Should i get rid of my dog? My kitty is..?

Question

I adopted a kitty about 6 months ago. He has been the apple of me & my fiances eye ever since. he is the biggest cuddle & love bug i have ever met. Love to sleep with us and just be cuddly.

About a month ago we introduced him to a Chi we got. The cat is bigger than the dog, and i can tell he is NOT happy he is here. They play around sometimes, but more often than not, the cat is terrorizing the dog..biting him, chasing him, getting him into a corner.

My dog is away overnight at the vet getting fixed and there has been a HUGE turn around in my kittys behavior! Hes so sweet again and relaxed and he hasnt left my side since i got home. I am sad to see the cat is so stressed about this new-comer.. it does not seem like our kitty is going to let up on giving this dog a hard time

Should we try and find the dog a new home ?

Or should we keep them both and just deal with our cats new behavior?

i dont want to wait too much longer though, because then ill get too attached

because we miss our cat... he was our first animal, and now he ignores us when the dog is around at all.

no sorry i live in Pennsylvania!

Answer 1

If you decide to find the dog a new home, please contact Chihuahua Rescue and Transport because they will make sure that the dog will go to a loving home where it will be well taken care of and well loved for the rest of its life.

As far as your situation, did you introduce the animals to each other or did you just waltz in with the dog? Not that it matters now, obviously.

Do you scold the cat for terrorizing the dog, or do you just sit there wringing your hands?

How much attention do you pay to the cat when the dog is there? How did you go about introducing the two of them? What do you do when the cat terrorizes the dog?

My parents have two Chis and around five cats with the Chis being the newest addition to the family. Everyone gets along just fine, and yes, the cats are bigger than the Chis. However, when the newest Chi was introduced to the "gang," he did chase the cats. Most of the cats totally ignored him, but two of the cats ran from him. My dad reprimanded Rosco each and every time this happened. It took several months, but Rosco now no longer chases the cats.

When my Chi and Rosco are around each other, they go from getting along just fine to fighting because there is some major jealousy between them. After talking to the trainer who is working with Sammie (my Chi) and me, we let the dogs fight it out since they aren't hurting each other.

Try asking your vet for some help on the matter. Or contact an animal trainer who has dealt with similar situations.

But, if you do decide to "get rid of" the dog, please contact Chihuahua Rescue and Transport so that this dog can have a loving, happy home.

Answer 2

Wow - you have the exact opposite problem we do. In our house it's the dogs chasing the kitty.

I would give it more time. But I would also not let the cat terrorize the chi - just as I don't let my dogs terrorize the cat. If they are playing around sometimes then things are headed in the right direction. It took 4 months before things finally calmed down with our new dog and the cat. They need to simply figure it out. But the fact that your cat is alpha over the (meaning the dog backs away from the cat) is a good thing. Once the cat gets it in its head that the dog is not going to hurt him, make sure this is true! - you will start to see more and more and more playtime.

Give it some more time - they can both be the apple of your guys' eyes!

Answer 3

I had a similar problem. I had a Chow, these dogs are nutorius for being vicious. I bought it from a vet and paid extra money for this pick of the litter because of it's demeanor. Through the years vets would say that it was the nicest Chow they had ever seen. Infants could roll around on it while it was spralwed out and pull on it's ears without the dog flinching. I bought another one and was'nt so fortunate this time. Right from the begining there was problems this little puppy would growl and snap at the older Chow, while the older Chow would look at the puppy and me with a look that was perplexed. when fully grown, one day they had an all out brawl. I was in the shower and by the time I pulled the 2 bloody dogs apart holding them by the scruff I looked them both in the eye, the older one was calm & in control but the younger one's eye's had a look I can only discribe as seeing red. My choice was easy the younger one had to go and I was lucky enough to find a home for it that day.

Your choice is difficult, obviously one has to go. It sounds like your cat is by nature teritorialy vicious. Ask yourself what if I introduce a baby to the house, babies are rough with animals and can seem agressive to an unsuspecting cat. Are you willing to take that chance with that child. If it were me and was planing to someday have a child the choice would be easy, get rid of the cat and learn to love the dog as much. Animals are not people, you can easily overcome the loss of the cat in a short time. If you don't want children keep the cat and get rid of the dog.

That's just my opinion, Good Luck.

Answer 4

Apparently your cat feels threatened by the new dog. Unlike dogs, cats are not pack animals. Particularly males. Making matters worse it sounds like your cat is a teenager. Like all teenagers, it's going to be obstinate at times. You simply have to lay down the law with your cat (and your dog). Eventually it will come around. Try keeping them in separate rooms and introducing them (or re-introducing them) little by little. It will require training both the dog and the cat to respect each other's space. As your dog grows in size it will be a less likely target for the cat. The important thing is to basically let them work it out amongst themselves. If you come running every time the puppy is in trouble with the cat, it will develop serious problems later on. Only get involved if blood is drawn (and I don't just mean little cat scratches). Most cats are all howl and spit and very little actual violence. I wouldn't worry too much.

Answer 5

Make sure youre showing them both affection equally and in front of one another. Get a water gun-it will help with the cat. If you spray him properly and they dont have access to one another when youre not around (which should be the case anyway) then your cat will think that the dog just has some awesome defense manuever. Eventually this will fade, but the cat needs to learn immediatly that its not ok, especially since the dog is probably going to be the smaller one for life.
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Edit: You said your cat ignores you when the dog is around. Youre letting the cat punish you, that is just insane.

Answer 6

Your cat must feel threatened by the dog. If it is in the best interest of the dog then I would say to put him up for adoption. Maybe you can consult a vet or dog trainer. See if there is a way to change the behavior. The dog is taking abuse that could really seriously hurt him. Think of what is best for your dog not you.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Animals work these problems out on their own about 99% of the time. They may never like each other and may never hang out together, but they will stop warring with each other. Give it time, and give each animal equal amounts of love. It will sort itself out.

PS: It took almost 4 months for my 4 cats to get comfortable around the last dog I adopted. Even now, 2 years later, only 2 of the cats really 'like' her. The other 2 ignore her.

Answer 8

A month is not a very long time for them to get used to each other. In most cases it gets easier over time. Before giving up the dog, why not speak to the vet who fixed your dog and ask if he can suggest anything that will help kitty acclimate to the new addition in your family.

Answer 9

I think i would try to find a place for the dog if the cat is acting like that. Otherwise just keep trying to work with them to get them to get along.

Answer 10

I hate cats, really really really hate cats, but if the cat has been there longer and nothing seems to help in the two getting along, you have to get rid of the newcomer, It's really hard to say it because I really love dogs, but it wouldn't be fair for the other animal whose been there longer.