Will my dog try to attack a cat?

Question

I really want a cat too...to live outdoors with my dog...and my mother will allow me to get a cat because she knows that my dog may try to attack one. My cat living inside is not an option because I have a parakeet and I don't want her to be terrified...

I see most of you guys think that cats can not live outside...well i know plenty of cats that live in the country and they are fine...i just don't think that my indoor bird and cat would be a great match and my dog is very friendly but plays by catching birds in her mouth and running around...the birds do't have much fun if u know what i mean

Answer 1

i got a cat and a dog and he always tries to bite my cats neck.so be very careful.also it depends on what kind of dog it is.i have a frisky poodle and he always plays anyway.if the dog is being bad just put him in his cage.

Answer 2

My dog and my cat live together with no problems - they are both inside animals. However, you should not get a cat if you are just going to dump it outside. Can you not bring the dog in to give it a better life? If you are already forcing your dog to live outside, you should not subject another animal to that treatment - especially a cat. Chances are not good that they would be 'friends', or that your cat would even live past 2 years old. Don't do it and please, bring your dog inside.

Edit: You are right, the cat may go after the bird if the bird is not in a cage and is within reach. But, that DOES NOT mean that you should get a cat to dump it outside. It will NOT get along with the dog and it is NOT responsible to condemn a cat to living it's life outside. Again, the average lifespan for an outdoor cat is 2 years. For an indoor cat, it's 12-15 years. Just because you see cats "that are fine" doesn't mean that yours will be or that the others will continue to be. My old neighbor had 4 outdoor cats. 1 was eviscerated by a Rottie (had it's innards ripped out), 1 was hit by a car and had massive injuries (broken jaw, broken legs, collapsed lung, etc) but survived (they put it down), one 'disappeared', and I put the other one into rescue. They were all under 5 years old.

http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/humane_society_magazines_and_newsletters/all_animals/volume_4_issue_1_spring_2002/a_safe_cat_is_a_happy_cat_and_your_cat_is_only_safe_indoors.html

Answer 3

they can live together very well....however cats that are put outdoors tend to become feral pretty quickly, because unlike dogs they can take care of themselves.( a dog can too just choose not to lol) and a cat can also live in a house with a bird if you get it as a kitten and train it to leave the bird alone. my ex has 2 dogs, 3 cats, a hamster, 2 rabbits and several birds......all live together just fine in a house. however it depends on how social your dog is as well. and rather you get a cat or a kitten rather the cat will be tolerant of the dog.....in my experience every time ive had a dog and a cat together the cat has been the aggressor lol

Answer 4

Well I would say that cats and dogs don't get along very well but I know someone who's dog was friends and when the cat knocked on the door it was just to let the dog in. But they had to put the dog to sleep so now the cat is always so sad because he wants the dog back. But really I think that cats and dogs don't get along. Also you shouldn't because the cat might eat the bird.

Answer 5

I don't think you should get a cat to be an outdoor animal. Cats can take care of themselves to a degree but not like a dog (when it comes to larger animals and "creatures of the woods"). I personally don't think its fair to the animal to be left outside, they require more socialization and attention than dogs do and I think it might cause more problems than worrying about your dog attacking. You might have more luck trying to get the cat used to the bird first. If you feel you HAVE to have the cat still it depends on if your dog has ever gone after small animals (squirrels, rabbits, mice, moles, other animals).. if so it might be more work than you want to deal with. However I did have a beagle who became protective of my rabbit instead of hunting like they are trained to do..

Answer 6

I have four dogs and a cat they get along pretty good most of the time. Sometimes the cat plays superman and takes a flying leap on one of the dogs. But it turns out alright. I would say go ahead.

Answer 7

It's possible to socialize dogs and cats. You may have to ask a vet who knows your animals to see if it can be done in your case though.