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Any tips on introducing a rescue dog to cats? We were just approved by a local org and have been looking at the pups they take in-- mostly mixed breeds, temperament tested and in foster homes. We have two sweet cats, one who is friendly, the other who is more shy, but both sort of ignore any dogs we have had around them.
Of primary concern is making sure that the dog does not harm the cats in any way and that the intro is smooth as possible. And FWIW, our cats were not a bonded pair, but introduced to one another as adults and it went swimmingly (if slowly). Any advice on what to look for in a dog or what to avoid? We are only considering adult or senior dogs with a low to moderate energy level.
Have the rescue see how the dog reacts to cats before you adopt the dog. Most rescues will know if a dog is cat friendly or cat tolerant. If not, they may have a dog savvy cat that they can use to test how the dog will react. Many rescue dogs live in a foster home with cats.
This is a good article on introducing dogs to cats. I don't put much stock in the rescues testing dogs with a cat. If they show any kind of excited response, they say it needs to go to a home without cats. Most dogs, if not used to cats, will try to chase them at first. I delivered a foster dog to his new adoptive home, pending his ability to get along with the cat. Not having cats myself, I was not able to test him but knew he was a sweet-natured senior dog. We walked inside and he saw the cat, which ran a bit, and he wanted that cat so bad! I put him on a down-stay and made him remain there for awhile as I chatted with the owner. The cat came walked by him a couple times, checked him out from about a foot away, then went on about his business. The dog got bored and his excitement level dropped back down from our arrival. By the time I let him up, he walked over, gently sniffed the cat with his tail wagging like crazy, then walked away. The cat walked around him and he'd just look at him and touch noses but that was it. Of course, I still had him on the leash so I could intervene quickly if needed. A friend of mine brought home a hyper hound for a weekend "trial" for adoption. She brings him in the front door, straight from the rescue and unclips the leash. He spotted the cat and chaos ensued. Luckily, the cat escaped to higher ground before the dog could get him. Every time the cat would try to come out, the dog tore off after him. I don't think the dog wanted to hurt it but would have if only with his roughness. The dog didn't last 24 hours before they returned it and said it didn't get along with the cat! They handled it the stupidest way possible! I think most, although not all dogs, can be acclimated slowly and taught to live peacefully with the cat, however, as always BREED TRAITS MATTER. And some for some types of dog, just because they live peacefully with the cat today (or the other dogs), doesn't mean they won't kill it tomorrow, next month, or a year down the road. Certain types of dogs are famous for their unpredictable, random violence - so choose your dog carefully. Leerburg | Introducing Dogs or Puppies into Homes with Cats
I have taken in two dogs who hated cats. They soon learned they needed to leave the house cats alone.
One of the dogs could never go to the barn because his good cat behavior ended when he went out the door, but he also had a 1/4 acre back yard.
My other dis-liked of cats is current. My seven pound little rescue kitty runs him all over the house. He has learned to leave the barn cat alone as that cat tattooed his nose
If a strange cat were to come on the property, however, all gets would fe off and I could only hope we could call him back. He is part Catahoula and a hunting dog, DH can call him off the deer when they come they the pasture, so I'd like to think we could do the same with a strange cat.
Also FWIW, all of my dogs, which were/are rescues of various breed mixes, had to learn manners around my horses whether in the pasture or in the barn. I have one horse that is great at helping me train the dogs - he's been kicking out at them for 20 years and hasn't connected yet but the dogs get the meaning
It takes a lot of patience and sometimes scolding but teaching them to get along can be done.
Thanks for posting this we have a foster that we might keep IF he can learn not to chase our 3 cats.
Our other dog is a foster and really likes him and she's picky so we hope he learns fast the shelter only gave us two weeks to foster him. All cats are different like human said dog might not like said cat just like people.
I had a big dog years ago that did a wonderful job of keeping the irresponsible neighbors’ roaming cats out of our yard. She killed a couple of them. However, our live-in had a cat. It saw her and ran under a car (parked). She got down on her belly and tried to crawl under. It held its ground and smacked the hell out of her. She yelped and flew back with blood from her nose dripping on the ground. For as long as that cat was there, she would give it a very wide and respectful berth. She wanted no more of that. She still went after cats that came into the fenced yard but she never bothered that one again.
She got down on her belly and tried to crawl under. It held its ground and smacked the hell out of her. She yelped and flew back with blood from her nose dripping on the ground. For as long as that cat was there, she would give it a very wide and respectful berth. She wanted no more of that. quote]
We have one that did that to our other rescue dog she gets nervous anytime the cat get near her lol.
The others will rub up against her but not the one mentioned.
The article upthread has me very frightened to get ANY dog with my cats. We won't have 24/7 to spend at home monitoring the dog in the first few months and don't want to keep it crated up all day either. Maybe we should re-think.
Given that we don't know the breed history on most of the rescues as they are mixed, its very difficult to say based on that which might be a good fit.
The article upthread has me very frightened to get ANY dog with my cats. We won't have 24/7 to spend at home monitoring the dog in the first few months and don't want to keep it crated up all day either. Maybe we should re-think.
Given that we don't know the breed history on most of the rescues as they are mixed, its very difficult to say based on that which might be a good fit.
Don't let the article scare you. Leeburg breeds working German Shepherds with a ton of prey drive. I would not consider them the authority on dog-cat introductions. What makes sense for one of their dogs is likely very different that what is needed for a dog that is already living with cats or is cat-friendly.
Find a rescue that has a dog that is living with cats now and you should be fine. You will need to introduce them gradually but I don't know that you need months. If you don't want to crate the dog then, shut it in the bathroom when you're out at the beginning. Don't get a dog with a lot of prey drive that likes to chase things. Dogs and cats can be best friends.
The article upthread has me very frightened to get ANY dog with my cats. We won't have 24/7 to spend at home monitoring the dog in the first few months and don't want to keep it crated up all day either. Maybe we should re-think.
Given that we don't know the breed history on most of the rescues as they are mixed, its very difficult to say based on that which might be a good fit.
Just get a small breed that doesn't have a high prey drive (not a terrier, at least not a big one; maybe a rat terrier or something smaller). You will find many dogs, other than the initial greeting, will have zero interest in the cat. Alternately, you could buy a puppy and raise it with the cat. Most reputable breeders will be very honest about the breeds traits and if it would be a good match to live with a cat. My breed, for example, is not one I would ever trust with a cat, even if raised with one. She is a sweet-natured medium size terrier but she plays rough and she is a terrier! OTOH, people are always posting pics of their Wheatens snuggled up with the cats in my Wheaten group. But there are plenty of breeds that can coexist safely with cats. Perhaps this article is a little less frightening and would be better suited to breeds that aren't high prey drive. http://www.reachoutrescue.org/info/display?PageID=10478
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We have one that did that to our other rescue dog she gets nervous anytime the cat get near her lol.
