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My dog is anxious and barks at our new cat. How can I calm her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 7 years and 4 months old | 14 lbs

Back in December we adopted a cat and about 2-3 months ago Betty (my dog) has been acting really weird towards her. Every time she sees her she starts crying and or barking at her to the point that she is shaking and pretty much up all night whenever the cat comes in the room. I think it is affecting her health. Is there anything we can do or give her to calm her down? Thanks!

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Eryn Taormina, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 10th, 2018

Hi there! Betty sure sounds shaken up by her new housemate. There are some natural supplements you can try to help alleviate her anxiety. Zylkene is a natural supplement that your veterinarian can prescribe. It can be very helpful in these types of situations. Another product called, Canine Compsure, is also a natural supplement that may be helpful. I would try these products first. They should help with Betty's anxiety with her new friend. If those don't work, you may want to call a trainer in to evaluate Betty's behavior around the new cat. They may have some advice as to how you can help her work through it her issues. You may also want to keep Betty and the cat separate during the night too for a while, until Betty feels better about the whole situation. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!

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