dogs and cats
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| I have 2 cats and 3 dogs.... the dog will learn. One of our cats lets them clean him when HE is in the mood the dogs learnt he has no claws. The other has claws and they STAY AWAY FROM HER. She hurts. They didchase them at first and still do a times not to often. |
| I think the dogs quickly learn who is in charge of the house. Outside of letting them sniff each other for a few days through the door ...mostly so I didn't totally stress out the cat... I just let my cat tell me what she can handle. I would lock up THE DOG so the cat can hiss and be pissed with the new dog, and when she felt calm enough to be in the same room w/o her hair sticking up...... I let the dog out for short periods of time.
Basically, unless you have an aggressive dog wanting to eat the cat... I think they will do fine. Cats are so good at hiding and even defending themselves. This is coming from someone who has cats with no claws. My dog is more afraid of the cat than any upright or canine. Now it took a LONG time before they accepted one another, but they eventually get to a point they tolerate one another. Mine sleep together curled up. You know selfish cats... it's really about them staying warm, not because they like my dog.  |
| I'm glad to hear these stories. I have 3 cats and added two OES pups about 8 weeks ago. I designated "Cat safe areas"; areas the dogs won't go in and Dog specific ones. Those lines have grayed a bit now...
The dogs stay mostly in the kitchen and dinette; kept there by a baby gate. They are allowed to roam free if they remain calm and are well behaved. Sometimes they will approach the cats, but they get really excited and the cats want no part of that. Sometimes the cats will walk up to the baby gate and flaunt their freedom. One cat will wait for the dogs to fall asleep at the gate, reach her paw through, and smack whichever puppy she can reach.... |
| how do you guys get the pictures to display on the left? |
You can find the instructions on how to add an avatar here. 
http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?t=1119 |
| The cat (s) is usually in charge and it won't take long for him to figure it out LOL |
| We had our cat Lewis for about 3 years before I brought home Clark as a puppy. When we adopted Lewis from the shelter we were warned that he did not get along with other animals at all... he has subsequently proven this by trying to kill all cats in our neighborhood. So I was a little nervous to bring home a dog. But in the end it's been ok. Clark still thinks Lewis must want to play and Lewis is still trying to prove that he is the boss. They don't cuddle, but Lewis hasn't run away either. In fact I've discovered that Lewis is Left-Pawed (if there is such a thing, that's the paw he prefers to educated Clark with).
Sara |
| We have three house cats and one OES. The cats definitely rule. Sometimes they will cooperate and let Druby chase them, but most of the time they let him know that they don't want to be bothered and he knows to leave them alone. He acts like a hiss is the signal that an atom bomb is approaching and that a declawed paw is deadly. He has no fear of vicious dogs that could do a lot more damage. |
| I would be very careful...
A friend of mine had overnight guests for a week-end, as they were in the middle of moving. They had a cat. My friend's dog was curious, and went to sniff the cat, and the cat freaked out, attacked the dog and scratched his eye. $1500 later... Also, your dog is deaf, so won't hear the signals that a cat could give...like the low growling, whiing and the hissing... I would be very careful as he could get hurt. |
Fluppy wrote: We had our cat Lewis for about 3 years before I brought home Clark as a puppy. When we adopted Lewis from the shelter we were warned that he did not get along with other animals at all... he has subsequently proven this by trying to kill all cats in our neighborhood. So I was a little nervous to bring home a dog. But in the end it's been ok. Clark still thinks Lewis must want to play and Lewis is still trying to prove that he is the boss. They don't cuddle, but Lewis hasn't run away either. In fact I've discovered that Lewis is Left-Pawed (if there is such a thing, that's the paw he prefers to educated Clark with).
Sara your Clark is SO adorable!!! How old is he? He looks JUST like my Tonks!!!! |
Bosley's mom wrote: I would be very careful...
