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Original poster

Get a cat or a dog first?

26 replies

SweetAngie · 27/12/2018 21:55

We are about to be in a position to get a pet for the first time. My ideal would be to eventually have both a cat and a dog, but have been really focusing on getting a dog quite soon, and thought maybe add a cat in a couple of years or so.

One breed we have looked at is a border terrier, but in our research I have heard someone say that if a border terrier grows up from a puppy around cats they can get on fine, but if you try to introduce a cat to an adult border terrier they will probably attack them. So we thought we might get a cat first and then a puppy fairly soon afterwards. Is that insane?

Any experience or advice?

OP posts:
Santaisonthesherry · 27/12/2018 21:59

We had a rottweiler and got 2 kittens. Instant love.
Then got a Lurcher, few nose scratches!
Then a Husky, few scratches and lots of loving!!
Easier with ddog first ime!!

isseywithcats · 27/12/2018 22:03

if you are set on a border terrier yes get the cat first then when the cat is more or less full grown (around 12 months) then get the puppy, a friend of mine whos border only grew up with staffie dogs was a cat killer sadly and he got over a six foot fence to get one of them , border terriers are fabulous little dogs but small prey drive is in their genes

Original poster
SweetAngie · 27/12/2018 22:03

Oh sorry, I meant the border terrier would attack/chase the cat, not that the cat would go for the dog.

OP posts:

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Original poster
SweetAngie · 27/12/2018 22:04

Yes, that’s what I’d heard Issey.

OP posts:
TheFirstOHN · 27/12/2018 22:06

My cat would go ballistic if you introduced a dog into her territory, but perhaps it depends on the cat.

Original poster
SweetAngie · 27/12/2018 22:07

Eesh, maybe we should just settle on one or the other!

OP posts:
isseywithcats · 27/12/2018 22:07

a female dog would probably have less prey drive than a male dog, my daughter has a huge big soft dalmation and she backs away from my 4 pound tortie cat because luna striped her once, ive always had cats first then dogs introduced got used to the idea the cats were bosses and never really had much conflict and the dogs have ranged from cairn terrier to border collies

TheFirstOHN · 27/12/2018 22:10

To make things less stressful for the cat (whichever order you decide to do this in) make sure it has high level places to escape to, out of reach of the dog. Like the indoor equivalent of being able to hide up a tree.

Original poster
SweetAngie · 27/12/2018 22:13

Thanks both, good advice Smile

OP posts:
Santaisonthesherry · 27/12/2018 22:13

Our female Lurcher had her own fb page with pics of all her 'kills'.
Dozens.

Not sure why male /female ddogs would kill differently??

MsFrosty · 27/12/2018 22:24

I had a border and cats. Cat 1 was here before border. She was able to get away when he was irritating her and was boldly enough to put him in his place when he was a pup. Got 2 kittens when he was 4. One kitten adored him and they snuggled, 1 hated him and eventually ran away before my bil could take him.
Borders are great dogs but they're terrors so ultimately it'll come down to the cat and dig temperament

Original poster
SweetAngie · 28/12/2018 07:49

@isseywithcats I meant to ask about this:

get the cat first then when the cat is more or less full grown (around 12 months)

If we adopted an adult cat do you think they would still need time to settle in or could this bit be fast tracked? Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
SweetAngie · 28/12/2018 07:50

Sorry, full quote is get the cat first then when the cat is more or less full grown (around 12 months) then get the puppy

OP posts:
ScreamingBadSanta · 28/12/2018 07:52

I would vote for a cat first - try to get a confident one. My cats put ddog firmly in his place when he arrived (what do you mean, you want to play? Sod that for a game of soldiers! ) and he's never bothered them since.

Alwaysonholiday · 28/12/2018 07:54

Maybe revisit your plan to get a terrier. There are other breeds that are better with cats.

Original poster
SweetAngie · 28/12/2018 07:57

Any recommendations Always? I have been reluctant to get a terrier, but DH is keen on Borders, and they seemed less ‘terrier’ than some of the others...

OP posts:
Alwaysonholiday · 28/12/2018 08:14

I’m a bit biased against terriers. We had one when I was growing up. He was very determined to get out and roam and he was barky and snappy.

My preference is for soppy breeds like labradors/golden retrievers. My boys grew up with a goldie and she was an amazing dog, so different to the terrier I grew up with.

MsFrosty · 28/12/2018 08:16

Borders are very much a terrier! I have a king charles spaniel and a cavachon, both walk for miles and brilliant with kids and cats however it was very hard to find a healthy king charles.

StarJazmin · 28/12/2018 08:19

If anything an adult rescue may need a lot more time to settle depending on the experiences they’ve had before coming to you, and may already have had traumatic experiences with dogs meaning they shouldn’t be in a multi pet household.

I don’t think you can necessarily plan these things as finely as you want to, you need to make sure each individual has their needs met as much as poss. Most cats won’t be overly fond of most dogs (I have one who is an exception because he was hand reared at home so his earliest memories will be being licked by an elderly doting staffie!), so you need to make sure you have enough space for everyone, a few escape routes and enough resources (food, water, toilet and resting spots so that no one ever has to share if they don’t want to/can get to toilet without having to tiptoe past dog etc). I have a mixed household that has grown somewhat organically, and matching the personalities/experiences of the individuals we have at the time of considering adding anyone new.

StarJazmin · 28/12/2018 08:23

I’ve had a border cross before, even elderly she could catch baby rabbits in the veg garden and voles whilst out on walks. I’d have never put her within sniffing distance of a cat!

Original poster
SweetAngie · 28/12/2018 08:30

Ok, so options as of this thread are:

  1. get a border now but no cat ever
  2. get a cat now and possibly a border puppy much later
  3. get a different breed that might be ok with cats but still might not be possible, depending on temperament.

Hmm, got to figure out our priorities. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
FlumpyMummy · 28/12/2018 14:46

Get a cat first, cats rule!

Dogs cannot do MRIs.

But cats can

Grin
TheFirstOHN · 28/12/2018 17:25

FlumpyMummy did you save that from your cracker?

MrsTommyBanks · 28/12/2018 17:28

Get them both at the same time.

Hungrypuffin · 28/12/2018 17:37

Personally I would get the dog first then introduce a kitten later. Cats are much more territorial than dogs. There’s no way on earth I could ever introduce a dog to my cat. Either she would hurt it, or start peeing everywhere due to stress, or move out. If I’d introduced her to a dog when she was a kitten I think it would’ve been OK.

Also there is no way I would get a border. I wouldn’t get any kind of terrier if you’re planning on a cat. Their prey drive is pretty hard-wired. I’d look for a breed that wasn’t bred to chase, herd or flush out anything. That being said, miniature Schnauzers are usually good with other animals and were originally bred to be ratters.

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