Cats & Dogs (kitten, male, safe, main)

[drew06]

DH and I have just purchased a home and now that we have a yard he believes that we need to have a dog... The hitch is we already have a 5 year old male cat, Dennis. Dennis has lived with other cats before (I'm not sure how that went though), but never a dog. We were thinking a puppy would be better as it'll be young enough to become acclimated to a cat and Dennis could still "rule his roost" as it were. I know it will take a while for them to cohabitate, but does anyone have any advice on how to make it safe and comfortable for both of them? (Dennis will have plenty of space and room to hide and we will crate puppy while we're gone to avoid any accidental rough play). Also with a male cat does the sex of a new pet matter?

Thanks!

[ShelbyGirl1]

Intros should go slow. It is all about scent in acclimating them. Rub each one down with a towel and exchange towels....let the puppy lie on the cats towel and vice-a-versa.
Kennel the puppy and let the cat circle him....leash the pup and let him come out of the kennel...try and keep him quite and calm...The cat will hiss and yowl...but curiosity will get the better of him and he will want to investigate. The pup will probably need to get his nose swatted a few times before he realizes cats come equipped with claws.
It just takes time and patience and make sure everyone stays safe. A rambuctious puppy can really scare a cat...and a cat flying at a puppy could scare him for life. SLOW is the key!
Check out my "Jax is home thread". Just introduced a new kitten to our other resident cats and Dylan, our Golden Retriever, this past weekend.
And no...sex of the puppy will make no difference.

[catman]

It sounds as if you've already got it figured out pretty well. There will likely be some unpleasantries at first, but they should get along all right afterwards. Just give them time. I can't answer the question about the gender of the new pet...I wouldn't think it would matter too much. The personalities involved will be the main focus.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

I have had cats and dogs for close to 30 yrs and never had a problem. Just remember a puppy needs to be trained for housebreaking. An older dog who is already house-broken and calmer might work out better, depending on your schedule and patience. Puppies require a lot of patience!