A friend of mine had overnight guests for a week-end, as they were in the middle of moving. They had a cat. My friend's dog was curious, and went to sniff the cat, and the cat freaked out, attacked the dog and scratched his eye. $1500 later... Also, your dog is deaf, so won't hear the signals that a cat could give...like the low growling, whiing and the hissing... I would be very careful as he could get hurt. I have 3 cats, and 2 were declawed to begin with. When we decided to get the dogs, I made the VERY difficult decision to declaw the third. I don't like doing it, but this was my fear. I've heard enough stories about scratched eyes and blinded dogs that I knew it had to be done. |
Darth Snuggle wrote: I designated "Cat safe areas"; areas the dogs won't go in and Dog specific ones. ..
In my opinion this is an excellent idea!! One of my cats tolerates Tucker, and although she growls and hisses when he mouths her, she won't run away when given the chance so somehow she must be ok with it t some degree. The other cat, Atticus, wants absolutely nothing to do with Tucker. The puppy, on the other hand, thinks that Zora is his best friend until the end and won't give her a moment's peace!! We have the laundry room set up as the "cat room" and in fact there is a hole cut out of the bottom so the cats can come and go as they please but Tucker can't get in. This is a dog-free zone no matter what, so that the cats always have some place quiet they can sleep without worry. |
Mel & Tucker wrote: Darth Snuggle wrote: I designated "Cat safe areas"; areas the dogs won't go in and Dog specific ones. .. We have the laundry room set up as the "cat room" and in fact there is a hole cut out of the bottom so the cats can come and go as they please but Tucker can't get in. This is a dog-free zone no matter what, so that the cats always have some place quiet they can sleep without worry. This is what I've done. The cats have a room for themselves they can access with a catdoor so if they want some dog free time, they can have it. Works well. |
Quote: your Clark is SO adorable!!! How old is he? He looks JUST like my Tonks!!!!
You are right, they have very similar markings. Clark is 7 1/2 months old and weighs about 50 lbs. |
Beaureguard's Mom wrote: Mel & Tucker wrote: Darth Snuggle wrote: I designated "Cat safe areas"; areas the dogs won't go in and Dog specific ones. .. We have the laundry room set up as the "cat room" and in fact there is a hole cut out of the bottom so the cats can come and go as they please but Tucker can't get in. This is a dog-free zone no matter what, so that the cats always have some place quiet they can sleep without worry. This is what I've done. The cats have a room for themselves they can access with a catdoor so if they want some dog free time, they can have it. Works well. I forgot to mention earlier that we did this too. Especially we built a cat stand that is high enough for the cat to jump up to, but too high for the dog. Lewis gets all his food there. |
Fluppy wrote: Quote: your Clark is SO adorable!!! How old is he? He looks JUST like my Tonks!!!! You are right, they have very similar markings. Clark is 7 1/2 months old and weighs about 50 lbs. Tonks is hitting 4 months this week, and is at 35 pounds. |
| Congrats!
