Question for dog owners with cats.

HeaderAutumn

Some breeds do have a natural stronger prey drive. They chase anything that moves quickly. Petfinder.com is a great website that has a quiz you can take to find the best type of dog for your whole family. Always have places the cats can jump up in all rooms they are allowed in just in case and take about a month of good behavior before you allow them to be around each other without supervision. Good Luck

chicklidell

I have two amazing dogs, a Chiwawa and an 80lbd English bulldog... My boy wouldn’t care if there's kitties around but my Chiwawa would feel threatened and would give them a hard time. My big boy is protective of her so... dunno what would happen; he's too busy sleeping, eating and farting. She 's the instigator...

I have heard an aweful story about a big cat eating a puppy Chiwawa because it was jealous of all the attention it was getting… that’s just messed up! 

Me, I get itchy just thinking about cats. Check out my posted pics of my babies.

I have 2 English bullies!, Lola and Daisy....greatest dogs in the world.. I also have2 persian cats, Pickles and Gizmo, we had to keep them in separate rooms for awhile, but honestly the cats were nastier to the dogs, I needed to worry more about the cats hurting my girls then anything...eventually they all got along...and peace in the house once again! lol

chicklidell

But if you want a running partner...don't get an enlgish bully!!! lol they love the water..so kayaking maybe...but running..forget about it!

PlanetVelma

I have a friend who fosters animals, but also has "furrever" friends who live with her permanently. Any time she introduces a new animal, she crates in and places it in a common room, like the living room. The permanent residents can walk around the cage and get used to the smell of the new visitor. Then, when the permanent residents are outside, or closed in another room, let the new visitor out to smell things. Do this for about 3 weeks. Then, let them meet face to face, one at a time. Works like a charm every time.

SO unnecessary.

How is this "unnecessary"? I don't get that comment....

This is exactly how I introduced foster dogs to my other dogs and btw I was fostering large breed dogs.

My idea of a fun time isn't peeling apart two 80 lb dogs. For some reason that just doesn't sound like fun.

andreacord

I've got two dogs and a cat. Unfortunately none of them were adopted or fostered, we got the dogs from breeders and the cat from an animal hospital. Our first dog got a long fine with my cat, they pretty much just ignored each other. Now that we have a new puppy, a Rottie, the first dog and our cat have teamed up and are great friends now. My puppy chases the cat around the house and tries to mount him, lol. The cat is fine with it though as he can just jump to higher places. My cat isn't de-clawed and will swat at my puppy, not enough to scratch just enough to tell him to back off.

Basically, it's all dependant on how the new dog plays with the cat, but generally cats will just walk away or swat at them and the dog will get the hint.

^ This. My best friend has a labradoodle and a cat and the dog DID chase the cat, but after a couple swats it seems like they've come to a mutual, silent understanding that they need to not kill each other. Most dogs and cats get along though. My aunt's cat naps on the dog's back when he's napping, it's pretty cute. They're great pals.

jessicaann05

I have 2 rescue cats (3 & 2). We introduced a yellow lab puppy into the mix a little over a year ago. 1 cat gets along just fine with the dog -- he won her over basically by ignoring her, so she lost interest. My other cat completely hates her -- runs away, hisses, etc. It really has to do with the personality of the animals, and I think the breed of dog. Give it a try! They will work it out!

jwaitman

I have always had dogs and cats together in the house. All introduced at different stages and they all learn to get along together. Most recently we took in a kitten that was thrown out to the cold in January a couple years ago. She beats up the small dog (pomeranian) and takes a swat at the big dog (English Mastiff) every now and then. Both dogs were there before her and they all adapted, of course we had another cat at the time too and she hated the new cat.

It's funny too because the English Mastiff hates other animals in her yard and I believe she even killed at cat outside, but she has never made an attempt to harm Gracie Lou because she knows she belongs. All 3 of them run the house when we are not home and never a problem.

