Older cat with new puppy

[redroses96]

Hi, I'm Toni,

    I have a 16 year old long-haired female furbaby....her name is Trouble.  She has always been not so friendly with other people and animals....we figured it was because we worked nites and she never really seen anyone else.   But our new  concern that after many, many years of my husband wanting a puppy, I finally gave in lol.   We found one and now I'm not quite sure what to do.

    We brought the puppy home and she took off into "her" room and wouldn't come out.  So I took her food, water and litter box in there  to give her time to come out on her own.  At night I confine the puppy in "his" room so she has full run of the house and when we are gone the puppy is kenneled and she can roam free.   She has come out a few times, but sees the puppy and retreats back in there and then she vomits, I am assuming from nerves.  My husband has brought her out in the living room and closed the door to "her" room to keep her out there and she goes up on her perch and watches. 

     It has only been acouple days, but my husband says I should put her food back out in the kitchen up where the puppy can't get it and she will eventually come out and eat.....but I know the first day she didn't eat or drink for about half the day, until I took it to her.  I am at a loss of what to do....giving her age and her being our only furbaby for SO long, I am concerned that this could have some terrible consequences.  Please help....thank you

 

[StefanZ]

  She has come out a few times, but sees the puppy and retreats back in there and then she vomits, I am assuming from nerves. 

Ouch, what a situation...   And I think this vomiting from nerves is a key here.  Most  other cats would get aggressive instead on that intruding puppy. But she gets nervous and anxious instead, and vomits...

So lets assume the nerves and anxiety is the key here.

What can we do about nerves?

1.  Feliway adapter/diffuser, this will send calming and destressing feromenoes.

1b.  Feliway spray, for a more mobile use.

2.  Calm, relaxing soft music on.

3. Look out on Dr Bachs drops, the Rescue Remedy is the most known and used of them, but there are others.  Sounds like hokus pokus, but very many had witnessed it works nicely.

4. Of course, do a lot of petting on her, murmuring very softly and nicely.   If they are both nearby, do make most friendly fuss on her, NOT the puppy.

When you notice these measures seems to work, we shall discuss next steps of making them two to approach each others.

  Please continue to report, so we can go on forwards with the brainstormning.

Warmth welcome to our Forums!

  Good luck!