Introducing a boxer and cat to new home and each other

Question
We are merging families. I have a 5 yr old cockapoo and a 1 1/2 yr old cat. Both females.  They live together fine, but I'm moving in with a friend, she has a female boxer, a little over a year old.  How do I most safely introduce the boxer to my cat? And to the dog for that matter.  Cockapoo is very relaxed and not dominant. The new house is currently neutral territory. I can move in my pets about 2 days before the boxer arrives.

Answer
Hi Jessica,

The main thing is to take it slowly, and be sure each animal has their own 'safe place' where the others can't disturb them.  If they don't already know them, start teaching the dogs a solid "Leave It" and "Down/Stay" - this will help manage the acclimation period.  Boxers generally have fairly high prey drives, and they're very inquisitive, so you might consider introducing her to the cat through a baby gate at first.  (Also, introduce the two dogs separately from introducing the Boxer to the cat.)  One of the links below suggests using baby gates and cutting cat-sized holes in them, so the cat will have an escape route should it need one; other people have raised the baby gates a little above the floor, so the cat can go underneath it.  (I would be sure the gates are very secure, as the Boxer may try to go through or under it at first!)  

If your cat and your dog have lived peacefully, then the cat is probably pretty good at communicating in a way dogs can understand.  Don't get too upset about some hissing or spitting, but if the Boxer doesn't back off you may want to step in - it may take a little swipe to the nose before the Boxer figures things out, but you don't want the cat to end up scratching the face or eye.  

These links have some good tips, the first for teaching "Leave It' with living things, and the others for introducing a new dog to a dog or a cat.  There are a variety of suggestions so that you can use the ones that will work best for your situation.

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001b/leaveit.htm
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Introducing.html
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Cat.html

Good luck!

~Jennifer