I have a cat and a dog please could somebody help?

[dreamingofthefuture]

We have a cat who is 8 years old. We have previously had a collie cross who, when we first had her, the cat cat hissed and growled at on the first few occasions when she saw the dog but the dog just ignored her, could not even look at her and they lived in harmony for several years.

However, we have now just had a Border Collie who we are being told is about three from an animal rescue shelter. They cat tested the best they could and said he ignored the cats after sniffing them once.

We now have her home, our cat is not growling or hissing like last time but has taken to staying upstairs. She will venture down and sit on our laps for short periods of time.

thank you for bearing with me to this point, but this is where I am confused. yesterday the dog looked at the cat and then after couple of minutes seemed to start running, it was so subtle I was not sure. Later on same thing happened but bit more pronounced. yesterday evening the cat was on our lap for several minutes, dog on the floor just looking then suddenly the dog ran towards the cat. He was not growling or barking. I am confused and not sure if he was planning on playing, trying to be friendly or meant malice. Not sure if anybody knows any way that I can tell.

I have looked online and spoken to the rescue and been advised to put dog on leash when cat enters room and introduce them this way. Has anybody any other advise please.

Thank you in advance and ps anybody know how to stop chewing as he has eaten my best shoes

[pinguwings]

Our 14 year old cat was most put out when we got our rescue dog. She reacted very similarly to yours, retreating upstairs, where she was safe as we didn't let the dog up there. Whenever they were in the same room we would watch very closely, once or twice the dog wanted to play but cat was always able to jump out of her way, we would take the dog straight out of the room whenever she did that. Slowly they learnt to tolerate each other and now more or less ignore each other. They're now more than happy to be in the same room as each other, probably took about 4 weeks in total.

Chewing - we leave nothing tempting in her reach. Have things she can chew, kong, rawhide etc available to swap.

[dreamingofthefuture]

Thank you for the response. We are thinking of getting a stairgate so that at least the dog can't follow the cat upstairs.

[mygrandchildrenrock]

We have a 3 yr old cat and a 5 month old puppy and a stairgate for the very reason you said. The cat can jump over the gate and the puppy sits there wagging her tail!
The puppy loves the cat, wants to play with her, lick her etc. The cat does tolerate the dog quite well. When we first got the puppy, 3 months ago, the cat wouldn't be in the same room. Now, they will sleep a few inches away from each other. The puppy still wants more than the cat is willing to give, but the cat has enough places he can jump up to escape the puppy!
The cat does swipe the puppy when he's had enough and the puppy does quieten down at that point.

[Skinheadmermaid]

My cats love my dog and vice versa but it doesn't stop him charging at them and trying to get them to play with him!
He's been swiped at by them a few times but generally the cats just walk away from him and jump up where he can't go if he's being too annoying. It will take a few weeks but they should settle down together.
I'msurprised a three year old dog is still chewing. Does he only do it when you are out of the house? If so it could be anxiety.
I suggest you hide all your shoes for the time being and provide him with plenty of toys and bones to chew on.

[Blistory]

We had to install a stairgate so the cat knew that she always had a safe place to retreat to. It has a catflap in it so she can come and go as she pleases but the dog has to stay on the dogside.

The cat's been more settled since especially since she can get through the flap quickly rather than jump the stairgate. It's now been up for three years so I've given up that they can live together in total harmony as any attempts to take it down have resulted in the cat leaving home for weeks at a time.

[dreamingofthefuture]

Thank you for the replies. I have brought a stairgate which will be installed tonight.

The worry I have is that at first I wasn't sure if the dog was chasing the cat but the more the cat is running the more the dog is chasing. At the moment I think he wants to play but I am worried that the more the cat runs the more fun the dog will think it is and also that he will be the dominant one.

Skinheadmermaid - he is a rescue dog which we only had Sunday so with regard to the chewing he probably is anxious as they told us he was the most nervous dog they had ever seen (should see how cheeky he is already). I have removed my shoes last night but also brought a Kong and nylon bone and this morning we had no accidents or chewing

Thank you for the replies

[FuckyNell]

Sorry but at the 'eaten my best shoes'

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Your cat is in a huff. In addition to the stairgate a Feliway plug in would help a lot with the huffiness as it's lovely feline phermones will calm your cat down. Remember stressed cats just do less and less.

[dreamingofthefuture]

Thank you lonecatwithkitten will see if I can borrow my mum's as she was given a feliway plug by her vet I think which I don't think she has used. (The dog has a collar to de-stress her already) wonder what collar / plug in I can get to destress me

[dreamingofthefuture]

Thank you for the replies last week. Dog and cat now quite friendly and dog knows his place. As the for the dog's issues, well that is a whole new thread ... ...