My cat does not have claws and we haven't had any problems. Talk to the shelter you are thinking of adopting from and let them know you have cats in the house. I am sure they can help you make a decision. They may know if the dogs have cat issues and won't let you adopt them.

sarvissa

I haven't read all the replies so maybe this has been said.... huskies have a VERY strong prey drive, so unless it's been raised with cats since puppyhood, it's generally not a good idea to have them together. I have a husky that I got when she was 8 weeks old, I also have 4 cats. Even though she's been raised with them, she still occasionally chases. She has killed several young opposums that had the misfortune to get into our backyard. They are killed near bloodlessly, she picked them up by the back and violently shakes them until they are dead (I've watched her do this with dog toys too). I'm not trying to say huskies are mean dogs, my dog is very, very sweet, you just have to be careful and do A LOT of research on them first. As much as I love her, had I done proper research beforehand, I would have never gotten one.

One more thing, they are escape artists. I recently read that fences are just mere suggestions for a husky to stay in a yard... and that is true. She can dig and be out of the yard in just a very few minutes. It's not a puppy thing that she'll grow out of either... she's 6 years old and has done this her entire life.

GaiaGirl1992

i agree with kacee75. you need to slowly introduce the dog to the cats so all parties can adjust, and everyone needs supervision for the first weeks. i would be careful with hunting/herding breeds (collies, jack russels, westies, pointers, labs, etc) as they might chase the cats and cause problems. give the cats places to escape, like cat trees. and petfinder.com has the search. try that!

good luck with your furry kids, hope the adoption goes well!

LabRat529

I'm not sure my input will be any more helpful than the others' on here, but I'll share anyway

I adopted my dog from the shelter. It took a while before both pets adapted. The cat had not been raised around dogs- I had her since she was a kitten- and the dog had been a stray and his history was unknown. I made my room the cat's safe haven. I put a cat tree in there and kept her there for the first week with the door closed. The dog and cat could smell each other, but not see each other. Then I put a baby gate in the door-way. When I was home and ONLY when I was home to supervise, I left the door open. Now they could see each other and the cat could come out if she wanted but the dog could not get in. The cat did not come out for several days, and then only carefully. At first, when the cat came out, she'd see the pesky dog was STILL in her territory and she'd run. Running was bad It triggered my dog's chase instincts. Fortunately, my dog is wonderfully smart and learned very quickly from me that "NO!" meant no chasing kitty.

So this went on for a month or more until finally the kitty learned that she was safe as long as I was around. The dog and cat gradually got more comfortable with each other and the cat stopped running when she saw the dog.

We had one major set back a few months in. By that time, the dog had learned that I was "his" and he started acting possessive. He was a herding dog (an Australian Shepherd) and when the cat would come to me for affection, he'd get in her face and herd her away. Sometimes he'd turn her round and round in a circle. Sometimes he'd herd her into a corner. I would tell him "no" and he'd sit and glare at her as she climbed in my lab. At one point, she was in my lap and he climbed up to snuggle beside me. Before I knew it, he had her head in his mouth. I was NOT happy. Fortunately, she didn't get hurt (he didn't clamp down) and he learned to never, ever bite the kitty.

Now, they're not exactly the best of friends, but she can sleep beside him and he won't protest, and I trust the two in the room together unsupervised. He mostly ignores her, though sometimes he's interested in what she's doing, especially when she's running around crazy playing with dust particles. He'll watch her closely then and even follow her, but he hasn't bite or anything like that.

He still has a jealous episode now and then. If she's on my lap, occasionally, he'll curl up beside me and put his head right on top of her. Sometimes, he'll try to sit on her. She doesn't like it, but he's bigger than her, so she moves. I make sure she gets some 'me' time with me and we're okay.

So that's my experience. I hope it helps.

margo36

I have three dogs and used to have cat that is no longer with with us. That cat ruled the roost and kept all three dogs in line. Only problem is she used to catch mice and feed them to the dogs. YUK

rammsteinsoldier

I had two cats and adopted a shelfter dog and things went great. They actually played together and sometimes slept together. At first the dog would stick his nose in the cats' bellies and they would thump him with the paws (no claws out) and he learned not to do that. Otherwise, there was only a few tiffs and they blew over quickly. My dog was indoors mostly and the cats were totally indoors and it was great having them all.

My daugther has two cats, 3 ferrets and a pit bull and they are best friends. They all get along and were brought into the house at different times and all from shelters. It is a great thing you are doing. I say go for it. Animals are the best part of life.

mgmlap

I agree with some of the other posters..as long as you state that you are the pack leader..and the cat is part of the pack..its usually all good.

