Getting a dog, with cats?

Question

My mom's friend at work is getting rid of her dog.
My mom's friend lives with her mother, who is old
& weak, & the dog wants to play, & sometimes
knocks the mother over, who hates the dog.
The dog is a 1 year old chocolate lab.
It already has a name.
My mom was thinking about getting it,
but we have three cats.
Will a lab & the cats get along?

Answer 1

puppies and kittens can be taught to be freinds. ive never herd of dogs and cats learning to be freinds tho.

Answer 2

Ooh, this sounds tricky! I'm doing a similar thing but with a puppy who is used to kittens. I'd hesitate to do it with an older dog and older cats.
The dog will be put firmly in its place, with claws in my experience. My ex-boyfriend brought his GSD around once and my little cat turned wild, attacked the dog, who had to hide behind the washing machine! She went mental!

I would get a dog crate, because the dog will need to be penned up sometimes for its safety as well as giving the cats a break. You may find the cats start to mess around the house, they may even take off and not come back, so you really will need to discipline the dog properly, get the dog into a routine. Feed the dog in the crate and don't let it near the cats when they are eating either.
The cats will be scared and outraged for a few weeks and you must remember this is the CATs home first and look after them accordingly.
Some dogs also eat cat poop, so I have invested in a covered litter tray for mine. This way, not only will the dog be unable to eat the poop, the cats can use the tray without getting ambushed by the dog.
Go carefully and plan ahead and it could work but it will not be easy.

Answer 3

It sounds like the dog gets excited easily..? if it`s that way maybe it`ll be a bit difficult, but if you can try to let the dog know that he shouldn`t pick on the cats maybe it can work. But it works most of the times if a cat and a dog have been together from when they were little.

I used to have a cat and he just loves dogs so much, but he was a bit picky so he had a fav friend which he will play with the most of the time.

also my sister had a dog which has a cat friend, everyday the cat would visit my sisters dog and play together even though they haven`t been together when they were little, so give it a try and see what happens.

But at first you might want to be careful when you let the dog and cats meet.

Answer 4

Considering the lab is at the age where it is going to be very hyper, you might have some difficulties but thats not to say its impossible. Your cats wont be used to this and for the first week or so they'll be patting at it and hissing at it Im sure. I just got a puppy and I also have 3 cats and they are not impressed to say the least. It has now been 2 weeks so Im hoping they start warming up to her soon. Just make sure you still give your cats lots of love!!!

Answer 5

YES YES YES!!!!

I have 3 dogs and 2 cats. Ontroduce them slowly, the cats will take a long time to get used to the dog. Make sure that the dog does not like to go after smaller animals and you will be fine.

Answer 6

We've done that (introduce a dog into a house of cats). The first couple days are tense.......

We moved the litter box into the master bath, along with the cats food. They hide out in there, slowly exploring, finally excepting that the dog isn't leaving. They eventually become friends.

Answer 7

Yes they can get along but you have to know has the dog ever been around cats? and has your cats ever been around dogs? It would be crazy to say yes to the dog with out introducing him/her to your cats and seeing if it would even be a possibility of them living together happily. You don't want to bring a dog into the picture if it is going to make your cats unhappy.

Answer 8

yes they will be fine, if the cats get chased trust me they will out run the lab, i have a rotty and a jack russel, and a cat and the cat has it all over the dogs and they no the cat is the boss!, when intraducing the dog to the cats make shore he is on a leash, hold it tightly and show him your cats he will want to sniff them and stuf, if he growls straight away firmly say no and hold him back, untill he stops growling then step closer and closer untill he is fine, but if he growls straight away i wouldnt trust him alone with the cats but if he is out side thats fine but if there is places for the cats to hide inside they will be fine, but you have to remember its you and the 3 cats house, so if you know for a fact the lab is going to attack them , forget about keeping it, also cats are fiesty and strong little buggers but if the dog can scare them alot cats can have a stroke from to much stress and fear! but lab's are usualy very very friendly so im shore they will grow to love each other!! also my dog chases my cat when it runs all the time its natural it doesnt mean it is going to attack it if the dog is wagging its tale, then you no it just wants to play, my dogs try to play with my cat so my cat just hises and scratches them and they get the point , good luck

Answer 9

I added a crazy, 2 y.o. black lab to my household of 5 cats, and though she is very jumpy and crazy, a couple of the cats just don't care, and the others will always hide when she is in the house. But the lab won't chase them or eat them. She's just super friendly.

Answer 10

has the dog ever been with cats,how old cats,if older ones they wont like,if young not to bad.my freind has 2 cats 3 and 4 and got puppy year ago,one of her cats wont come in front room ,spends all her time upstairs,now her food and drink up there as well,she tryed everything

Answer 11

What you need to do is make a barrier beetween the dogs and cats so they can sniff eachother and get to know eachother. This should take about 5 days.