my husband and I are adopting a kitten (3months old) and we have a one year and nine month old Aussie at home (who has never had a kitten in the house before). The kitten, luckily, has grown up in foster homes with dogs, so I think that end will be easier. We will follow your advice here and hope for the best!! We are excited for the new addition and hope that our puppy knows we still love her and aren't replacing her. Thanks and we'll keep you updated (we get her later this week)!
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Congrats on the new addition! I hope they become the best of friends.
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My husband and I have a 3.5 yr old lab and a 6 yr old orange male tabby. We just adopted a pair of 3 month old kittens (brother and sister) and are working on intriducing them to my dog. I have the kittens in a "safe room"...a spare bedroom full of cat beds, toys, cat tower, food and water. They have been secluded in that room for several days now. (We all regularly go in there for "kitty play time")
My adult male cat does not seem thrilled with the kittens. On the few attempts to introduce them...the kittens eagerly approached him, and after a few moments...he hissed and smacked. However, it is not him I am worried about, it is my big, playful goofy female lab.
Her and the cat "tolerate" each other, they are not best buddies, but I am ok with that. I have been slowly trying to get to a point to introduce the kittens to my dog. I have on several occasions cracked the door to allow my anxious dog to smell the room and the kittens and vice versa. She hasn't gotten upset or acted aggressive in any way...but she desperately wants to meet the new creatures. The young female kitten did hiss at my dog. I am so worried about the right wat to allow a physical introduction. The kittens have never seen a dog, and a 90lb black lab can be terrifying I am sure, and I don't want my overly excited dog to terrify them! Do you think it is possible to get a kitten who is obviously not happy at all with the dog...to eventually not be so terrified and resort to hissing and smacking at the sight of the dog? (hissing and smacking will excite my dog I am sure).
This evening with the help of my husband, I think we will attempt the "across the room visual" to see what happens...
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Congratulations on the new kittens! What a wonderful addition to your family. Your kittens are the perfect age to make friends with your dog. Right now, your lab is extremely curious about them because they are new. If you follow the instructions outlined in this post, she will eventually view them as part of her pack. Be sure to tire her out with exercise before attempting to introduce them. As for the kittens, it is normal for them to hiss until they know this dog is trustworthy. Hang in there! In my experience, labs are usually great with cats.
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Hi, I was wondering if you can please give me some advice! I have an 8 year old Jack Russell/Dachshund mix that I got about a year ago from some people that were moving and could not take her with them. She is the sweetest dog ever and is very attached to me and spoiled. Just this past week I adopted a kitten from a veterinary hospital. The kitten had been around dogs while he was being fostered. I brought the kitten home and made a huge mistake in introducing the two too fast and it was a disaster. The dog totally took off after the cat and really scared him, had him cornered and pinned. I live in a small one bedroom apartment btw. Since then, I have been keeping the two seperated-the cat in a large dog cage when i can't supervise. The dog has been staying in the living room when I have the cat in the bedroom. The dog seems to just be curious about the cat but I won't let her near him and the cat is getting braver about moving around the apartment. Is there any chance that the two will be able to coexist or did I completely ruin that chance? I am absolutely sick about this. The cat hisses and growls when the dog looks at him but not as bad as before. The dog doesn't come near the cat as long as I am holding him or he is in the room with me. Thanks so much in advance! I really love this kitten and I love the dog too!
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Please do not be too hard on yourself - I believe this will have a happy ending. If you start over and go very, very slowly through the steps to introducing the animals outlined in the blog, I believe it will work. Be sure to reward both of them (especially the dog) in each other's presence. We want your dog to associate the presence of the kitten with getting a treat so eventually, the kitten becomes a good thing. I can tell how much you love both of them so please stick with it.
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Thank you so much for your kind words and advice. It has been almost two weeks. I have been working really hard with the pair and things are so much better now. No more growling, hissing, they just sniff each other! The dog is still jealous but not being mean at all! Your advice helped so much. However, there is one problem-the dog likes to eat out of the litter box? Ewww! Any suggestions on that? I thank you so much! I am so glad it had a happy ending like you thought it would. Midnight (dog) and Yoda (cat) thank you also!
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Great job with Midnight and Yoda! As for the litter box, please check back tomorrow as I will do a post on the subject.