I have 5 cats. ( i know..cat lady here) and 2 dogs. Baloo is at 60 pounds.. golden retriever/lab/chow mix and Ozzy is 80 pounds ..husky/Australian Shepard mix. They know not to bother the cats...

Baloo is the pack leader of the animals and they all know it. We had tornado warnings 2 summers ago..my oldest daughter ran to the basement..Ozzy went with her..but Baloo wouldnt..until she heard running...he went and gathered all the cats and made them run downstairs aswell..so he takes his job pretty seriously

CharismaticKestrel

Hello! I was a vet tech for 9 years, and then I worked as a manager in a dog boarding facility for a few years after that. So I have been exposed to ALL different breeds, in all different situations, talked to every kind of owner that can be imagined and this is what I've learned.

A dog that will be good with your kitties can come from any breed. That said, there are ABSOLUTELY some things you're going to want to watch for, and probably avoid, to be smart.

The first thing I always tell people is that they really need to research the breed they are looking at, even if its a mixed breed, research whatever they say is mixed into that breed. You need to look at the history, of what this dog was bred to do. Terriers for instance, were originally widely bred as hunters, and barn dogs to keep the rats out of the grain sacks. Translation, terriers are going to instinctively go after small moving creatures, that often includes your cats. This doesn’t mean they bad dogs, that’s just what they were bread to do. However, I have a jack russell that is FABULOUS with cats, sweet gentle and patient. This is because I knew what her parents were like (as I did buy her pure bred) and I also knew how to train her long before I ever brought her home. That is SO important, if I can stress anything its RESEARCH WHAT THE BRED WAS BREAD TO DO!!! And expect it do to that!

Breeds to avoid, there are only a few I will say this about. Its not because there is never an exception to the rule, but they are so far and few between it's ridiculous. These dogs are mainly one person dogs, they are dominant and often aggressive. They are not bad dogs, but if you don’t know EXACTLY what you are doing with them you can be in serious trouble. Dog #1 The shar pei. It was bred as a fighting dog originally, so is it a wonder when they become aggressive? Do not get a shar pei, or shar pei mix! Dog #2 The akita. Very dominant and large dogs, on top of which they do not often send the signals we are familiar with before they turn aggressive, ie it is not uncommon for them not to growl or show their teeth before they bite. Same is true for dog #3 The Chow Chow. These can be nice dogs, but its sort of a flip of the coin. Some seem nice for YEARS then turn aggressive suddenly. I usually tell people to avoid this bred to be safe, ESPICALLY if you have kids around. I don’t really trust them with cats either. Dog #4 the Bulldog. They are SO strong minded, they are difficult to train and often end up aggressive with other animals (not so often people) because of it. I don’t know a single person who has owned a bulldog for more than four years and hasn’t had to enlist some professional (and costly) training help just so they are able to keep the dog.

Considering that you are looking for a dog to be good with your cats you may want to avoid a pit bull too simply because the pit does have a strong fight instinct (as this is another dog originally bred for fighting) IF it does get into a situation where that is set off, and their bite is so severe that your kitties will not likely survive an attack. That said, I have met many, many wonderful pit bulls, it just depends on the dog.

Breeds I would recommend, Golden retrievers are almost always a safe bet. They usually don’t have a mean bone in their entire body, and LOVE cats. Also they are people pleasers and so are very easy to train. You just have to watch for skin, ear and joint problems in them, which is why I tell people to go to a respectable breeder, but what you pay upfront you will save yourself in vet bills later. Labradors are higher energy and will require a firm and some training, but a well trained Labrador is a wonderful thing! They have 'soft mouths' meaning even when they do bite they do not often bite hard (of course you will be correcting the dog not to bite at all even in play!) and so are usually fine with cats. If you know what you're doing and want a dog that will challenge you a bit, but can still be trusted to be respectable with the proper training a German Shepherd (from a respectable breeder) will probably be fine. They are very smart though and also can be dominant so if this is your first dog probably not a good idea. I could go on and on but those are the first ones that come to mind.

