Introducing new dog to blind cat?

[CSquaredM]

Hello all!

My husband and I have two cats, one of whom went blind due to medical issues about a year and a half ago. She (Matilda) has adapted mostly well, but she was always a little bit of a scaredy cat so those tendencies are sometimes amplified now that she can't see. We have long wanted to adopt a shelter dog, but because we were apartment dwellers held off. Now that we live in a house with more space, a yard, etc., we really want to pursue adoption, likely this summer when we're on break from teaching and have more time to help make the transition go smoothly.

I am obviously very concerned about not stressing out or scaring Matilda. Our other cat (Olivia) is extremely laid back and I have no worries about her adjusting. But when I adopted Matilda, it took her a long time to stop growling/hissing at Olivia, even though she was the new cat! We would obviously look for dogs with personalities that would best fit our current furry family (i.e. not yappy, hyperactive, etc.), make sure the cats have their own non-dog spaces initially, have supervised visits, etc. But I'm still worried that this new animal presence that Matilda can't see is going to unduly frighten her. The ASPCA website guidelines for introducing new dogs and cats really emphasize getting your dog and cat to refocus their (visual) attention on you when they get too upset by the other animal, and rewarding them with treats, but obviously I can't employ this strategy with a blind cat!

I guess my questions are: how should I deal with this situation? Has anyone successfully navigated this before? Are there particular strategies that have worked for you? Am I being selfish by wanting to adopt a dog when it will probably stress Matilda out and should I just forget the whole thing?

[critters]

I'd go for it. I wouldn't want to assume the possibility of problems that can't be overcome, and I think there's a good chance everything will work out in the end. The right dog is probably the most, important--an old, laid-back, quiet, respectful dog will go a long way, and I expect some behavior management for Matilda should help the rest. She probably won't love her pupper right away. Food will probably be the best way to reach her, but be careful NOT to reward her fear. I'd also suggest whacking her claws, just in case she throws a temper fit.