DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I recently adopted a year-old puppy. “Max” is a friendly, well-socialized dog, and during the trial stay a month ago, my 10-year-old cat, “Nora,” seemed to tolerate him. Well, on the second day that Max was home, he started barking excitedly. Nora sprang up and attacked him, cornering Max on the sofa. She batted him around the snout several times. Now, Max slinks out of the room anytime that Nora appears. How can I make peace between them? -- Gerry G., Manchester, New Hampshire DEAR GERRY: I’m sorry to hear that! Introducing a new pet into an established household can be stressful for both pets and sometimes unpredictable. And any negative interactions that occur from hissing and barking to an all-out boxing match -- can make future harmony nearly impossible to achieve. One or both pets may begin to exhibit behavioral issues like aggression, soiling in the house, chewing and scratching, and more.
For the foreseeable future, you’ll need to manage and monitor all interactions between Max and Nora. As soon as they begin to react negatively, they need to be separated.