I still remember the day we brought Kona (my childhood dog) home. Kona was a full grown German Shepherd/malamute....(wolf like) and my mom's cat was a recent rescue from the pound....She is still with us, (Kona had to be put down last year because she could no longer get up from HD) Picture a 4 pound cat jumping on the back of that dog and ripping tufts of hair out by the clump.... I think that cats have a way of letting other pets who rules the roost. I agree that it is a potentially really bad situation because your pup is deaf. I wish you luck... This forum is great for advice.... Let us know how you make out... |
| Hi,
Good advice from many members and I especially like providing a dog free zone. I've had over 30 rescue cats(foster for several organizations) within the past three years , my own cats and also three dogs. Some of the cats were seniors and from their initial reactions had never been around dogs before..so in that case I keep them in a "foster cat room" so they can hear and smell the dogs but feel safe. Next step would be a baby gate in the doorway of that room so they can view the dogs. Eventually the baby gate will be placed in a hallway so cats can become used to several rooms and can retreat there if they want to. The baby gate provides a barrier and while most dogs can't jump them..they never do. Getting the cats accostumed to dogs makes adoption into a forever home an added bonus for the cats. Many potential adopters have a dog in the home and the cats chances increase of finding a forever home. I do this with all the foster cats so that they have been around dogs although they would have to get used to the dog in the new home. I shop at second hand stores and can purchase a babygate for a few dollars, so always have several when I first start getting them used to each other and eventually phase them out. With some of the senior cats I've just cut a small opening at the bottom of the baby gate if they have arthritis and may be difficult for them to jump if they need a quick escape. In your case however your cat is still fairly young at 4. I also have bunnies and guinea pigs and have done the same thing with them as well. They all get along as each animal (this is especially important with prey animals such as bunnies) all have a place to retreat to if the other animal plays too rough or becomes too interested in them. I'm always there to watch the interactions and only when I feel 100% confident will I take the baby gates down. This can last several months. Sometimes it takes a few months, but what effort you put in now will pay off for years to come.A baby gate across a room where the cat could have access but the dog can't. Don't under estimate cats as they have many places they can jump out up out of the dogs way. Cats in my experience always have the upper hand. I wouldn't have a second thought regarding the pup and the cat..seriously! No one has ever been scratched as when a cat arches his back the dogs would back off. Which is why although it's more difficult when your pup is deaf to hear the signs as another dog would...it would be able to read body language and ruffled fur is pretty much universal amongst animals to "back off" Over the years I've probably had 50 cats and 7 dogs in my homes and while some become best buddies others learn to tolerate each other. I've only had one dog that was a true confirmed cat hater which I got as a adult but I wasn't as knowledable then about how to make it work. Sometimes it doesn't happen overnight and you have to be patient. I think for a dog to be scratched in the eye or a cat scratching another cat in the eye is very much like a freak accident and not often heard of. A swipe on the nose is probably the most common. One swipe on the nose and almost a quarantee a pup learns the body language when the cat has enough and to back off. With as many animals as I've had in all those years I've never had one that had been scratched in the eye. Not saying it can't happen but it's rare. I'd also give it time as sometimes it may be as short as a few weeks or as long as a year for them to become used to each other. With a deaf pup you should have a "Leave it" signal that it will eventually be able to understand. There's a great site called http:www//deafdog.com that give hints as to how to teach them sign language or other tricks that are beneficial. When one of my dogs became deaf and sight impaired due to old age. I hung bells near the back door which would inform me when she needed to go out. Anyhow going off the topic but worth checking out that site. Good luck to you! Marianne |
| I have the baby gate and its been working wonderfully. It really helps the cats to feel like they can approach the dogs out of curiousity, but still feel safe.
The other thing I have been doing is when the dogs get back from the park, they are REALLY tired. I will let them have free roam of the house in this state, because they are calm and often will find a comfy spot and go to sleep. I've had 2 of my 3 cats wander in to "investigate" the dogs at these times, and I see it as good progress. I just want to fast forward to the part where they are all good friends. |
| Me again!
My sister fosters as well, but she fosters feral cats(semi-wild cats) which are more difficult as the majority were born in the wild and have to be extra cautious of dogs. She recently got a large dog and so far has had no problems as the dog is senior and quite calm. As long as a dog doesn't chase , cats seem to instinctively know they are not in danger. I think that's important to mention as well. So even her ferals which are fairly wild and are far more suspicious than the average domesticated cat got used to a dog. With my dogs, two are very calm and the third one is a bit hyper. With introductions I always let the cats meet the most senior and calm of my dogs first as he would just lay there and eventually the cats view there is no danger. Teaching your dog to lay down if the kitty enters the room may help the transition as well. Like the post above..taking pup out for a long walk to tire them out is a great suggestion too. A tired dog is a good dog they say! That's so true! Marianne |
| It is a lot easier and safer to introduce a cat to a calm dog that is cat savvey. It might be a bit eastier to have a pup around a cat that is used to dgos......but I would never have a puppy near a cat that is not dog savvey.
