What would you do about this cat vs dog situation?

[Katastrophyy]

Ive moved into a flat with my 10 year old cat and my garden situation is basically exactly like this pic. NDN has a lab who apparently doesnt like cats.
I let my cat out for the first time today and what did she do? Obviously she completely ignored her own garden and slipped straight through the bars at the top of the steps and made a beeline for the neighbours garden 🙄
Its only a matter of time before they cross paths and i dont know what to do. Any advice?

Do nothing, the dog will chase the cat, or the cat will chase the dog

Agree with this. There will be a bit of barking, hissing, and general drama-queenery from them both. Then they’ll work out territory and ignore each other. They won’t hurt each other.

Depends what they mean by the dog doesn’t like cats. Will bark at it? Ok? Chase and aim to kill it? Cat proof your garden.

Yes it depends what ‘doesn’t like’ means. My dog would chase a strange cat out of the garden but wouldn’t hurt it and has lived with cats (and the cats were definitely the boss!). It’s likely your cat will go in, get barked at and chased off and decide it’s best not to go in there again.

Lots of dogs would kill a cat if they had the opportunity.

It depends on the dog’s history around cats.. I’ve known of certain people (definitely not friends of mine) who’ve had dogs who have killed cats!!!
But other dogs have been scared or indifferent.
So you need to ask the NDN about the lab’s dislike of cats in a more in depth way.
Of course your cat is going to head straight next door either way because cats are very contrary!
My last 2 cats have been indoor cats by their own choosing.
But my first rescue cat often went outside.. she liked to intimidate my NDN’s rescue Collie by puffing herself up so all her long black fur stuck up, then standing on the fence & growling (yes cats do growl) at the poor dog who would literally run in stressed circles avoiding looking at my cat’s face… that cat also got chased over a fence by a fox then turned on it & chased the fox straight back!

In the vast majority of cases, any self respecting cat will get the better of a dog.

We had a cat growing up and she tormented the local dogs. There was only one dog, who was a total nut job, that she was afraid of and she just used to run away and climb something when he appeared.

Our two dogs have been tormented by local cats too. They’re a total pain. The neighbour who owns a couple of cats that kept coming in to our garden actually had the cheek to complain that our dogs were barking at his cats.

Do you think i suggest we try one day where my neighbour lets her dog out into the garden first, so that I can then open the door and my cat will immediately realise theres a dog there?

I’d leave it, cats love to leave their scent in dogs territory. Your cat will be far faster than the dog and will soon leave if the dog appears

The cat and dog will work it out themselves. I have a cat and dog in our house (also a lab). Cat was here first. Cat is well able to outsmart/avoid dog. A lab will not attack a cat. It may try and chase. If the cat manages to land a scratch on the lab, dog will immediate learn who is top of the tree (cat).

When we first moved into our house we had 2 cats and our neighbour has an old staffy. Our cat went into their garden and the dog chased him. Somehow our cat ended up on our conservatory roof, he was a big lad but he could shift when he needed to. It’s like he flew up. Cats are little ninjas, I wouldn’t worry about yours.

Unless the cat is elderly/ill it will be able to leg it through those railings, which will stop the dog in its tracks.

Cats should not be let out the house.

Problem solved.

OP, I really wouldn’t worry about it - if the dog can’t get through the railings, your cat will be safe in your garden. If the dog can get through, maybe you’ll have to think about making it dog-proof for the sake of your cat.

Don't worry the dog will soon work out who's the new boss in town.