Dog Breeds that Do Not Get Along with Cats
Rottweilers and Pitbulls generally do pretty well with cats when raised together
Cats and dogs have a history of being portrayed as natural enemies yet, owners that have raised cats and dogs together can provide plenty of testimonials supporting that cats and dogs can get along and even live in harmony. The secret often is allowing them to grow up together, which means raising puppies and kittens together from a young age.
While this is the best and ideal method, adult cats and dogs introduced later in life can still get along together if given ample time to get to accept each other and if the owners provide timely corrections to any unwanted behaviors.
As much effort, however, as one may put into training cats and dogs to get along, in some cases, there is not much that can be done to prevent nature to take its course. Indeed, there are dog breeds that have an inherited impulse to chase, injure and even kill small animals regardless of the training methods involved.
This is called ''prey drive'' and many times it is genetically instilled deep into the dog's genetic core leaving small place for changes. High prey drive dog breeds are those that have been used for years by humans to chase and hunt small animals or that have inherited hunting attitudes because of their survival instincts. There are also some dogs that love to chase small animals just because they get a kick out of it, regardless if their intention is to kill or play a game.
While one cannot really generalize on which dog breeds are not suitable for feline households because there are exceptions especially when the dog and cats are raised together at a young age, there is evidence that some dog breeds have higher prey drives than other breeds, therefore upping the likeliness that it may be challenging to make them get along with your feline friend.
Dog Breeds with High Prey Drive
Afhgan Hound
Akita Inu
Alaskan Malamute
Australian Cattle Dog
Basenji
Beagle
Border Collie
Bullmastiff
Doberman Pincher
Greyhound
Jack Russell Terrier
Jindo
Norvegian Elkhound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Samoyed
Shiba Inu
Siberian Husky
Weimarener
Whippet
Yorkshire Terrier
The above are dog breeds that generally may not do well with cats. If they were raised with cats and trained to respect them, they still should not be left unsupervised with cats. Some dogs know they must respect cats in the owner's presence but once the owner turns around the dog may take advantage of its primal instincts.
More Tolerant Dog Breeds:
Australian Shephard
Boxer
Cavalier King Charles
Dachshund
Dalmation
Golden Retriever
Labrador Retriever
Maltese
Papillon
Pekingnese
Pomeraniain
Poodle
Pug
Shit-zu
The above dog breeds are breeds that are generally tolerant of cats. Yet, no generalization can be done, as each dog has its own personality.
The above lists therefore, are not a black and white declaration, rather they just simply list breeds of dogs that are more likely to chase and view cats as prey and dogs that are more ready to accept cats as a friend. It is ultimately, the cat owner's responsibility to do good research on the dog's breed and temperament before adopting a dog and allowing him/her to co-habitat with cats.
Comments
I've rescued and handreared 2 week old kittens when I had my border collie and he showed no interest in them as prey (rather he hid from them and refused to go anywhere near them). This was a dog that had never lived with cats before.
Many BCs like to chase running targets but their intentions aren't usually to catch and kill the target - rather they usually just like to nip and make it run again so they can keep chasing. Most do not have killer instincts as they were bred to herd and NOT harm livestock.
The main issue with BCs and cats as I see it is the dog can become obsessed with stalking and eyeing the cats. This has to be stopped as soon as it starts or it can develop into an OCD.
If you train your BC to never chase the cat (even when it's running) and teach him not to herd or stalk the cat you should be fine.
Many people keep border collies and cats together without issues - you just need to train the dog in the beginning so that he knows the cats are off-limits for herding!
omy amstaff x hates cats she will pulll me if she see one i try to teach her to run next to the bike on the leash i had to give it up because of cats in street she will crazy bark at them from the 2nd floor balcony that the cat will run away sadly one already ddied last week
I really appreciate your lists and information here. I am amazed at how people argue with you and your lists, :( especially as you have repeatedly tried to express that your list isn't a black and white statement. Our family has two older cats whom we love and then we recently had a stray dog show up at our home. I thought he was a pit bull mix but our vet said probably basenji and Akita mix. Anyways our kids loved him and he seemed very sweet. Still I was really nervous what he might do to our indoor cats who slip out sometimes, especially with three young children running in and out. We finally decided to take the seemingly sweet doggie to the no-kill shelter where he could find a better home. It's been days since we took him and I'm still so sad that we couldn't keep him. But after reading this list and some posts by other readers, I feel better as it confirms that something bad really could've happened to our kitties (and even far worse, our 2 yo little girl). We had no idea of the dog's past and it just isn't worth the risk. The right person will adopt him one day soon hopefully, and we will find a better dog fit for our family. We're considering an Australian Shepherd puppy so thank you again for your help. God bless!
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That's why I wrote all over this hub that no generalizations can be made!
It's funny how my poodle was the one to kill our 4 kittens and my jack Russell loved them...
thank you for all of this information.it rly helped.
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Also, if this behavior is totally out of character, it's not a bad idea to see the vet in case there's some medical condition that may have lowered his bite threshold.
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I really cannot see realistic solutions than keeping them separated. You can try to train your dog to leave the cats alone, but that doesn't mean you can let your guard down and allow this to happen again because you simply cannot monitor every interaction indoors and out and accidents as seen can happen very quickly. Keep your dog on the leash in the morning when he has to pee.
hi, desperate advice please. my tarrier who has just turned a year has always been ok wuth my 7 cats. chased them but thats about it. we think henis jack crossed with maybe a cairn or something similar. just let him out for his morning wee and he picked up my white oriental cross and shook her like a ragdoll. I was horrified and ran to her rescue. she appears to be deaf so is vulnerable and he has started to tease my more vulnerable cats? what do I do please, its really scared me!
