Getting A Cat

[dee136]

I'm contemplating getting a cat and was just wondering if there are certain breeds that tend to do better with dogs than others?

I have a 2.5yr old mal who is friendly with all animals and a 1.5 sibe. The sibe will probably need a lot more work to adjust to a cat as he tends to be a bit of a hunter. The cat will be inside only, but the dogs do spend alot of time indoors.

Any advice on introducing the animals & creating a happy family would be great!

Thought I would add that the dogs are both male, would the sex of the cat make a difference?

Edited June 20, 2010 by dee136

[ellz]

I've never had an issue with my dogs and Devon Rex cats. Devons are very doglike in nature and love to play.

If you like an affectionate (ie velcro) cat that is a cross between a dog, a cat and a spider monkey, wrapped in a curly cat suit then the Devon might suit.

[Teebs]

I have 2 moggys and a British Shorthair, It took a while for Atlas and sumo to get along, but other than that, i have had no problems!

Dad and Mum have a dog and a Maine coon, and I have met many other mixes of cats and dogs!

[Greytmate]

I would say it is an individual cat thing more than a breed thing.

Your dog will have to be taught that cats are not prey, and a super active breed of cat may make that harder for you, although any kitten is going to be active.

I have found that the best cats to teach dogs about respect are confident and solid cats that know how dogs operate, are not fearful, and are experienced in spotting prey drive and not inciting it.

In your situation, I would do some work with the sibe before you get the cat. And when you do get a cat, get a rescue adult cat that has been proven to be non-reactive, sensible and has the "You don't mess with me Dog!" attitude. Good cat rescuers get to know their cats and will know which individuals will cope best.

It is somewhat instinctive for cats, even tiny kittens, to be aware of an animal showing prey drive towards it. But cats will react in different ways to this.

[dee136]

I would say it is an individual cat thing more than a breed thing.

Your dog will have to be taught that cats are not prey, and a super active breed of cat may make that harder for you, although any kitten is going to be active.

I have found that the best cats to teach dogs about respect are confident and solid cats that know how dogs operate, are not fearful, and are experienced in spotting prey drive and not inciting it.

In your situation, I would do some work with the sibe before you get the cat. And when you do get a cat, get a rescue adult cat that has been proven to be non-reactive, sensible and has the "You don't mess with me Dog!" attitude. Good cat rescuers get to know their cats and will know which individuals will cope best.

It is somewhat instinctive for cats, even tiny kittens, to be aware of an animal showing prey drive towards it. But cats will react in different ways to this.

How would I go about working on the prey drive with the sibe?

[Gayle.]

I have Burmese and Maine Coon, they all get along with the dogs just fine. In fact, the Burmese think they are actually dogs and would like very much to be able to go outside and play with the dogs. But they're way too naughty.

[Golden Rules]

In your situation, I would do some work with the sibe before you get the cat. And when you do get a cat, get a rescue adult cat that has been proven to be non-reactive, sensible and has the "You don't mess with me Dog!" attitude. Good cat rescuers get to know their cats and will know which individuals will cope best.

An adult rescue cat would definitely be the best choice I think with two prey driven dogs.

I have a young cat and a kitten who chase each other around the house at ninety mile an hour. My dog takes no notice and they get on well, but the little foster dog can't help himself and chases after them. The cats do not like him because of this and now always run away from the dog when they see him and so perpetuate the run/chase cycle.

[indigirl]

I have 4 cats roaming around my house with my dogs.My 2 LaPerm cats get along great with the dogs, and will play with them, cuddle up and sleep with them, and try to steal their dinner. The 2 bengals are wary of the dogs but there have been no dramas. LaPerms makes a fantastic pets

[Moselle]

Any breed of cat raised from an early age will learn to adapt. Some older cats (moggies) can be easy going without running for dear life. I have a soft spot for ragdolls and birmans, beautiful to look at and easy going although there is always the exeption to the rule, lol. I think you will have your hands full with your sibe whom you say is a hunter. I personally feel that in order to trust a dog completely with a cat or any other smaller animal you should raise it with such from puppyhood otherwise there will always be an element of risk.

[Greytmate]

How would I go about working on the prey drive with the sibe?

It would all depend on the current level of prey drive your dog has towards cats or kittens. Somebody would have to assess this, and you would go from there.

Training is about desensitising, so it is really important that any training is customised to suit the particular dog. Sometimes it is very easy, but sometimes it can be really difficult and you may have to rethink the cat idea.

Hopefully your dog will be easy.

[Guest Pandii]

I adopted a couple of moggys from the RSPCA, I took Seb- Shar pei, out to met them a couple of times, nwo they all play together and are starting to sleep together after only a few weeks

[Greytmate]

I have a young cat and a kitten who chase each other around the house at ninety mile an hour. My dog takes no notice and they get on well, but the little foster dog can't help himself and chases after them. The cats do not like him because of this and now always run away from the dog when they see him and so perpetuate the run/chase cycle.

