Puppy+cats

[Guest HarperGD]

Our 13 week old pup Harper is desperate to become BFFs with my parent's 2 adult, indoor cats, but they're not having a bar of it.

Everytime we come up into their house (we're staying in the guest house on their property at the moment) Harper has rushed up to say hi to them and they have started hissing and yowling at him. One cat had a swipe at Harper, but missed before my OH was able to grab him (pup) out of the way.

He doesn't seem deterred by the hissing. He just looks at them and inches closer, sniffing with a "please be my friend!" look on his face, then he lies down in front of them and just watches as the hissing escalates. That's usually when we call him away or grab him.

Thing is, Harper's breeder had cats and they apparently all hung out together and played together while he was there, so I'm thinking he just likes cats. Problem is, cats don't like him.

I'm not worried about him hurting the cats because the cats are twice his size. I'm more worried about the cats smacking him in the face and him getting a claw to the eye.

SO, my question is, what's the best way to deal with this? Just keep them all away from each other?

Is there a good way to go about socialising them all to each other?

And if Harper does get a paw in the face, will that teach him to stay away or is that just risking provoking him to attack or make him scared of cats for life?

I'd probably prefer it if they were all just indifferent to each other...

[Pretty Miss Emma]

To me it sounds like normal cat-pup dynamics (when the cats aren't used to dogs!).

My cats do this to every new dog that comes in to our house, they did it with Kenzie when sh first came home. Kenzie kept persisting like Harper, had a few scratches on the nose and quickly learnt not to get too close. The cats then started moving closer when she was sleepy/quiet. And eventually they all figured out that if the dog was calm the cats would be close. That made everyone happy!!!!

Now Kenzie lets me know when the cats want to come inside. She gives them kisses and cleans them all the time. They go up to her to give her headbutts!

I'm sort of thinking that if no one is experiencing high stress levels from the interactions then they need to sort the dynamics out themselves. If there is lots of stress then I would be separating them.

Oh and I also make sure that my cats have a space they can get to that the dogs can't - they don't use it often, but it's there!!

[Atanquin]

Yer its not Harper it's the cat!! I took zorro to mums and my old cat was there she loved our gsd kovu but she does not like zorro he ran up to say hallo like he does with everyone and thing!! And she whacked him good on the nose he ran off yelping but it did not stop him from liking other cats our neighbors cats like him. Unfortunately cats are cats and they may never like dogs but they might learn to live with them sort of !! Oh and he knows not to go near her Again

[Guest HarperGD]

Haha thanks for the replies guys.

Poor old Harper just wants to make friends. The cats are able to jump up onto the dining table/chairs when they want to get away from him, but I was more just worried about whether a paw smack in the face from a gigantic cat would scar him for life...

Guess we will just have to see how it all pans out!!

[The Spotted Devil]

Start by removing the cats from the room you are going to enter with your pup - restrict him to that room by using a barrier e.g. baby gate. When the cats feel comfortable they can approach the room at their own pace. Do not allow pup to race up to the cats. Or keep the pup on lead.

Of course they will hiss and swipe if confronted - I know I would!!! They are fearful and defensive. Fear is not a pleasant emotion. It's also a very different situation comparing an occasional pup visitor to a permanent resident and the former is much more difficult for the cats to adapt to. If they become stressed by pup's visits they may exhibit unpleasant behaviours such as urinating outside the litter box or redirected aggression.

Edited July 6, 2011 by The Spotted Devil

[Kitteh]

Hi Harper

(your pup, has the same name as mine! Good taste :D )

My pup is doing the same thing as yours and it's a work in progress, but I've found this vid really helpful:

HTH.

Edited July 6, 2011 by Kitteh

[Kazhak]

My ex wild kittie that lives with my mum, I got him when he was about 4 weeks old, & I already had Holly my recent;y deceased Dalmation, & Dex (the cat) ended up sleeping in Hollies basket with her, I have some beautiful pics of Dex washing Hollies ear while Holly slept. in fact the other elderly cat we had there deteasted the new kitten & thats why he ended up hanging out with the dog. when the older female cat arrived we also had Holly too & the elderly lady cat had been attacked by dogs, so we were a little worried she would find offence with Holly, but Holly being the sweet girl she is kinda just pretended to ignore the female cat & in the end the cat would sneak into the dogs kennel to sleep with her too.. (it must be something that Holly did or didn't do that made cats feel very comfortable with her)

a thought just came to me, if your worried about your little fellows eyes in a cat swipe attempt why not get Harper (cute name ) some eye protection till he learns the dynamics of the cats & him.. just an outside the box kinda idea..