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Thanks for sharing Hooo. I imagine you must have had some negative experience.
Otterhounds are also terrible with cats
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Not sure why you think it's ridiculous since the golden retriever is listed under the most tolerant dogs?
this is ridiculous. I have a golden retriever who gets along very well with my himalayan.
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Well, crating is a great management tool to prevent rehearsal of the unwanted behavior, but it doesn't teach him to stop chasing altogether. You may be interested in reading these hubs;
i have a shih tzu i have a problem with him going crasy every time he see's my catsi have brought him back in the house & crate him every time.i am hopeing that will work in the futcher
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Some dogs are that way, Luckily he has never hurt them. It's a good idea to provide escape routes for cats such as tall cat trees or rooms inaccessible to dogs.
Our basset/husky is not a fan of cats. She chases our cat constantly but, thank goodness, has never hurt him. She preys on small animals outside. Not a good mix with cats.
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When dogs gather together, they can easily go into "prey drive". Most of the dogs in my area are kept free to wander and they attack the occasional raccoon or kitty. As sad as it is; it's just instinct. We would not think it is cruel when people go hunting, but yet, that's the same thing dogs do. If your dogs hunt raccoons, possums and armadillos they see no difference in cats. This prey drive is only directed to prey, this is different from attacking people or children. Hope this clarifies. This is difficult to stop unless you supervise all the time and train the leave it command.
Have an Aussie Blue Heeler/and Beagle/Dacshund mix...they live in a large fenced yard with deck/dog houses..rescue dogs....I feed feral cats
all the time and get them fixed when I can catch them..the dogs have killed raccoons, possums, and 2 armadillos who invaded their yard. But, when an 8 week old kitten came through the fence, they pounced it and shook and killed it instantly..is this normal for the breeds...they are not mean to humans/children at all/but, protective of us, especially the Blue Heeler...we love cats and are distressed about the kitten and other kittens in the woods I feed...
Ive owned so many dogs I had a rat terrier named skipper for 17 years I loved that little dog he died last year broke my heart.
I have a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and they do not get along with cats, even on their website it is recommended not to have a cat in the house with them.
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awww! what a lovely couple! thanks for sharing your story and picture!
And here's a picture! http://www.dailycute.net/view/Other/7650
I had a one year old Rhodesian Ridgeback, and an four year old samoyed, when I brought my eight week old kitten home,Tony, Tony was a little scared by my samoyed because she came rushing in, to see me and didn't pay him any attention, when I brought my rhodesian ridgeback in, she was very interested with tony and kept an eye on him but didn't go near him, then within the week all of them where getting along find, Miska my samoyed liked sleeping and didn't want to play and stayed to herself, But Jess my ridgeback loved Tony, and Tony loved Jess, Tony and Jess use to play all day and everyday, Tony use to play with jessies tail and jess would play back, of course jess was being gentle and never hurt tony..but tony being what he is use to jump out of nowhere and playfully attack jess,and til this day, five years later they are still bestfriends!
It's a good thing that boxers are good with cats because I have a boxer puppy, and i'm planning ti get a kitty.
Newfoundlands do very well with cats. Out of all dog breeds they have a very gentle temperament and are great with small animals and children. You do, however, have to want a giant, dribbly bear around the house! Our newfie loves our three cats.
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That's cute! I have two cats and one of them loves my Rottweilers, she licks their face every morning and gives them ''shiatzu massages''
I have a rat terrier/min pin mix I got from a shelter and he's great with my cat. She rolls over on her back and waits for him to "attack" and they wrestle and chase each other. She's a rather dog-like cat though and is the only one of the two that plays fetch. She's 3 years old and once she adjusted to the puppy's play style they work, and if he gets too rough she swats him on the nose and he backs off. :-)
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I find it odd that all of a sudden your dog has gotten this interest in chasing the cats.. any recent changes? all you can do is manage the situation for now, this program below may help but you need to make safety your top priority:
we brought a yorkie that will be 2 in may she has all of a sudden started to attack my cats and im not sure what to do as now the cats cant come in the front room she got into my bedroom today and if it wasn't for my husband i dread to think what she would have done to the cat im now not sure if i should keep her
We have a Jack Russell and she is an absolute terror to our poor cat! She's such a loveable cuddly little girl, but she does take great pleasure in jumping on and play fighting with the cat who has no desire to play.
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Generally, yorkies being terriers have strong chasing instincts, it is best to introduce cats when young. Some may be intolerant of small children too. No black and white rules can be made though.
woww! i want a yorkie, do they get along with cats??
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It is difficult to say the outcome, generally things are more likely to go well when they grow up with cats together. Being from a rescue, it is hard to tell if she was ever in households with cats. Did you try asking the rescue? Chasing of course is not a good sign and we do not know what her real intent is (and better not try to find out). My Rotts have grown with cats and chickens but occasionally they will chase our cats during play but it all ends there. I really would play it safe and do not let them interact as of yet now, in the meanwhile I would focus on training the malamute ''leave its''. The leave it can then be incorporated to the cat, with her on the leash for safety sake. And you can see if she will listen, some dogs have too much prey drive to listen, if this is the case you will have to work under the threshold and build from there, but accept the fact you may have to keep the two separated if there is no progress. Here are two helpful hubs:
https://hubpages.com/animals/The-Importance-of-Tra...
