How on earth can I stop my puppy chasing our adult cat? The place is a mad house when they're together.?

Question

The cat actually tolerates the dog better than he does cats. If he's higher up, the puppy gets a few swipes on the nose, but once the cat gets down, there's a mad dash around the house while the cat tries to get to another high place. The puppy doesn't attack the cat, but tries to pounce and play. For the cats sake, I'd like to stop pup doing this. Help. Visitors think we live in a nuthouse.They will actually eat out of the same bowl at times. It's just when the cat is on the move the problem starts.

Good grief. Not many animal lovers on here today.Lol

Answer 1

Been there and got the T shirt. We had a cat who grew up with a German Shepherd and they shared everything. Sadly the dog died (old age) and a few months later we got a 6 week old border collie who made it his mission in life to catch the cat whether in the house or our huge garden. The cat was a bit bemused at first, and a bit contemptuous of the pup, but then he grew a bit and started catching the cat. Border collies are fast! The cat just learned to be careful if he didn't want a chase round the room, but we were just as likely to find the cat tormenting the dog, especially outside where he'd hide behind a shrub and leap out just after the dog passed him and swipe at his back end. If we saw the cat peering from behind the sofa and the dog on alert for him to move we'd just hold the dog back and tell him 'leave it', although the cat was well able to stop the dog with a slap on the nose when he wanted to. When the cat started to slow up with old age the dog was much more gentle with him, didn't try so hard to catch him. When the cat died the dog missed him terribly. Still got the dog and thinking of another cat.
Your cat would swipe to hurt if the pup was really bothering it, but try holding the pup back sometimes to give poor old puss some peace of mind occasionally. As the pup matures he'll learn that no means no.

Answer 2

We just adopted a puppy and have the same problem with her chasing our cats.

Here's what I have found to be the best solution so far. Teach the dog "that's enough". For a little while, keep the leash on your dog. When it starts chasing your cat around, say "that's enough" in a firm voice. Pick up the lead and put the dog in a separate room and close the door, just for a minute for a time out. No more. Your dog will soon learn the association with you speaking the words, and leaving the cat alone, and will eventually stop the chasing.

You can also divert the attention to something the dog is allowed to play with; a kong, a favorite squeaky toy, whatever. A good run around in the back yard will likely help burn off the excess energy as well.

Make sure the cat has plenty of places to get away from the dog if needed as well.

Good luck, and be patient. It will sort itself out with a little constancy.

Answer 3

mine are the same, Ive a 5 month old beagle and 13 year old puDDYcat, Ive had to extract the cats nails from the pup, Ive had to divide the kitchen with a stair gate and the pup has down stairs and most of the kitchen and the cat has upstairs, the hall and some of the kitchen, they stand either side of the stair gate to eat with no worries, but i don't really want to spend the next 12 to 15 years with a blind £1000 puppy, i thought it would get better when the pup got bigger, she is nearly fully grown and i know that its not. we have had to rethink every thing we thought it would be like having a pup. and wouldn't do it again. GOOD LUCK

Answer 4

mine do the same thing, we're still working on a solution. Someone suggested creating a "safe place" for your cat to go. You said it tries to get to high places, maybe instead you could put a gate in a bedroom doorway that the cat can jump over but the dog can't. Good question though, it's been like that in my house for months. Sucks.

Answer 5

i have the same issue. expect our little king- the cat- hates the puppy. we got a pit so i'm terrified if it doesn't stop when the puppy is a 50lb dog we're going to have a squashed kitty. I know dogs hate having things over them. maybe pick him up and let him look down on the cat? that stops my georgie from barking at least.. but not the running around!

Answer 6

We have a 1 y/o cat and a 3 month old puppy. Our cat spent her first year with our 10 y/o pug. They just kind of minded their own business. He was constantly around me, following me (as that is what pugs do), and she was busy being a cat.

Then pug passed away and a few weeks later got another pug. And pug puppy rocked her world. She thought she was the QUEEN of the house, but now she gets constantly annoyed by this cute little puppy that wants to chew on her ears and tail. Sometimes she tolerates it, and sometimes she just gets to where he cant go. She has a cat tree she can climb up, as well as sit on top of furniture pieces.

I just let them work it out. When she is tired of it she will run away, and when he gets hissed at and gets scared, then he will stop. Your puppy will grow out of that puppy stage, so just let the siblings work it out! Take care!

Answer 7

Exercise him more so that he isn't so energetic when he gets into the house. It's natural prey drive that makes a dog chase a cat.
He needs more training, and corrections.
Likely when he was smaller someone laughed or encouraged the puppy harassing the cat, and then it continues and gets worse.

Go take some obedience classes so that you have more control over the dog, rather than letting him run wild.

Answer 8

In any given situation, focus on what you do want your dog to do instead of on whatever he’s doing wrong. Learn how to train your dog https://tr.im/NzvHv

For example, suppose that on many evenings, your young dog gets busy looking for trouble just as you’re digesting your dinner. He grabs a boot from the mat by the front door and gallops through the house with it. You yell at him and take it away. He grabs its mate. You yell and take it away. He heads for the kitchen and starts checking out the counters in case something tasty’s been left behind. You chase him away. And on and on, until you’ve lost your temper and torn out clumps of hair you can ill afford to lose.

Answer 9

The puppy is just a big kid let him have fun and train him at the same time, treats work marvellous, only problem with treats is that my neighbours pup is hooked on extra strong mints.

Answer 10

Ha! Get used to it, there is no cure. Puppies love to chase kitties and kitties love to tease pups. It's a natural for both species to play together for fun.