Putting a puppy that is not used to cats around a cat that is not used to dogs is just too gangerous, in my opinion. A puppy annoys adult dogs to no end, for months, and the adults generally let him be...sometimes with a "yell" or a paw over them to make the back off. But a cat's growling would not be heard, so the pup would approach...The backing up and arching of the cats' back is not understood by a puppy at first. They don't ahve a clue. I just cat-tested a terrier with 3 different cats who are very familiar woth dogs. This dog had never been near a cat, and had no fear at all. Each cat in turn was calm, he aproached, the cat got all fuzzy, and started spitting, the dog wagged his tail and lunged. The cat would spit and try to fend him off with his paws etc, and the dog went nuts trying to get at it. My point is that there are too many things that can go wrong...with a combination of the following: ....cat doesn't know dogs....dog doesn't know cats......puppy is deaf...Sure it might work after a while, but for me...Personally I would not take the chance. I don't like putting my dogs in any type of scenerio where they might get hurt....I have no cats and my dogs are not familiar with them at all. So in my case I would consider getting an adult cat that knows dogs, or a kitten even....but my dogs are not deaf, and are much more clamer than a bouncy exploring puppy that is never relaxing calmly...  |
| Hi Again,
I'd have to sorta disagree. Sorry bout that Nicole as I always respect your advice but for the first time I have to disagree. As each are individuals , a cat savy dog and dog savy cat would still go through the meet and greet with the new cat or dog in the new household and pretty much the same thing would happen. Cat with spit, hiss, growl , arch it's back and if still approached would probably get dog away with swipe on the nose. The cat could have lived in a household with several dogs but would still go through the same thing if he met a new dog for the first time. Kinda like our dogs in some ways that while some have no problems meeting a new sibling for the first time , others take a while before they consider them best buds. Puppies expecially are annoying to them as they literally bounce towards them in hopes of play. You need a few days for the pup to realize that kitties don't play like they do. Yet, in time they may come to love one another and occasionally find them racing around the house after each other. A deaf dog would probably rely on more of his/her other senses to be able to relate to the world and how she or he fits. Body language would probably be something this dog would rely on (sight). The arched back in a dog or cat is a sign of aggression and while a pup has to learn doggie social manners and cues and may be slower to learn, they do. I've seen it with Merlin who as a pup kept wanting to round up the cats and would race at them - only to be stopped in his tracks by hissing cats. Undaunted and thinking they wanted to play...he would try again and again. Eventually he "got" it , they weren't interested in rough play. With the older dogs one snarl from a cat..immediately made them back off but they would bark. They'd stop when kitty would get fed up and leave. This could go on for some time. Puppies especially have no idea and in their world just want to play! Even cat savy dogs would be put off by a rumbunctious pup so probably would let him know right away to get away from them. I'll like to propose what may happen on day two from what you described above. Pup would then know not to race toward kitty but would keep his distance..he probably would do the play bow and bark, thereby further reducing any successful interaction. Cat would glare and keep their distance and take off. Day 3-7, Pup then learns kitty runs away when he comes barrelling at them and soon realizes kitty doesn't when he's sitting. Day 8 and onwards..Each animal comes to some kind of truce and respects each others distance and what they are comfortable with. As time passes the proximity becomes closer , so that some day you may come home and find kitty snuggled with the dog. I have seen dogs and cats become friends the same day. Even the ones that have grown up with the other species. It's just it happens quicker for others than some. Really depends on the personality of each animals. One kitty in my home "Evil Mama Cat" a cat with attitude has learned to tolerate the dogs as they give her wide berth when she enters the room. Funny enough all the other cats in the house do the same thing..she is nasty to them as well. There is also the rare dog that is a true cat hater and given the chance would severely injure a cat if given the chance. You can usually tell by the sounds if that's the case. Kitties always have to have an escape route to prevent anything like that from happening. |
| Our cat Eli, now over the bridge quickly let Chauncey know he was charge. Before that he controlled Jake, our lab now over the bridge. I would keep an eye on them but in my experience, the one with senority rules. I kept a watchful eye to make sure that nobody was injured but they worked it out. |
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