These rules can apply to any dog:
https://pethelpful.com/dogs/How-to-Train-Your-Scen...
Best wishes!
We just recently rescued a three or four year old Alaskan Malamute. This dog is very calm, never makes a noise, loves to chew on her bone...she isn't very interested in the balls or other toys we have bought her but loves to carry around my daughters dolls and stuffed animals. She is very calm around the kids....she seems to ignore us a lot but seems to be very well trained and heels and does tricks and understands what we want from her, but like I said, she seems to ignore us when we call her (also a new name to get used to I am sure). My cat has been in hiding since she got here. She has seen her a couple times and runs after her as if to chase her. She has been camped out by my bed for two days because the cat is hiding underneath it. Now I am worried she is going to eat my cat! She is wonderful otherwise....how can I prevent this from happening?
Hi there I have a malumute (sorry for spelling lol) we had our cat for a year or so before we rescued our malumute from the pound he was 3 and I took great care when introducing them my dog max went up to the cat (niko) who swipped him on the nose and that was all it took for niko to show max who was boss and they have been best of friends ever since they play and share food fine unless the cat doesn't want max there then he growls at max which I find amusing as I'm sure it should be the other way around lol although I will make sure niko is high up when my parents dogs come around they are a jack Russel and a jack Russel cross beagle they like to chase him I don't think they would hurt him but I wouldn't take the risk as I've saved my cat from being chased by them once when they first came over and I didn't realise he was in x hope this helps xx
i have a scottish terrier (8yrs) and a calico cat (1 yrs) and they hate each other....any tips?
My Whippet and cat get along fine. Here's an adorable video of them that proves it:
We're a cat family that recently adopted a very small shelter dog, part terrier part shih tzu. I really don't know if that what she is, but she is certainly a terrier mix of some type.
Didn't even realize prey drive existed until after we got the dog and I found this article. Our dog will not leave the cat alone.
The dog is 8 pounds, and the cat, a very strong tabby, is 19 pounds at least. It's just that every time the dog sees the cat it's like it's the first time. Every single time it's like this, and she refuses to leave him alone. And she doesn't stop when she starts rushing him if we command her to stop. (part of the training she has already had)
Now, the cat could easily take care of the dog, but he has chosen not to for whatever reason. He is however, getting more and more fed up, and can bite very hard. But we don't want either of them to get hurt.
We have already had training for our dog for separation anxiety, and she starts obedience training in January. So we will do anything and everything to try and work through this.
We love them both, we want them to learn to get along, just wondered if anyone had any hints that may help. We really should have researched a lot more before we made such a decision, but we're in it for the long haul now.
Any suggestions appreciated..
When we bought our cat at 10 weeks old, 3 years ago, we already had a 5 year old Jack Russell dog, with a naturally high prey drive, and a 4 year old Flatcoat retriever bitch, who is soppy but inquisitive. The kitten had been raised in a house with dogs and was totally unfazed when he met ours. The Jack Russell definitely wanted to have a go, in what I would call a semi playful way which could have turned nasty. The retriever wanted to make friends and play.
I introduced the Jack Russell under complete control, holding him so that he could not attack the cat - he calmed down extremely quickly. Within 24 hours there was no problem at all and the three animals were completely relaxed in each other's company. The kitten started to suckle the retriever (no milk of course) and the retriever was completely cool about this, though we discouraged it by gently detaching the kitten, so that it stopped after a week or so. Several years later and they all run in the garden together and the cat sometimes follows us down the lane for a walk. Hate each other? Happily, in this household they seem to be pretty fond of one another. We have never had a single dog vs. cat incident and there are regular and hilarious mock fights between the cat and the retriever. The Jack Russell is more aloof and only plays with the other dog!
It's pretty funny how some dog behave with cats, I have a 12 year old mastiff x ridgeback and a 1 year old mastiff x ridgeback (both most likely have many other breeds in them). The older one never liked cats when we were out walking, always getting very panicky when we passed one, and it was always difficult to settle her down, but two years ago I got a little kitten. To my surprise it only took about a week for the dog to be okay with the cat, from then on they were very well behaved... Then comes the puppy! She is meant to be the same breed as the older dog except she cannot help herself when it comes to the cat she has to chase it! Even when we manage to get her under control, you can see it in her body language how bad she wants the cat! The funny thing is the puppy has had the cat around its whole life, so far... Except she behaves like she has never seen a kitten before! But the old girl who has only had the cat in her life for two years get along with the cat like they are old mates from way back! It puts a bit of a twist on the whole dogs are okay with cats if they grow up with them theory! Aswell as the breed theory!
I have a dalmatian/boxer mix and she hates cats. Go figure. Haha.
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Helen, did you actually take your time to read that my list is not a black and white statement and therefore no generalizations can be made? I have a hard time understanding why you are acting like I did a disservice to the breeds you own, only because you were lucky things worked out. I wrote this article more than three years ago. I developed this hub from my experience as a certified dog trainer and years of reading about dog behavior. I cannot recall exactly what books I used to look for breeds with high prey drives and that are likely to attack small animals. I have a library with more than 300 dog books. If you are looking for a source that confirms my statements about both breeds you own and googling people with dead cats is not enough for you recognize that this tendency is in the breed standard which you should be familiar with:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/siberian_husky/
More sources:
Michele Welton
Source:
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/siberianh...
Siberian Husky: Strong instincts to chase and grab anything that runs, i.e. cats
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/alaskanma...
