Changes

The dog should be distracted and controlled; leashed, and positively reinforced for staying sitting down or on a bed under close supervision. The cat should be allowed to enter the room and approach to a position from which it is able to watch the dog. With repeated experience, the cat should grow in confidence entering the room. The dog must receive repeated reinforcement for not reacting to the cat, as it moves around the floor, climbs, jumps and plays. Once it is clear that the dog is well controlled, then the same exercises can be carried out with the dog on an extendable leash, and ultimately off leash. Baby gates should remain until it is clear that no problem is developing.

The dog should be distracted and controlled; leashed, and positively reinforced for staying sitting down or on a bed under close supervision. The cat should be allowed to enter the room and approach to a position from which it is able to watch the dog. With repeated experience, the cat should grow in confidence entering the room. The dog must receive repeated reinforcement for not reacting to the cat, as it moves around the floor, climbs, jumps and plays. Once it is clear that the dog is well controlled, then the same exercises can be carried out with the dog on an extendable leash, and ultimately off leash. Baby gates should remain until it is clear that no problem is developing.

There is some evidence that a synthetic form of the F4 fraction of the feline facial and flank marking pheromone (Felifriend) can facilitate interactions between cats and novel social stimuli<ref>Mills, D.S., Dube, M.B., Zulch, H. (2012) Stress and Pheromonatherapy in Small Animal Clinical Behaviour. Wiley-Blackwell.</ref>. When applied to the shoulder and neck area of dogs, it may reduce avoidant behaviour by cats. However, this is only safe when the dog has no history of harming or attempting to harm cats. Cats that have already had experience of being chased or injured by dogs may be confused by the dissonance between the visual recognition of threat combined with an odour cue that implies safe familiarity. This can induce [[Feline Fear Overview|panic]].

There is some evidence that a synthetic form of the F4 fraction of the feline facial marking pheromone (Felifriend) can facilitate interactions between cats and novel social stimuli<ref>Mills, D.S., Dube, M.B., Zulch, H. (2012) Stress and Pheromonatherapy in Small Animal Clinical Behaviour. Wiley-Blackwell.</ref>. When applied to the shoulder and neck area of dogs, it may reduce avoidant behaviour by cats. However, this is only safe when the dog has no history of harming or attempting to harm cats. Cats that have already had experience of being chased or injured by dogs may be confused by the dissonance between the visual recognition of threat combined with an odour cue that implies safe familiarity. This can induce [[Feline Fear Overview|panic]].

==Investigation==

==Investigation==

Initially these introductory sessions should be brief, not longer than 10 minutes, to avoid undue stress to the cat. This also avoids the dog becoming overexcited or frustrated and disruptive during training. Sessions should end with the cat being more relaxed than at the beginning of the session, and stopped if the cat shows signs of increasing arousal or fear. If the cat shows signs of increasing stress during every session, behavioural therapy is likely to lead to a worsening emotional response, rather than an improvement.

Initially these introductory sessions should be brief, not longer than 10 minutes, to avoid undue stress to the cat. This also avoids the dog becoming overexcited or frustrated and disruptive during training. Sessions should end with the cat being more relaxed than at the beginning of the session, and stopped if the cat shows signs of increasing arousal or fear. If the cat shows signs of increasing stress during every session, behavioural therapy is likely to lead to a worsening emotional response, rather than an improvement.

Sessions should progress to include the dog moving around and playing. This should take the form of controlled activities, such as obedience training, and then short bouts of calm play with the dog. The aim is to make these activities controlled and repeatable so that the cat’s response can be monitored and the range of activities expanded without triggering fear. A synthetic analogue of the F4 fraction of feline facial and flank marking pheromone (Felifriend) may be applied to the shoulder and neck area of a dog so that the cat is more likely to accept it as familiar and non-threatening. However, this is less likely to be effective if the cat has already had negative experiences with dogs (especially if there have been negative experiences with the dog to be introduced).

Sessions should progress to include the dog moving around and playing. This should take the form of controlled activities, such as obedience training, and then short bouts of calm play with the dog. The aim is to make these activities controlled and repeatable so that the cat’s response can be monitored and the range of activities expanded without triggering fear. A synthetic analogue of the F4 fraction of feline facial marking pheromone (Felifriend) may be applied to the shoulder and neck area of a dog so that the cat is more likely to accept it as familiar and non-threatening. However, this is less likely to be effective if the cat has already had negative experiences with dogs (especially if there have been negative experiences with the dog to be introduced).

Psychoactive medication may be used to reduce fear and anxiety. [[Selegiline]] is licensed for the treatment of behavioural problems with an underlying emotional cause in dogs, and may be the first choice drug in cats with a fear of dogs (following CASCADE). However, in cats that show panic or generalised anxiety, a serotonergic drug may be more appropriate. These drugs take a minimum of 4-6 weeks to reach efficacy.

Psychoactive medication may be used to reduce fear and anxiety. [[Selegiline]] is licensed for the treatment of behavioural problems with an underlying emotional cause in dogs, and may be the first choice drug in cats with a fear of dogs (following CASCADE). However, in cats that show panic or generalised anxiety, a serotonergic drug may be more appropriate. These drugs take a minimum of 4-6 weeks to reach efficacy.