Dogs and Cats: How Lava & Hela Treat the Kitties

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

For those of you who have both dogs and cats, you understand how each of these relationships is unique and different. Getting my first cat Miki last year was a very rewarding experience, as both Lava and Hela accepted him very quickly. They have been gentle and patient with him for the most part, since day one, although it took them a few weeks to become calmer around him. Anything new is just too exciting! Things got a bit more complex when I decided to get not one, but two kittens in November this year. It’s been a whirlwind since!

Slowly Does It

When it comes to introducing cats or kittens to a dog, it’s very important to know the dog’s temperament. Lava has been socialized and spent a lot of time as a puppy around other dogs, cats and kittens, and even cows and sheep. This gave me confidence in knowing she would accept any new kitten or cat with little effort. And that’s how it was with Miki. She warmed up to him from the moment he arrived, and the two of them formed a special bond.

Lava and Miki

Lava loves kittens! And puppies! And anything that is the size of a toy and she can play with, or even try to pick up and carry around. She did try doing it to our farm kittens when she was a puppy herself. It didn’t go well. Now, all grown up and much smarter (well, unlikely), she hasn’t tried picking up any more kittens, but she loves looking at them and playing with them, in the most awkward of ways, as she is really too big.

She loved Miki from day one! And he loved her as well, although it took him a bit longer than just a day to get used to his new canine companions. He and Lava formed a bond, as they shared a bed and Miki soon started following us around and joining us for walks. He still comes to greet Lava more often than Hela, although he’s learned that Lava is a bit more peculiar about sharing her bed, so he doesn’t try to snuggle up to her as much as he used to. And the new kittens have brought a fair degree of chaos to a previously “calm” house.

Hela and Minnie

Minnie joined us at the beginning of November as a very young kitten with several health issues. It made her quite attached to me, and soon enough to both dogs. She has no fear and is used to biting the dog’s tails and legs, and even walking all over them. Lava is not so thrilled, as she doesn’t like sharing her private space, toys, or food. However, Hela started behaving as if she really wanted a kitten. She snuggles with Minnie and lets her do anything Minnie pleases, and it seems like Minnie senses that, too. She chooses Hela over Lava most of the time.

How Dogs Treat the Newbie

And then we come over to the newest addition, who’s been with us for just over three weeks. Nara, the ginger little mischief, the chaos bringer, and the most feisty of them all. This is a kitten I still struggle to handle or pick up, as she hates it. Because she is a kitten picked up from the streets, clearly lacking proper early socialization, she needs a lot of time to gain trust in me and the rest of the gang. Nara is the slowest one to fit in. But she is getting there. Minnie hates her, and that is obvious, but the dogs approach her quite slowly and gently, as they can pick up on her uncertainty and fearfulness. She does hiss at them if they startle her, but she’s already showing signs that she wants to play with them, and again, has found Hela easier to approach than Lava. Lava is bigger, so maybe that also plays a role.

Always a Level Of Caution

Despite knowing that my dogs are quite friendly and tolerant of cats, I am still very cautious and never leave them unattended with the kitties. Being a vet, I have learned that animals are unpredictable and that a lot of factors can influence their behavior, some of which we may not even be aware of. So I don’t like to leave anything to chance. Even overnight, Nara mostly sleeps in her crate to prevent any conflicts or scares that may undo all of our hard work in trying to make all introductions gradual and as calm as possible. Wish us luck!