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I found a stray kitten an hour or two ago. Couldn't find her mother anywhere.. My husband and I brought her home, gave her a bath in diluted shampoo to get the majority of the dirt off of her. Pulled off a few ants, a handful of fleas.. We're going to take her to a groomer/vet tomorrow. My question is this: My husband has a seven-month old Dachshund pup who hasn't had much interaction with other animals since we got him. We gathered them together by the scruffs, the dog did a lot of sniffing but didn't growl or snap at her, mostly curious to see an animal that didn't bark and that was surprisingly smaller than him. The kitten hissed only once in warning when he got a bit too close for her comfort, and proceeded to ignore him until I pulled her away. I'm certain that I'm the first human to ever touch her, and that she's never been near a dog before, and it only took a bit of coaxing to get her to come to me. She ate gladly ate the tuna I gave her, after guessing she was probably 4-5 weeks old. Is it a good idea to keep trying to put the cat and dog together, despite the dog's natural urge to hunt and be a bit more rough than normal?
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This is the perfect time to introduce these two youngsters. Go slow and give the kitten plenty of time to rest. She needs time to adjust to the new environment. Never leave them together unsupervised until the kitten is older and the two of them have established a relationship. Congratulations on the new kitten!
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Dr. Nelson:
We have a 4.5 year old pit bull/whippet mix, who is a great dog with kids and people, but has never been great with other dogs, no bites, but gets really vocal, squeaking, hair up on the back, I think she is very unsure. When we leave in the morning she is like glue to you. We just got two 8 week old kittens that have been raised thus far with a German shorthair . I am following your steps and so far so good. We have the kittens in my daughters room and a gate up down the hall in case. She did see the kittens in my kids arms and then they just went back in the room and she remained calm so I rewarded her. I figure this process will maybe take 4-6 days before I supervise them meeting with our dog . Someone suggested I use the muzzle that allows them to drink, but not bite. I am thinking this is a good idea as our dog has gotten a rabbit or two, a ground hog. Does this sound right? I will go back to the step before if anyone seems stressed or anxious.
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I think a basket muzzle is a wonderful idea. It will provide an extra level of insurance to protect the kittens. Basket muzzles come in two types, a thick flexible plastic and a wire mesh. If you get the wire mesh type, make sure it is well padded around the edges to protect your dog's face. It sounds like you are doing everything right. Please give the process whatever time your dog needs to make it a success. The prey instinct is strong and it may take a long time to retrain your dog's behavior pattern. Good luck!
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I only wish I had researched this earlier. Went to PA for Thanksgiving, my oldest son, 17, is a cat person. We took out "rescued" yorkie/terrier mix, love of our lives with us to PA! She was smaller than the cats there, and of course, the HUGE farm dogs! But, she showed them who was boss! LOL! Then, the kittens were found in the barn. We brought one home (about 8 weeks old), of course the dog sniffed and followed her everywhere for the first 2 days! But, I thought things were good, now 4-5 days later, my dog (named Baby Girl) won't play, doesn't want to stay outside (like usual), only wants to sleep. She's very lethargic all of a sudden and I do not know what to do! I'm literally crying over this! I've tried loving her, holding her, but she just doesn't respond like she used to. I'm going to walk her later today, see if that helps, maybe put the kitten in my son's bedroom this evening, and try to spend one on one time, but right now, I don't know if Baby Girl is sick or depressed! I feel horrible now! I thought a "kitten" would be a good play mate and they'd grow fond of each other. Baby Girl is 3 years old! We rescued her from an abusive family when she was 1. Now I feel like a horrible person. This is breaking my heart! Right now, Baby Girl is laying on my bed (she's been there for 4 hours this morning), doesn't seem to want to go outside and "get the squirrels"! Something is definitely not right! What to do?
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I am concerned that Baby Girl contracted an illness from her visit to the farm animals. Please take her to your veterinarian right away for laboratory tests and bring a fecal sample just in case she picked up a parasite. Giving a kitten a home for life is wonderful. When Baby Girl feels better, I think they will become wonderful friends. Good luck and let me know how it goes.
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Hello,
We have an 8 month old Australian Labradoodle. She is well trained for her age, super smart and of course playful and energetic. Until recently we had a sweet quiet 18 yr old cat. The puppy did very well learning to leave the cat alone bc the cat did not want to play! We always supervised them and kept the puppy on leash and gave her lots of positive reinforcement for not chasing, lunging etc. they sniffed eachother nose to nose occasionally and could both be lying down in the same room ignoring each other. Neither seemed stressed.