Alaskan Malamute:Aggression toward other animals
Hope this helps you understand why I am not going to list them as cat friendly.
Again, I want to know what research or evidence-based study supports your argument .... just point me in that direction.
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Again, I made it clear in my article that these are not black and white statements and that each dog is different. I listed dogs with high prey drive that MAY be more likely to not get along with cats. You likely taught and trained well your dogs to know the cats are part of the family. But in NO way would I make a statement that they are safe with cats. Doing so would be irresponsible and, as a dog trainer, I have come to know sad stories of cats killed by both breeds. Just google ''siberian husky killed my cat! and you will see.
I beg to differ! You have listed Malamute and Siberian as hey prey driven AND while they ARE high prey driven both breeds get along perfectly well with cats - I have had both huskies and cats for almost 30 years now and have not had any issues. And I'm not just talking about one husky and one cat. I currently have three huskies - a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a one year old and I have three cats - 2 less than 2 years old and one that is 8 years old. And I've always had both dogs and cats together. In fact, my huskies are protective of my cats. What evidence is your article based on exactly? Opinion or research by a professional body?
ohhhh the malmute el eat the cat, I just saved the last one left. And it was from the female, the male was the one that consumed the 2 other cats
Leave it to luck, we have a Cairn. We had a Shihtzu, the cats and the Tzu loved one another. We lost our Tzu and got a cairn. Cairns are hunters bread to look for prey in "cairns" or rocky outcroppings. Don't do it. Our cats now have one part of the house, and the dog the other. I wish we would have known.
The neighbors Lab has killed 4 kittens so far and attacked another this morning. Becomes and actually snatches them off my porch. I've had to buy a gate.
Aw, Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes are my favorite dogs, and I love cats. Looks like I'll have to choose now.
I have an 12 year old Australian Cattle Dog named Jim and he LOVES my 6 month old Manx kitten Binky. I was surprised that he liked her that much, but she didn't like him very much because she ATTACKED him! i thought he would hurt her because he had blood all over his face, but he put her in his mouth and sat and waited for me to come and get her. when i got her out of his mouth, i checked her and she didn't look hurt, but Jim did. i thought she wouldn't mind him because she was born in a house with a HHUUGGEE Pitbull(the pitbull is very nice). but she did and now they are both okay and happy to be living with each other.
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I am sorry but I cannot predict how your Yorkie may get along with a cat. Each dog and each cat is different and there are too many variables. Yorkshire terriers have been bred to catch rats, they may therefore like to chase cats. The best thing would be trying to have a cat on ''trial'' with your yorkie leashed and the cat in the crate to see how your yorkie reacts. Afterward, with your yorkie still leashed you can get the cat out of the crate and observe your yorkie's reaction. Make safety top priority.
i have a 4 year old 13 pound yorkie. (hes not fat but a very big yorkie!!!) i was thinking of getting a cat but i dont know if he would kill the cat or just sniff it and maybe bark and thats it. how do i know if i can have one with my dog? PLEASE HELP ME!!!
I have a beautiful 4 year old Bernese Mountain Dog. She has little or no prey drive. She is wonderful with cats and other dogs of all sizes. and people of all sizes. she barks at my cats through the window, but I can tell her bark is a play bark. Years ago, I had an Alaskan Malamute that was wonderful with our cats. She exhibited her prey drive towards pigeons and other birds.
Well bitbull and lab mix do not like cats cause they constantly chase cats and does anyone know of a no kill shelter in Louisiana?
This article is very interesting and perfectly true. My brother had a pitbull whom loved all his wife's cats and looked after all their kittens and defended them from the other dogs he had. My husband had a friend whom had a greyhound with her pet rabbits and cats and never harmed them. On the other side of the coin - my neighbour told me that her golden retriever had gone after several cats and some being fatally injured. One of the vets that I took my cats too told me of some cocker spaniels that had attack a cat with fatal results. I think you have to use common sense and weight up your dog or dogs personality and the cat/s too.
I just adopted a yorkie mix puppy from a shelter about a week ago. The puppy is around 4 months old. I have a 10-year-old cat, also from a shelter, who is very skittish. I wasn't aware that yorkies could be a danger to cats. So far, the puppy has never been loose around the cat. She is either in her crate or on a leash when the cat is around. She barked at my cat when I first brought her home, but hasn't done it since. There have been quite a few times when my cat ran out of the room upon seeing the puppy. So far, the puppy has not tried to chase him. Right now, the puppy is only allowed loose in one room of the house, and she is never unsupervised, nor is the cat in the room when she is loose. My plan is to slowly introduce her to the rest of the house using a pet gate. What else can I do to try to prevent incident between the two?
I have a English cocker spaniel and they are apparently the BEST dogs with cats but my puppy still chases after my cat
I have had 3 rhodesian ridgebacks, all have been dominate. My first one, Livingston, was in a family of 5 kids, a bird(which it feared), fish in a pond and a cat "nemesis" named Tess . Tess was a 9 near old Calico I had forever. Tess and Livingston would fight during the day at all times and everywhere they encountered each other, it would be a chase with hisses and barks. I was very worried....when I was around fights were constant.....but when I wasn't looking, they slept together own the same bed. Ha. It Maas. Then that I discovered that sometimes your pets do what you expect! Learn
Learn to expect wonderful harmony.
What about Shetland Sheepdog (sheltie)?
We have been reading up on dogs for almost a year but after I found our lovable cat 6mo ago everything has changed in what to look for. He will be 9mo by the time we get a dog, does anyone know if that is considered "growing up" with a puppy? I'd love it if they could get along.
