is it normal for a kitten to act like a dog?

Question

mine and my boyfriends 4 and a half month old kitten acts more like a dog than a cat for example she pants like a dog and has her tongue hanging out when shes playing just like a dog, she actually barked a few weeks ago, she follows us everywhere, when we throw her a toy, she brings it back, she crys when we are not there (i know that because my bf's dads there) and she likes watching tele. The family where she was born had a german shepard do just wondering if it could be because there was a dog there from when she was born! Anyone know why or had this with their kitten????? Many thanks

Ha ha no its ok i think i have got the hang of the difference between cats and dogs! And she is not a special breed or anything but she is still special to me!

No the mum wasnt big and the father was around! I was thinking that maybe one of the first things she saw when she was born was the dog!

Answer 1

Well, it is quite possible that it picked up some dog manners/behaviour if it hanged out with dog just after birth - cats and dogs actualy can work well toghther.

Or, if her mother was a big cat, and there was german sheepard and no other male cats around... who knows?

Answer 2

I have a cat that is absolutely crazy. One thing she likes to do is play fetch. I noticed that she is a retriever as soon as I got her. We love to play fetch. I work on my computer and throw the ball, toy mouse, whatever down the hall and she bats it around, and then she brings it back and drops it on my hand. We repeat the process till she gets tired. How come some cats are retrievers and some are not?

What a great question—I wish I had an answer. My best guess is that there is an inheritance component to the urge to retrieve. This is true for dogs, where the very best retrieving canines were singled out for breeding programs that cemented the behavior into the various breeds.

Cats also have a retrieving instinct. How else would wild Mom-cats bring home the bacon—er, the mouse—to hungry kittens? In fact, archeological evidence indicates that early wildcat species were cherished by ancient Egyptians for their flushing/retrieving talents and used for hunting birds (tiny Greyhound-like dogs were used for ratting!).

Today, we know that all cats are different and can have a wide range of personalities. Certain kitties discover that retrieving also can be a fun game. Siamese-type felines seem to more often have this “fetch gene” but other cats as well can learn to relish such sports. Cherish your special kitty—she sounds like a wonderful companion!

Answer 3

My kittens around 20 weeks old now and she likes carrying a stuff toy bigger than her head around with her and she even fetched it and brought it back once too. She growls when shes playing with her toys, my boyfriend thought a dog had got in once. She sits at the end of the bed watching TV at night and she also cries when my boyfriend goes outside for a cig. He mom was half persian, i heard persians talk a little more but i just think its her personality. If she hears a noise she runs out to check what it is with her tail up aggressively lol. I would say your kitten pretty much normal

Answer 4

yeah if a kitten is with a dog in the early stages they think they are like that dog, it's quite funny but cute in a way. i never heard of a cat sticking it's tounge out and barking though. I had a cat a few years ago that would growl like a dog whenever the other cats would go near the food.

Answer 5

It is not unusual for cats to watch television, there are DVDs out there designed to entertain cats (though mine was more interested in snuggling next to me than watching tv). My cat frequently follows me around (usually near mealtime) and yowls when he thinks I'm ignoring him. Some cats will chirp when they are interested in something (like a bird outside the window).
Unless the German shepherd adopted the kitten, it is unlikely the kitten thinks she is a dog, but being raised with a dog will tend to get along better with dogs in the future than would otherwise.
I wouldn't worry unless the kitty starts wagging her tail when happy (as opposed to twitching the tail when stalking prey or about to attack).
Some kittens do have "doglike" personalities, some breeds more than others. Every cat does have a different personality with traits of its own. Enjoy!

Answer 6

What fun! This gives a whole new dimension to your cat's personality. I've cat cats that would fetch and I had another the vet called "the cat with dog manners". My cat only likes cats and horses on television and barks at birds when she's on the windowsill. The "barking" is actually a kind of chirp that cats sometimes do when they're excited and wanting to "get" something. I had one many years ago that just loved Elvis. I think what you've described is a very intelligent cat!

Answer 7

Basic Training of the Puppy - Read here https://tr.im/tHhdO

The new puppy is certainly one of the most adorable and cuddly creatures that has ever been created. It is the most natural thing in the world to shower it with love and affection. However, at the same time it is important to realize that if you want to have a well trained adult dog, you need to begin the training process right away. The dog, like its related ancestor, the wolf, is a pack animal. One of the features of a pack is that it has a single dominant leader. Your new puppy is going to want that leader to be you, but if you do not assume that role from the very beginning, the puppy’s instincts will push him to become the leader.

The most important thing to remember about training the puppy during its first six months of life is that it must see you as the leader of the family pack. The essential thing is gaining the trust and the respect of the puppy from the beginning. You will not do this by allowing the puppy to do whatever it wants to do whenever it wants to do it. On the other hand, a certain amount of patience is required. Most people err in their early training by going to extremes one way or the other. Although you need to begin the basic training process at once, you can not expect your dog to do too much at first. Basic obedience training is fine and should include simple commands like sit, stay, and come. Remember that trying to teach the dog advanced obedience techniques when it is a puppy is much like trying to teach a five year old child algebra.

It is also important to restrain from cruel or abusive treatment of the puppy. You can not beat obedience into your dog, and it certainly is not going to engender feeling of respect and trust. House breaking is an area where this usually becomes a problem because of the anger that is triggered when the puppy fails and creates a mess inside the home. Although this issue must be addressed without anger, it most be addressed. If you allow the puppy to eliminate inside the house, it will continue to do so as an adult dog. The same thing is true of other destructive or dangerous behavior such as chewing and biting. Do not expect the puppy to grow out of it. You are going to need to train the puppy out of it, but you should do so firmly but with a sense of play and fun using positive reinforcement and lots of love and praise for good behavior.

Answer 8

That's adorable!! My dog thinks she's a cat! She was smaller than my cat when I got her, and even though she is 60 pounds now, she still thinks she can lay on my pillow and sit on my lap like the cats!! Bottom line, all animals are a little different, that's why we love them so much! The only thing is: if she sticks her tongue out, she may not be getting enough water, and that can cause more bacteria to grow in her mouth (think of morning breath, except having it all the time!) One of my kitties sticks her tongue out all the time, and I actually have to brush her teeth frequently to prevent gum problems (gingivitis, just like in humans.) Ask your vet, just to be sure. Enjoy your baby's kittenhood, it's never long enough!

Answer 9

I took a feral kitten from it's mom and kept it as my own. My little dachshund took over "raising" the kitten. That poor cat is almost 2 years old now and she has not figured out her claws, never learned how to spit or hiss like a cat and bites us like a dog would - she also like to play fetch. your cat just chose to be like the dog -Sounds within normal range to me - lol -k-

Answer 10

Who cares?! Look at her as a novelty.
I once had a cat that followed me around and it was cute.
My brother has a cat that used to play fetch. He had another cat that would put it's head under a running tap.
Cat's can be individual and that makes them unique
Enjoy her