Sadly, we recently lost our cat. We would love to rescue a cat and are trying to figure out the best way and timing. Should we wait until the puppy is older? Or is it a good time now since the puppy is used to being restricted/leaving her alone rather than reteaching her at a later date? Any advice? We really appreciate any insight you could offer because we want to be fair to our puppy and to a future cat.
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I am sorry for the loss of your beloved cat. Since your puppy is used to cats, you may adopt another whenever you are ready. Introduce them slowly as you did with your prior cat. Give the new cat several days to adapt to the new environment and establish escape routes before letting them meet. As you did before, always supervise their interactions until they are comfortable with each other. Again, my deepest sympathy on the loss of your cat. Please let me know how it goes with the new addition.
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I'm sorry I left a detailed question a few minutes ago and left out my final question - it seems like you recommend young (-12 wks) kittens ideally for dog socialization. Would that be your suggestion in our case as well? Thanks so much.
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Animals are like people in many ways. As they age, they become more set in their ways so to speak. This is not to say that older people and animals can't learn new skills, just that it takes more convincing. In general, it is easier to introduce youngsters to each other which is why I recommend introducing animals to other species at the earliest age possible.
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I am excited to see your post. We adopted a boxer/lab mix in April and want to get a kitten. We are just so unsure how our dog would be with a kitten because she sometimes plays rough and is protective. Our dog is very smart and trainable, so I think we can do this!
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Good luck and remember to go slow with the intro.
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OK, we have had our kitten for 5 days and have done the blanket sniffing and have been giving the dog treats when she sniffs under the door or is sniffing the blanket. How do we know when it's time to go on to the next step--the visual? I want both of our pets to be happy and safe!
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Sorry for the slow response. Many animals get sick over the holidays. When both pets react well to the smell of the other it is time to go to the visual part of the introduction. By reacting well, I mean no hissing, growling cowering, etc. Congratulations on the new kitten. I wish you many years of happiness together!
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hello found your advice on introducing a kitten to the family dog helpfill and will put your advice into practice
thank you
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Ok, we have had our kitten for 4 days and have let them sniff blankets. The dog knows there is something in the other room and sniffs under the door and occasionally barks. I give her treats sometimes while she is sniffing. When do I know it is time to move to the visual contact?
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I have 2 dogs ( rottweiler X's) a male and female. both friendly and easy going - i have no doubt that introducing a kitten will go well with the steps above. would a male or female kitten be better in this situation?
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Good question! In my experience, either sex is fine. Congratulations on the new edition. Please send a picture of all three if you can. I would love to see them together.
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So far so good. We ended up adopting a 7 month old female kitten (Whisky). All has been going well - we have had Whisky for just under 5 days and are into step 5 :)
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That's good news. Keep up the good work.
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So glad I found you! Our cat (14 years old) recently passed and we are starting to plan for a kitten. We adopted a border collie mix at 1 1/2. Our cat was already older and very large. There were no issues. Our 2nd dog was adopted as a puppy. Again no issues. The dogs have killed rats, a possum, a squirrel, birds, and a bunny in the backyard. We will follow your steps for sure! I have been very worried they would kill a kitten. Should we use the muzzle as well?
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Yes, I would take all the precautions possible to make sure an accident doesn't happen. I like the softer, plastic basket muzzles. If you get a metal one, be sure to pad the area that contacts the dog's face. I am sorry for the loss of your cat but excited that you are planning for another. Good luck!
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Hi, we got our cat off a farm and then a year later our dog, they had a very close relationship and loved each other, even slept together occasionally, unfortunately our cat died a month ago. Our dog has seemed quite sad since. We're ready to get a kitten but have no idea how he will react. Do you think it would be okay or is it too soon?
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My condolences to you for the loss of your cat. Animals can develop close relationships just like people. When their beloved friend dies, I have seen and heard of behaviors that make me think they are going through the stages of grief. First they will look for their buddy and be a bit temperamental. When they stop looking, lethargy sets in and they mope around the house. In my experience, pets are ready for a new buddy when they stop looking. Depending upon the age of your dog, a cat who likes dogs might be better than a kitten. Perhaps it would be good to take the dog with you and let him/her help you decide. Again, my deepest sympathies for the loss of your cat.
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