I have four cats and a dog it was tough at first but my mean cat gave the dog a few beating along the way and in the winter you can catch them sleeping in front of the wood stove to stay warm.
My 8 year old miniature schnauzer seems to get along with girl animals but not males
We recently rescued a year old Rhodesian Ridgeback/Samoyed cross and she's great with cats. She asolutely loves our little kitty Luna... sadly our year old cat is a little less tolerant of the dog. We just got the dog and Luna is not sure why this big tan thing is in the house cuddling up to HER masters haha. I think it's all in how you raise and train the dog. Dog's with high prey drive's just need to be taught not to view the cat as prey but as a companion and member of the family. When we introduced our dog Brandi to Luna we made sure it was in a very controlled setting and gave both animals treats and praises to make the experience a positive one and Luna is slowly but surely coming around. I know eventually they'll be best furry gal pals.
Saying some dogs are this or some dogs are that is generalizing an individual animal on the basis of the over arching concept of breed. Like Pitbulls for example, people have this misconception that they are inheritedly vicious dogs but they aren't, most are sweet gentle dogs that carry the negative connotation of a select few. Any undesirable behaviors really boil down to the owners and how they treat their dogs. Dogs, cats, children - they are all products of their environment, the great thing about dogs is with love, attention and training you can perfect their doggy manners and ensure a harmonious family unit with human, canine and feline alike.
My Bichon and Traditional Siamese absolutely adore each other. They walk around the house together, hunt in the garden for mice together and even share their food! I am blessed to have such loving animals.
I have a 16 week old kitten and we're getting a Weimaraner puppy in 3 weeks time who is currently just over 8 weeks old. Do you think it would make any difference whether we get the puppy now or in 3 weeks to how they accept each other? A friend said that the puppy would accept the kitten better at 8 weeks than at 11 weeks.
Like the person who wrote the article said, every dog is an individual. I live with a Basenji/sheperd/dobie mix and a 5lb elderly chihuahua and three cats. Annie our Basenji/sheperd/dobie is the most gentle creature you could find.She is loving and gentle with the cats and our grouchy old( toothless) chihuahua Bo.
We adopted her from a shelter
at 4 months of age and we socialized her with all creatures big and small, and she is a wonderful girl who adores everyone big and small.
Growing up my Father took in every stray cat,dog,bird.I over the years have fostered many cats and dogs and have been very blessed with no horrible incidents.
I even fostered an adult chow who fell abjectly in love with my house rabbit.
You just never know, and its very good to be cautious,but just don't want anyone to reject a dog based on breed alone. There are so many wonderful dogs out there that need a home.
Of course anything can go wrong, but that is the chance we take.
i have a shiba inu and its best friend is my cat, but he likes to chase my other cats
Our Australian Shepherd thinks each new kitty is her baby ... washes, plays with and cuddles them to sleep, then releases them to grow up, with everyone living in harmony under one roof (including the sharing of food). My cousins black setter/retriever actually nursed a siamese kitten, the rejected offspring of another family other cat, and they played together, hysterically, for the rest of their lives.
This is definitely an interesting article. I was a bit surprised to read that terriers tend to not get along with cats though! At my house, we have a wire-haired Jack Russell terrier, a Poodle Shihtzu mix, and a cat. The shihtzu mix seems to play with and tease the cat while the Jack Russell ignores him completely! And at a relative's house, she has a Cairn terrier that also plays with and sleeps with the cat. I guess when it comes down to it, it is just the individual personality of the dog.
i have had a toy poodle for about 4 years. recently, my dad got a cat and the first time ever my dog saw him, he instantly went for the attack. we are now having them live together and it's extremely tense. if they get to close to each other, hissing, scratching, and barking ensues. just goes to show even more that generalizations cannot be made.
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That's very cute, and a great example of how no generalizations can be made..
So Akitas don't get on with cats? Someone had better tell my Akita.......
I rest my case......
We adopted a papillon mix from the shelter about two years ago. He looks just like a papillon but he's oversized, and I've been trying to figure out what other breed he's mixed with. The shelter said terrier, and based on this hub I think they're right.
We've got two cats that never socialized properly with the dog from the beginning, so now they have to live separately from the dog. It works OK because the master suite is large and has basically two bedrooms and a bathroom and hallway (it's just the way the addition was put on this house) so the cats basically live in an "apartment" and the dog gets the rest of the house and the outside.
The dog gets very excited to see the cats, and rushes into the bedroom whenever he gets a chance. It seems like at first he wanted to play with them, but they would have nothing of it so he got "offended" and started barking at them. Now it's just a pattern: he rushes into the bedroom and flushes the cats wherever they are, they run under the bed, he can't get a good foothold on the floor (ha ha) so he can never actually get to them before they get under the bed, but then he sits and barks at them while they growl and hiss at him.
While annoying, I never thought it was dangerous, as the cats are about 11 lbs and the dog is 20. But more recently, I've noticed that if the dog does get his nose near the cat, I find a clump of fur on the ground. The cat never yowls, never swipes (I wish she would!) so I don't think she's ever hurt, but I've become worried that the dog is biting at her rather than trying to play with her. He does chase squirrels in the yard so I know he's got the instinct to chase small animals.
But two days ago the dog was outside and there were a bunch of sparrows on the ground. All of them flew away but one, and the dog immediately grabbed at the sparrow and started mouthing it. He wouldn't let go and ran away with it and tried to take it into the house. It was his first "kill", I think, and it upset me a whole lot, and now I'm afraid he may actually harm the cats.
