Cat owners who have adopted a dog...

[Cameo]

How did it go for you? We are currently fostering a dog (schnoodle - schnauzer/poodle) from our humane society and are quite in love with the pooch. She was turned into the vet to be euthanized since she peed in the house. Humane society discovered she had a urinary problem and she is now on special food. She does not pee in our house.

She is a great dog, wonderful with the kids. The problem is my two very precious kitties. We have had our kitties (sisters) for 10 years and they have been my number one critters. They have the run of the house and are pretty social with the family. One of them likes to follow me around a lot.

Of course, they are terrified of the dog. Although she would never hurt them (she lived in the same room with cats at the shelter), she gets excited to see them and wants to "greet" them. They run and hide. They have been hiding in the basement for the last 5 days that the dog has been here, although they do come out to see me when I go to visit them.

We try to introduce them every once in a while (from across the room) and have lots of high kitty condos and places they can perch, but they prefer to hide under the beds. The dog is kenneled at night and if we leave the house.

Everyone tells me they will adjust but I am feeling terribly guilty because they were here first and shouldn't have to suffer for this newcomer. Our vet said it will take a minimum of three weeks for them to adjust, but I'm worried they will never be the same. Has anyone had a similar situation and how did you deal with it?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I wouldn't let her chase the kitties, even though your pretty sure she wouldn't hurt them. We got a dog when we had 2 older cats. He didn't chase them at all, but I kept him leashed until I was sure that he wouldn't chase and/or hard the cats. Also, until they adjusted to him. They had a pretty fast adjustment. Too bad that he didn't come into our life earlier because we'd had a cat die not long before (old age) who LOVED dogs. We wished that that particular cat had of been able to live with a dog since he would have been best buddies with a dog.

Anyway, once of of those old cats died, we got two kittens and our dog continued to get along with them. He would play with one of them a little roughly, but it was just in play. After a few years we adopted another dog who liked to chase the cats. By then we just had the 2 younger cats. Well, after a few years she still liked to chase the cats... She doesn't hurt them, but is rough in her play. It took me awhile to truse Sheena with the cats. Then to complicate things, this fall I got 2 kittens. Again, it took awhile for me to trust Sheena with the kittens.

For quite awhile after getting Sheena, and then again after we got the kittens, I leashed Sheena and didn't allow chasing. She really had to probe herself and the cats needed to know that they were safe. One of our cats (Belle) has never liked Sheena, but is a little better now that we have the kittens and Sheena concentrates more on the kittens than her. Tigger has always been fine with both dogs, though.

The short answer is to not push the dog on your cats. Maybe keep the dog leashed if you think she is going to chase. You cats will probably adjust fine. Give them extra treats when they are not in hiding, play with them, give them catnip, etc. Anything to help draw them back out.

Sounds like you have a nice dog!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You have to leash the pooch and train it to have some manners around the cats. Do not allow it to "greet" the cats (run up on them), this of course is a "aggressive or dominant" move as far as animals go. I suppose you can look at it as a human standpoint if some stranger you don't know constantly gets in your face.

Instead the dog is leashed and the cats walk up to it. You establish yourself as the "alpha" and train the dog, not the other way around.

Once the dog is trained not to charge the cats and then they know you are "in-charge" and not the dog they will relax.

Train, train, train.....

 

[luvwinnie]

We got Winnie (our English bulldog) when my kitties (also sisters) were 2. I think a lot depends on the cat's personalities. Pepper is a scaredy cat and STILL hates Winnie 7 years later! Tigger is more laid back. She has no interest in being friends, but she doesn't get scared if Winnie approaches her to play. She just growls and walks away. I do know people who have introduced a dog and the cat and dog became pals. Not happening in my house though. Good luck!