Yesterday afternoon I adopted an 8-week-old border terrier puppy. I have two cats. One is exceptionally mellow and is proving very good with the puppy, the other is being 'territorial' and circling around the puppy prepared to attack it at the slightest opportunity. The reaction by this cat is a bit surprising to me because she is extremely friendly and playful around other cats and people, whereas the mellow cat is normally the more standoffish of the two. In any event, I know it will take time and this is 'normal' and so on, but I was hoping to get some advice on how to expedite the warm-up process so that I don't have to watch them together 24/7 and worry about the cat scratching his eye or something. The other issue is that I don't want the puppy to associate this cat with such a negative experience because border terriers aren't known to be that great with cats to begin with and I don't want him harming her when he's older and larger. At the moment, he just whimpers!
2007-06-10 04:16:55 · 6 answers · asked by pat800 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
HI I AM CAROL
IS THEIR ANY WAY YOU CAN KEEP THE UNFRIENDLY CAT AWAY FROMTHE PUP I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE CAT HURTING THE PUP AT THE MOMENT. THEY MAY JUST NEED TIME TO GET USED TO EACH OTHER, AT LEAST WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT HOME, YOU ALSO DONT WANT THE DOG TO GROW UP AFRAID OF THE CAT.
BYE FOR NOW CAROL
2007-06-10 04:30:47 · answer #1 · answered by Shorty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep a spray bottle handy to use on the cat if necessary.
Crate the pup when you can't supervise.
The cat knows this is a D O G and is being wary.
One of my dachshunds was brought into the household with 2 existing cats at that age; our female pretty much ignored him initially. Later they would lie side by side on a pillow in the sunshine and I'd catch her cleaning him. They never really did play, but she was 8 yrs old to his 8 weeks.
However, my stupid (19-yr-old) daughter came in, picked him up - said has Buddy (male cat) met him yet? - STUCK the pup in the sleeping cat's face; Buddy awoke, hissed, and took a swipe. Caught Sam in the ear and he has a 1/2 inch scar to this day. He yelped; my daughter claimed the cat had only frightened him, until we noticed he was bleeding (he's black). Until the day Buddy died, Samson always walked the long way around him - we are talking 3 foot buffer zone.
2007-06-10 04:36:57 · answer #2 · answered by Karen W 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Separate the new puppy from the hostile cat when you are not supervising them. If you want to try to get the two to be friends, make SURE you have a definite way of getting them separated if the cat starts acting violent. Under no circumstances should you let them be together when you are not supervising them. As a barrier, try using a baby gate.
2007-06-10 04:33:55 · answer #3 · answered by the fire within 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just make sure you are giving your kitties individual attention so they know that you didn't forget about them. They'll eventually come around. As for the dog when he's older, I wouldn't worry so much about him hurting the kitties. Maybe if you adopted a full grown adult dog but not a puppy that will grow up with the cats.
2007-06-10 04:27:51 · answer #4 · answered by Summer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the biggest concerns on your unvaccinated puppy are parvo and rabies (based upon the place you reside). so a approaches as i understand, cats, feral or in any different case, can't carry or get parvo. As for the rabies....he might ought to have been bitten or bit an animal with rabies to capture it. So if he became ingesting a ineffective cat i might complication :) The poopy, whilst fairly gross, i do no longer think of you ought to get too worried approximately it. Wait until eventually you notice your vet on Tues. point out it to them, yet I unquestionably think of each and every little thing would be ok. p.s. canines consume cat poop and each style of issues they are no longer meant to. you're no longer on my own! My domestic dog, now 9 months, further me various ineffective birds and a flattened toad, and a garter snake...all basically from my backyard. we've a reasonably super assets and it backs as much as desolate tract, yet I had no theory any of that stuff became even obtainable. i'm confident he ate wild cat poop too devoid of me understanding it.
2016-10-07 05:47:29 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i really dont know what to do about that cause i have a cat and a puppy and they go along fine.
2007-06-10 04:23:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