Don't quite know what to do. I respect natural instinct and if he does have terrier in him, that would explain everything. But I love the dog and feel an obligation to all the animals I've adopted to keep them for life. So ... is the separation technique working, and will it work for the lifetime of the pets? Or can I somehow train the dog to get along with the cats?
I really wish the cats would beat the dog up one day instead of run away. He needs to feel a little afraid of them.
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If this aggression in out of the blue I would have her checked out by a vet just to make sure there is nothing physical going on. To stop her from acting aggressive work on the ''leave it'' command and make sure your cats have an escape route.. I would separate if you feel she may harm them..
My Ridgeback/Boxer Crossbreed has in the last month had two incidences with our cats but she was raised with them and she attacked both of our cats, we were in the kitchen at the time when all of a sudden she started mauling one of the cats and a few days later she did it to the other cat, she's never had issues with them before.
Please advise me how I can channel her aggression and possibly prevent this from occurring again.
Wow, do beagles and huskies get along. If so then, how do huskies go with cats? Good or Bad?
we recently purchased an 8 month old english bull terrier. she is so well behaved for a puppy. no messes in the house, somewhat excited especially for walks. but she will outgrow this, but she has this thing about cats. the people that had her before us had cats and separated them because of her behavior. she absolutely fixates on them and is perfectly poised and doesn't move when they are around. on a walk the other night my husband had to pull her away from the area where a cat was loose. i mean she was like a statue, never moved. it was kind of scary to think what she would do is she were loose. she was in a house with 5 small children, so we know she is good with kids. no other problems at all except she thinks she a lap dog and is clingy right now. does anyone know what we should do or have you had this kind of behavior and what did you do. we don't have cats, never wanted one, really don't care for them because they go to the bathroom all over our yard, but i certainly don't want a cat-killer on my hands and the cats do tend to get in our fenced in back yard. any advise?? should i warn neighbors to keep their cats at home and what happens if she gets one?? i mean she is in her yard and they are considered "wild animals". any advise would be appreciated
I just wanted to mention that there are a few standard poodle lines that continue to be bred for their original purpose as hunting and retriever dogs. I think mine must be from one of those lines because I've never seen prey drive like his before. Despite his obedience training, even after a month of having the cat in the house, his teeth chatter when he is in the same room as the cat. He can barely contain himself. There is no way I would leave them alone together.
I have a jindo, she thinks the cats are her puppies, so she carries them around by their scruff, it's really cute.
Cowgirl0216 Whilst you are correct on the high prey drive thing, it is not because they were descended from wolves. Genetically Huskies are no closer to wolves than a yorkshire terrier. It is in fact linked to the fact that because Inuits were unable to afford to feed their dogs in the warmer months when they didn't need them to pull sleds, they would let them fend for themselves locally, so Huskies (and other spitz breeds) needed to keep their prey drive if they were to survive -natural selection.
Huskies and other spitz breeds to have a very high prey drive but I have seen many live in harmony with cats. I have 3 sibes and 2 (Aeris and Nanuq) are fine with our 2 cats -they have had a LOT of training! The third, Eska is still young and immature so he has less control over his predatory instincts. That said, I would never leave them in a room unsupervised, because instinct rules all else, it only takes for a cat to dash in front of them and the reaction can be so lightning quick they have no time to think about it. Our cats and dogs have their own areas of the house (upstairs for cats, downstairs for dogs) so that they have areas which they feel they 'own'. Our living room in neutral ground where all 5 animals can settle peacefully -but only with our close supervision.
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I think you are doing well to supervise. If your dog is particularly food possessive your cat may be in peril if there is food around. Yes, keep the cat food dish somewhere high where the dog cannot have access to.
I have had a cat for about three years, and about a year and a half ago we got a rescue puppy--if she is alert she looks like a Dobie, or maybe a Rottweiler. They have always gotten along (my first cat would have sliced and diced the dog), but occasionally the dog has gone too far and the cat bopped her a few times and reminded her to play nice. But a couple of weeks ago the dog chased the cat down and pinned her barking, snarling and what have you. I pulled her off, and punished her. The dog instantly acted like nothing had happened. It happened again a week or so ago, but I found a couple of nuggets of cat food. I am wondering if this is over food. The dog loves cat food--I don't put the cats food where the dog can get it. The cat has plenty of hiding places as long as she isn't pinned. I do not leave the cat and dog unsupervised any longer. Any thoughts?
We have had many terrier breeds of dogs and never had probems with them and cats. Labs that is a different story. They are not always friendly with cats.
Our Springer loves our cats.
My sister's Pitbulls kills every cat that comes in their yard.
I think another problem is one dog will not do what two dogs will do!!! If their in a pack they will act different then alone.
Devastated-Owner sorry to hear about your cat.
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Getting a puppy is to your advantage.. it is easier to train dogs from puppy hood to respect the cats.. puppies are boisterous, so your cat will most likely work on teaching the puppy to be left alone... a symbolic swat on the nose usually is all it takes.. the puppy should learn not to bother ''kitty''.
To be comfortable, your cat must have some place to resort to in order to stay in peace.. a tall place to hide and sleep or a room where the puppy cannot get to may help.
