Can my dog and Cat ever get along?
I adopted a Cat several days ago from our local SPCA. I also have a three year old Miniature American Eskimo. The Eski is not rough with the cat, and just tries to give him a good sniff. The cat however, does not approve. The Cat will Hiss and growl…He hasn’t lunged at the dog or anything, but I do want them to get along. Both of them are Males. The dog is Neutered, and the Cat has an appointment to be neutered on Friday. Any help? I tried introducing them by putting the cat in a carrier and then taking him out and letting the dog sniff the empty carrier..That didn’t work!
The cat is actually pretty tolerant of the dog, the cat is VERY laid back. He was just laying on the bedroom floor playing with a toy mouse, and the dog came up and gave him a big sniff, Waffles allowed it too! The dog then got bored and went back out to the living room to be with the rest of the family. I’m just so glad they aren’t ripping eachother apart. I think they will adjust pretty well, the cat is used to being around other animals, because at the shelter I had got him from, they have this huge sort of gym room the cats go in at adoption times (12-4) So he’s used to other animals. I think things will be great.
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I think by the way you explained things, they have a really good chance of becoming friends. They both seem to respect each other. It won’t happen overnight, but I think they will be good with each other. We had cats, dogs and birds in my home,and they all got along pretty well. (you need to watch the cats with the birds though, pretty close.)
It may take a week or two, but it sure can happen.
When they are approaching each other, go over and pet them both at the same time. This will make it clear to them that you want them to get along, it will help.
Likewise, raise hell if they fight.
Just leave them alone. be sure to command the dog to be easy and nice, and make sure he obeys that command. He should not be chasing or snipping at the cat, thats not allowed. So dont let him get away with that behavior.
It takes a few months some times, but eventually they will live together more peacefully.
I like to put up a baby gate in a door way, put the dog on one side, and the cat on the other. The cat can come and go over the gate, and he will eventually, trust me. But this way the size and presence of the dog isnt so overwhelming.
your dog will get used to the cat and not react to it so much, especially if you get after the dog for jumping up and rushing at the cat every time it sees it. And the cat will feel less threatened once it realizes the dog isnt trying to attack it.
We have a giant dane who LOVES to chase cats, just for the sheer game of running. But he never ever hurts them, in fact he has a few cats of his own here at home, who he takes care of (cleans and sleeps with) all the time. But that doesnt mean he’s allowed to chase cats and be retarded about it. He has to be easy with them.
Whenever we get a new cat or kitten we stick them all together right away, because he knows how to be easy on command. It doesnt take long for him to get over the excitement of a new cat, and for the cat to mellow out.
The procedure will take at least 1-2 months. After a while, they will tolerate each other from the other side of a closed door or balcony door. The next step is to let them smell each other through a fence. When they tolerate that, you can let them be in the same room, but from a distance. You need 2 people to be in the room as well, and make sure there is no attack either way. After that, you will judge if it is safe to let them get close to each other. There will be some fighting, but you must be there to make sure it is not too bad. Keep in mind that the new cat is not trusting you yet, because he is new, and he is scared, that’s why he is being hostile towards the dog. There are many chances that if you try and have patience, in a few months they’ll be OK. But there is no guarantee. I had to give away a new dog because I realized they would never be safe around each other (the dog and my cat). But they had made a lot of progress, they both stayed in the same room with us and slept, so I keep wondering if I could have kept both!
PS. keep in mind that the cat may attack you too if he feels cornered in the dog’s presence, so wear thick clothes and be careful. If he does, it doesn’t mean he is a bad cat, but he is afraid.
It sounds like you tried to introduce them the rght way, I have a shelter cat too, have gotten 2 great purebread dogs since I got her, (have had her 8 yrs.) after spending a ton of time and $ had to get rid of both dogs, cat would tolerate them and she was here first…(the dogs both went to very good homes where they can live in peace w/o claws going after them)…
Shelter cats are very often non-tolerant, they have spent ages in a cage at a place they hate and were dumped off by owners who most likely didn’t treat them that well, they are very posseesive of their territory and it may be impossible for this situation to change…I tried for a year with each dog, cat got meaner every day, both dogs were never aggresive with her…good luck…
This is going to be a slow process and it may take months before they get along how you would like them to. As long as the cat is not getting aggressive and the dog is being respectful, I think you are off to a good start. Do not force the cat to be sniffed or to have interaction with the dog. The cat needs to warm up to him on his own terms and in his own time. It will happen, but you need to make sure the dog is always respectful to the cat. No chasing and no getting rough.
I recently brought a new dog into my home, I have a 9 year old cat who is not to fond of dogs. in the beginning you have to let the dog know that the cat is out of bounds they can get near each other but no contact, no sniffing. until they can be in the same room together then you can allow closer contact. It will take some time the animals have to establish their pecking order. After a couple of weeks I can now sit with everybody on the couch together
As long as they aren’t harming each other, don’t worry about it. Cats take a while to adjust to a new household, moreso with another animal in it. Either he’ll teach the dog to leave him alone, or he’ll realize the dog is harmless.
Either way, they’ll adjust to live together. It just takes time.
ya they will you just have to let them get use to each other. i have 2 dogs and 4 cats and they have gotten along fine now that they have gotten use to each other.