Should I get a dog while I have an old cat?
Bringing a new dog into a home with an elderly cat causes unneeded stress and risks harming the cat's remaining quality of life. This makes people feel like they are rushing their pet's passing just to accommodate a new pet.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1waiting until the senior cat passes away before getting a dog
- 2gating off parts of the house to keep the cat separated from the dog
- 3Cat-sitting for a friend or family member to test the waters
- 4Fostering an adult cat from a local shelter to see how the senior cat reacts
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Get a dog after the cat has passed. You are just putting unneeded stress on him”source ↗
“Are you trying to expedite the cat’s passing? Because that’s going to happen”source ↗
“Yeah now is NOT the time for a dog”source ↗
“I think so. Poor cat is old and doesn't need the stress.”source ↗
“The ? Is really what would happen to her if you introduce another cat into her life (might be good or bad).”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 9Resident dog hates the new dog
- 9How to stop a cat from attacking after bringing home a puppy
- 43How to help a terrified rescue cat adjust to a new home
- 16Older cat still hissing at new kitten after months
- 8Will an extremely clingy resident cat accept a second cat?
- 8Will a former stray cat ever become affectionate?