Of course, all cats have their own personalities so it is hard for me to predict how she will react..generally neurotic cats have a hard time with changes, but if your cat is just a bit skittish she should get over it after a few days.. it is important to go gradual with the introductions.. do not allow them to interact right away.. allow some time for them to get used to each other's smell and noises.. best to keep the puppy crated and let the cat investigate the crate.. and then keep the puppy leashed and then continue.. do not let your puppy engage in wild chasing and play right away...Looking at breed details Lhasa's seem are likely to get along with other pets when properly introduced.. perhaps you can find a rescue or shelter to have you do a ''trial'' and see how it goes?
NEED ADVICE
i have a small house cat with a sweet temperment, if a bit skittish and prone to bouts of energetic running around.
i'm considering getting a Lhasa apso (or a shitztu as a second choice). i love my cat and so i'm wondering if the possible risks (as there are with any dog) are worth it.
in short, would bringing a lhasa apso puppy into the home jepodise my cat to such a degree that it isn't worth it.
please respond, i'd love a dog but dont know if this is the right thing to do.
NEEDING ANY ADVICE:
I came home this evening and our neighbor met me in our driveway. She said her dogs had found a dead animal in our side yard. She wasn't sure if it was a small dog, cat or raccoon.
Imagine my shock when I saw it was our daughter's beloved 3-yr old cat. Our daughter, who is currently working in another country, entrusted her “kitty” to our care.
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NOTE: The next paragraph is detailed with respect to our cat’s appearance when I saw him – a modified post-mortem. I have A.S. & B.S. degrees in Veterinary Science, but I haven’t worked in this field for years. My comments are not meant to offend anyone; I am merely desperate to determine what may have happened. I am looking for anyone’s input and knowledge. Those who are sensitive may want to skip the next paragraph.
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This was a 3 yr old, healthy cat, large in statue, very muscular and slim, weighing almost 13 lbs. When I came upon his body, the appearance was not what one would expect to see after a cat or small dog has been “shaken” and its neck broken. The skin at the back of the head was gone, as if it has been peeled back. I initially thought he had been decapitated, however, there appears to be a small portion of the lower jaw being held by the skin under the neck. The muscles are exposed from the top of neck to the “shoulders”. The remainder of his body is intact. His body was “stretched out” per se, which is a reflex which can occur when the spinal cord is “pinched”. In humans, NFL fans can relate to this reflex when a player sustains a hard hit at his neck and his arms and legs are extended and appear to be paralyzed.
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It was dusk, so I couldn’t see more detail; I was concentrating more on retrieving his body to keep another daughter from seeing it. I have no doubt an animal did this, rather than some disturbed human who tortures animals.
I am trying to be a good neighbor and be objective, but:
This is the 2nd cat to be found dead in our yard within the last 6 months. The other cat, found in the same area cat was 12 years old and had some health problems; however, she had no obvious signs of injury when our gardener found her. Read on:
Our neighbors have two boxers - we have lived next door to each other for almost 15 years. These dogs are approx 8-10 years old. One was raised from a puppy; the other was rescued from an abusive owner. These dogs have been in/out of our home many times; there was curiosity but no aggression. Their interest was more in the cat food rather than the cats.
What I’ve seen today is more reminiscent of what one would see on National Geographic, not in a neighborhood teeming with young children.
If anyone can offer any knowledge or experience with this type of behavior with “pet” boxers killing and eating cats, I would be grateful. I understand instinct, but this sudden aggression is alarming. We live within the city limits in an area where our older homes & tree lined streets are in high demand. We have good leash laws, and these dogs normally stay within the boundary of their yard. No history of feral dogs, coyotes, hawks, raccoons, etc. The only “dogs of interest” are these dogs.
My thanks to anyone who can offer any theories or experiences.
im interested in a beagle mix at a no kill shelter, but she looks like shes a terrier and a lab mix, she doesn't look like a beagle at all. the lady said she loves to chase rabbits, but she doesn't know if she likes cats or not. i have three cats and two rabbits but the rabbits are in a fenced yard on the side of my house, and the fence is around five feet tall. What should i do?
I have had two Australian Cattle dogs and both live happily with their feline friends. Like anything, get them socialized early and they can be buddies
I have a rottweiler hates cat, but loves children and dogs. My rottweiler never grew up with any cat while puppy time, so can't blame her. But she is a lovely dog and get along very well with other stranger dog and all mankind.
i am so surprised about the Samoyed, they are the dearest and most good natured dogs!!!!!!!!! mabye they bark at the cats but as i know a bit about them i know they would never harm them.
I know some Border Collies might have a problem but mine doesn't, she is the sweetest girl in the world and you can read about how we all go on a walk together every evening at: http://www.squidoo.com/the-story-of-buttons-lily-p...
I have owned three dogs: Lab/Dob, Lab, and now I have a Lab/Husky mix. The 1st one was not raised with cats but tolerated the neighbors cat outside and inside our house (the cat liked to visit our home). The 2nd was introduced to a kitten around 6 yrs. of age and they became best friends. I now have two cats (10 & 6 yrs.) and adopted the Lab/Husky 9 months ago, when she was 6 months old. All of my dogs played with stuffed animals and shook them violently. All of them also liked to de-stuff the toys with equal enthusiasm-it looked like they were disemboweling the toys. NONE of my dogs has ever harmed a cat. The Lab liked to drag a stray around the yard by his scruff. I have no idea why the stray liked this but he came back everyday--it was a strange relationship but she never hurt him. My current dog, lab/husky likes to chase the cats and bows and pounces but, the cats sleep with her and sometimes play back. My point is, just because a dog shakes a stuffed animal, it does't mean that they will shake a real animal. Oh, I also have had guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rabbits and birds (my daughter loved animals growing up)around the 2nd dog--Lab--who drag the stray--and she never harmed any of them:)
I had a Yorkie (that I had to PTS after 15yrs of love) & she got along great with my two cats. They did not grow up together in fact Brandy, the Yorkie was around 11 when the cats were introduced. More recently, I have a Husky (1 of 3 dogs) and she does not bother my 7 cats at all. Again they did not grow up together and the husky was about 10 when the cats were introduced. She was very curious as to what they were when they first came into the picture and we watched her closely, but after a couple of months felt completely comfortable with them together and at least half the cats will just walk right by all our dogs.
