Need advice introducing a VERY vocal/excitable dachshund to a cat

[u/ornamental_teddybear]

I recently took in a stray cat and I’m trying to safely acclimate her and my dog to each other. My dog Winston is a 2-year-old mini dachshund who has never lived with a cat before.

The cat is currently set up in my bathroom with everything she needs. She has been checked by a vet, and the vet said I can begin introducing them.

The problem is Winston is making even the very beginning stages difficult because he gets EXTREMELY loud and fixated as soon as he sees her.

I’ve tried having Winston leashed and keeping him at a distance while I crack the bathroom door enough for the cat to look out. The second he sees her, he starts screech/barking and trying to get closer to her. It’s not just normal barking — he sounds absolutely insane lol. Because he’s already so worked up, it’s hard to reward calm behavior around her when I can’t seem to get him under threshold in the first place.

I’m having trouble reading whether this is prey drive/aggression, frustration, or just extreme excitement/curiosity. His hackles are NOT raised. His tail doesn’t seem completely stiff/straight either, and I haven’t seen snarling, teeth showing, or anything like that. But obviously I don’t want to assume he’s harmless just because I’m not seeing those signs.

The cat seems curious about him and will come toward/look through the doorway, but Winston’s reaction understandably makes it impossible to let her explore much further right now.

For anyone who has successfully introduced a high-energy, VERY vocal/fixated dog (especially a dachshund or another breed with prey drive) to a cat:

• What body language should I be watching for to distinguish excitement/frustration from prey drive or aggression?

• How do I work on getting him under threshold when even seeing a tiny bit of the cat from a distance immediately sets him off?

• Should I be doing scent swapping/feeding on opposite sides of the door for a while before allowing any more visual contact?

• Would a baby gate or other barrier be better than cracking the door with him leashed?

• At what point would you consider them ready for the next step?

I’m absolutely not planning to just let them loose together and hope for the best. I want to do this safely for both animals, but I’d also really appreciate practical advice from people who have dealt with a dog who loses his entire mind at the first sight of the cat. 😂

Thank you!

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[u/Beautiful-Map-2744]

Get Winston a stuffed cat that looks like your new cat, and rub the stuffed cat all over the new cat before you introduce the stuffed cat to Winston. DO NOT let him rough-house the stuffed cat, take it away if he tries. Then you take the stuffed cat with Winston's scent and introduce that to the new cat. I had some friends that introduced a new baby to their dog that way. They took a baby blanket the child had used and just placed it in his dog bed. He laid on it for a couple of days, and then they presented the actual baby.

[u/Big_Menu4037]

Has Winston ever attack another animal if not then I would let the cat lose as long as the cat is not ferrel. Introduced cats and dogs to my family without hassle the cat will hide for a while . Separating them causes anxiety especially for a cat kept in a small room