Community Chat

[NancyNick]

I need advice on how to create peace between our 5 month old kitten and dog.

Here's the situation: I've had 3 adult cats for years. Last year, we adopted a 25 lb dog (pomeranian mix) named Stella. The cats sulked for a while, but things got better with time and now everyone gets along OK. (1 cat plays with Stella, the other 2 cats hiss sometimes, but nothing serious.)

Three weeks ago, we adopted a sweet black & white kitten (Oscar).

Here's the good news: the 3 cats accepted the new kitten immediately. I thought they'd need to be separated for a week or two, but within 2-3 days, all cats were happy and playing together.

The problem is Stella. I've kept her separated from Oscar, but they can see each other through a baby gate that I installed. Stella gets very excited when she sees Oscar and bolts toward him, and even barks. The other day, the kitten walked right through the baby gate (I didn't realize he could fit) and into the room. Stella sprinted toward the kitten and terrified him. I had to scoop the dog up and put her outside.

Stella's actions look aggressive, but she in fact loves cats. She wants to play and smell the new kitten. I don't know what to do. Stella can't control her instincts to bark and run straight toward the poor, terrified kitten.

I'm afraid if the kitten strikes Stella, that the dog will get mad.

Has anyone had similar experiences?