I do agree certain breeds can have tendencies for conflicts over others, but I also think training and the way your animals are raised has a lot to do with interactions. (It also helps to have more laid back, but confident kitties, lol).
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Sounds like prey drive to me...remember you are dealing with a breed used for hunting..I would not allow him to get at the cat.. he may just want to play but it will scare the cat off and will make him chase the cat... keep him leashed and under control.
Try to get a stuffed animal tie a rope around its neck and let it pass by the dog off leash...leaving him free.. if your springer gets it and shakes it in its mouth... that's the end your cat may end up having... so be very carefull..
You can practice with the stuffed animal on control first.. have somebody drag the stuffed animal across the room and you must control his instinct to chase..
Using a stuffed animal as a dummy may help you assess how much control you have over your dog and how much prey instinct is in him..
Put your cat in a crate and let them get to know each other and get used their own smells... then put the dog in the crate and have the cat investigate... they must get to know each other gradually and your Springer must learn that the cat is a pet and not something to chase..
Then allow the dog to see the cat from a distance and say ''noo'' for when he tries to chase or focuses too much on the cat.. praise and give treats for staying calm..
Have the cat walk by and do the same work.. you must have a no chase policy and you should never let them be together alone.. you must have strong leadership skills to discourage chasing and praise for calm state of minds...
You may have good results with lots of practice but alway's put your cat's safety first.. best wishes!
So I just got a springer spaniel from this family and was told that they weren't sure how he would do with a cat since they kept him and another male springer as outdoor dogs on 5 acres. She said as a puppy he didn't pay attention to the neighbors cat, etc... so we brought him home last night and he's such a great dog, really I can't think of anything bad, even lets the little kids mess with his chew bone and doesn't bat an eye. They did say they saw the neighbor kids hurting him once but they didn't tell me how, this is a really great family but he def wants to be an indoor dog now and won't even go outside to potty if he doesn't see me for fear he can't get back in, however, when my cat surfaced today he at first paid no attention, then all of a sudden noticed her, she's black, and I was holding his collar and he started shaking and getting really eager and whining, but his tail was wagging like crazy, so I don't know if he wants to hurt her or investigate, I know if I had let go he would have gone for her, but don't know the intention, after she took off he went over and sniffed the area. Not sure what to think, anyone help me? oh, my cat is 6 yrs old and the dog is 2.
I want to put in a plug for English bulldogs. We have 2 cats and an EB. The cats were here first and we got the EB 2 years ago as a puppy. He has been known to chase them and for the first year, I never let him out unsupervised. I got very nervous seeing the way he would shake his toys when he was a puppy, thinking he would do that to the cats.
At age 2, he has learned proper respect for the cats. His aggression towards them takes comical forms, like head-butting and swatting. I've noticed he is brattier to the cats when we're around - it's an attention getting device. My female cat is not one bit afraid of him and sometimes they sleep together. I don't hesitate to leave them alone unsupervised.
The dog is actually our son's dog and now our son has his own place so we get the dog just for babysitting. We miss having a full-time dog but want to get a dog that will be good with the cats. My husband doesn't like small dogs, so we'll probably be looking for another EB. In theory, I'd love to get a shelter dog but I feel like you just don't know what you're getting. So many of them seem to be pit or terrier mixes - can't risk that with the cats.
My cat was already an adult when we got the lab puppy. Now they tolerate eachother. I wouldn't say they are great buddies. The cat is definitely the boss.
I have a puggat named brownie (pug/rat terrior mix) and let me tell you this is a MEAN dog!! It's OBSESSED with food! It won't let any other animal eat food when she's around, she chases the cats and bites them and makes terrible mean monsterous noises. this dog is SMALL but the most VICIOUS dog ever and would fight a bear with no hesitation but is afraid of gates for some reason. She's good with people unless you annoy her. She's really sweet, will lay in between your legs when your layin down or sittin on the couch/ Loves her belly and back rubbed. She can be playful but she gets rough. LOL and she humps my mom's leg and my puppy max sometimes. and I also noticed ever since we got our puppy max who humps stuff all the time she copied his behavior cuz she never did this before. She is just mean and nice at the same time lol
I have breed Chihuahuas for years and they are indifferent to cats. If the cats run they give a half hearted chase but otherwise could care less. Never had a cat killed by one. Now my boxers are obbsessed with cats and have now inadvertently killed two of my poor kitties.
I have always lived with a mix of border collies and cats. Any dog with a high prey drive will turn to destructive behaviour if not given enough exercise. My most recent border collie was adopted at 15 months old into my home with 4 cats (never having lived with them previously) and was trained very quickly to respect them and behave accordingly. Any over enthusiam and the cats give a good swipe on the dogs nose anyway!
These breeds are more likely to be overlooked in animal shelters becuase of misconceptions such as their inability to mix with cats or small breeds.
We also have a golden retriever - the rule "any dog is as good as its training" is applicable to all breeds.
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