That chase/run cycle is really dangerous, and it why it is important to get expert help with some dogs.

I personally feel that in order to trust a dog completely with a cat or any other smaller animal you should raise it with such from puppyhood otherwise there will always be an element of risk.

There will be an element of risk regardless. It is possible to reliably assess prey drive in adult dogs, and to introduce a cat while minimising risks.

It would be very sad if adult animals were not adopted because of generalisations like that. It is good that the OP has come here to ask about what to do, and she has a fair chance of success with the right cat.

[persephone]

May I suggest you do some work with your dogs first get someone's help, and check what they are like with dog friendly felines..also other cats who may run.

two largeish dogs like yours, and a skittish kitten may not be the nest combination.

IMO- any cat can be brought up to be good with dogs... it;s the dogs which may not be good with cats

WE have 3 cats and numerous dogs.All the cats are fine with dogs- but we do have a couple of the dogs who would cheerfully kill the cats

[dee136]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm not getting a cat anytime soon but mainly wanted a few opinions on breeds and how hard, if at all possible it would be to add a cat to the family. I would love a cat but realise there are a lot of things to take into consideration regarding the dogs. I have wanted a cat for a long time but then my previous dog passed away and as I am more of a dog person, getting another dog or 2 took priority.

I'm hoping that as the sibe is only 1.5yrs that the behavior is something that can be changed, but I also realise there is a high chance that I might have to wait until my boys have passed on.

Both dogs are obedience trained but being spitz, they decide when they want to comply. The mal is a big softy and usually reliable whereas the sibe is very independent in regards to obeying commands & can never be called away from a possum.

Golden rules- only 1 dog is prey driven, the other is great with other animals, including friends cats and doesn't flinch when he sees a possum.

* Adult cat would be my first choice as hopefully I can find one who has lived with dogs and as it will be bigger it won't be such a tempting tasty little morsel!

Edited June 20, 2010 by dee136

[Monah]

I've never had an issue with my dogs and Devon Rex cats. Devons are very doglike in nature and love to play.

If you like an affectionate (ie velcro) cat that is a cross between a dog, a cat and a spider monkey, wrapped in a curly cat suit then the Devon might suit.

and they are not easily intimidated, AND they are bossy ours rule the roost, I've had devons since the 70s and highly recommend them.

No idea what to do about intros etc, or prey drive, sorry. It's never been an issue here.

[Lab_Rat]

I have Burmese and Maine Coon, they all get along with the dogs just fine. In fact, the Burmese think they are actually dogs and would like very much to be able to go outside and play with the dogs. But they're way too naughty.

I was also going to suggest a Burmese - we had one who knew how to organise the dogs very well! We also had a Siamese who loved the dogs to bits, to the point of sleeping in the sunshine with the ridgeback!

I think if they are brought up together it doesnt really matter what breed the cat is, just a matter of making sure the dog knows they are not to be chased!

As adults our Burmese boy and ridgy used to play chasey, taking turns in chasing. Of course the cat was in control the whole time and ended the game when he saw fit!

Rat

[Mas1981]

I have had my cats with 2 sets of dogs, the first dogs were my 2 ridgebacks and they were quite naughty with the cats and loved to chase and as I was a newbie dog owner I had no idea how to stop them. When I moved here to oz my mum kept the ridgebacks and I got a labrador, the same 2 cats are like different animals around him, they all play together and sleep in the sun in the one dog bed, he does not chase them unless its part of a game they are playing. He is very non-threatening towards them and I kept him on lead around them for about a week and after that they were all fine together.

[noisymina]

We have always had dogs and cats.

Sometimes it's been a stand-off.

Sometimes they have been great mates.

One cat used to chase our Wei around the house. The dog was petrified of her when she got in that mood.

Have not "lost" any of them.

Kaisie was introduced to our "family" at 4 years of age. The cat we had then and her never really hit it off. So stand-off was about it.

Then we got a young kitten - and DH spent ages with them and always supervised them together during the first few months. He did LOTS of positive re-inforcement when the dog was friendly/gentle to the cat. The kitten could not have cared less either way.

They were good company, but it took ages for them to actually camp on the same bed etc. But we could tell Kaisie to say hello to the cat, and she would gently target said cat and the cat would rub against her. Then she would head straight to DH for a pat and "good girl" love in.

ALL our dogs have differentiated between our cats ("Family") and other cats. While ours were quite safe, any intruders have been chased off quite seriosly. In fact, Kaisie flushed out and chased off a huge ginger cat from near our dam last week.

Edited June 20, 2010 by noisymina

[dee136]

Would the sex of the cat make any difference at all to the dynamic?

*dogs are both male.

[Teebs]

Would the sex of the cat make any difference at all to the dynamic?

*dogs are both male.

I have both, female dog, male dog, 2 female cats, one male cat - the two males are the ones who took ages to like each other, but i think it was because the kitten was very scared and would hiss and carry on, making it exciting for Atlas

Mum and Dads Male cat gets along with Atlas, so do not think it is a gender thing