If you're looking to go to a rescue dog anyway then my advice to you is this, look for a dog that has already been proven to be good with cats. Any respectable rescue is going to be honest with you. The last thing they want is to have you bring the dog back in a month. Many rescues will test the dogs to make certain they are good with cats/kids ect. and then it is usually just a matter of getting your kitties to accept the dog. I like to take the dog into a room (without the cats) let him lay around for a bit, then put the dog away, stick the kitties in the room the dog was in and allow them to acclimate to his scent first. A couple days of this before you actually 'introduce' them is good. Then when you do introduce the dog, have him on a leash and let the kitty be the one to investigate. Don’t be surprised if they take a swat or two at the dog, do not let the dog retaliate. The kitties ALWAYS need to be the boss in a doggie kitty relationship (as a cat is not going to kill a dog). However, you still want to control the situation, but YOU be the one to tell the kitty no, don't allow the dog to snap/bark/growl.

My last piece of advice to you is this; a dog is still a puppy until they are OVER two years old. That means they still think like an adolescent, they do not have a grown up dog mentality. So basically, you don’t know your dog entirely until they are OVER two. Because of that some aggressive or dominant behaviors may not kick in until they are three years old. It’s just good to keep in mind so that you know what to watch for and are not shocked when and if you see something. Corrective training early on can do wonders. If this information makes you really nervous, just adopt a dog over two years old and you should be fine.
Every doggie breed site I have noticed usually plays up the breed and says little about their vices, so something else you may consider doing when researching a particular breed is to call a rescue that deals ONLY in that breed. A RESCUE, not a breeder. These people will be VERY frank with you when telling you the good and bad aspects of owning that breed of dog.

Okay I hope that helps. I know I'm very opinionated on the subject, but everything I have said comes from years of hard earned experience. Good luck and congratulations!! I know its overwhelming at first but it will all be worth it when you find that great furry companion to love! Research, research, research and you’ll do great!!!

RocksFlower

I think it truly depends on the dog and cats. I have 3 cats 2 of which I had for YEARS before I got the dog. I got one male red nosed "pitbull" that was adopted and he loved to chase the kitties. He never tried to get them as much as he liked to run around the house making them pissed. The cats of course did not like this and did their own thing away from him. Then when he passed away I got a female Stafford-shire Bull Terrier who was also adopted and the cats transitioned great to her. She doesn't chase or try to get them, but her and the foster kitten do play tag which is hilarious because she is 70lbs and the kitten is a little under 10lbs. So I think it has to do with the dog and cat's personality and how you integrate them. I believe my female did better than my male dog because I immediately put her through training classes to make her well behaved and listen to me. Best of luck and thank you for considering adopting a homeless pet!

paigemarie93

Black Labradors are great with cats.

mstormth

Hi,
I am a mom of 3 animals... 2 cats and one puppy.

We had our cats first -- Lord Stanley is now 5 and Rocket is 3.... Rocket is ok now with her but not our Stanley. He will not go near the puppy at all, he spits and swats at her all the time. Stanley never goes in the same room, let along the same floor as the pup.

We brought Marley home in October... she is a beagle mix... full of energy, always hyper...

Elizabeth_C34

Thank you to everyone who responded to this thread. There's some great information in here!

Just a few more tidbits about us and our situation:

1. We have a decent sized fenced in yard that is well shaded so playtime is no issue for us at all. I plan on spending 30-60 minutes per day playing with the dog beyond the weekend activities of hiking, walking, and kayaking.

2. Our two cats are female, spayed, and very small. Each was a rescue and did not get very large. Our oldest cat is 9 years old, and she is 11 lbs. The youngest is 5, and she is 8 lbs. They are up to date on shots and are very healthy, just petite. My oldest cat is definitely the boss. The youngest, Ava, is very submissive.

3. As for the huskies being in the heat, we do not plan on leaving the dog outdoors when it's above 75. We will be keeping the dog indoors (probably crated) while we are at work and let him/her out for playtime and socializing when we get home. Back to crate for bedtime.

4. I have owned Brittany Spaniels, labradors, and mastiffs in the past growing up. They were always great with our outdoor cats.

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to respond. I am heading to the shelter tomorrow to see if I can find our new addition

LabRat529

How have your adoption adventures turned out? Did you find a new friend at the shelter?