Cat won't come downstairs

[LuckySalem]

Hiya all,

We've had a dog now for about 2 months and the cat still won't come downstairs.

The dog is very bouncy and will play with one of our cats (salem) but Lucky won't come down the stairs.

Am I being cruel in keeping this situation going?

Originally I thought it best to rehome the dog seeing as cat was here first but I can't help but think it'd be nicer on the cat if I rehomed her as everytime we have any change she panics and becomes like this (or pees everywhere)

EG: We had DD, she stared peeing on DD's clothes etc.
We had foster cats - she started hiding upstairs
we had a foster dog - she hid upstairs.

We are having another baby (due march) so she's going to do something again,

We want to get a dog eventually so even if I do rehome this one then she's going to have to go through it all again.

I dont want to rehome anything, they're ALL part of the family

Please HELP.

You're just making yourself look a bit silly tbh, Fab.

I don't think so. I read the op several times and she talks about rehoming the cat. And she doesn's ay in hr op she had been trying for 3 months.

bella I am really not bothered what you think of me bella32. People are allowed to have different opinions.

Well, now that you know she's been trying for 3 months (and will probably try longer, hence this thread), perhaps you might admit your earlier post was a bit misguided at least?

Arf - that is funny, Lady!

It's just a tad unfair to tell someone who might consider rehoming an animal which is finding life very stressful that they are 'getting rid when it no longer suits'.

Especially someone who puts so much effort into her pets as Lucky does.

Cheers Lady.

Of course I wanna hear if you think it's cruel that's why I asked, if I just wanted everyone to agree with me then I wouldnt have bothered asking it would I?

The only thing I'm peed off with is the idea that I'm rehoming cos it no longer suits! I dont want to rehome her or the dog cos they're ALL part of the family.

I want to work through it, I assumed she'd be ok eventually and as it's now 2 (sorry thought it was 3 it's not, it's 2) months on and not much change I need help.

When you decide whether you should rehome an animal (personally) its not an easy decision AND its not a decision I'm making for MY benefit, it's one I'm making for her benefit.

If she's happy upstairs and can still get out then to me that isn't cruel, I'm just trying to work out whether she's happy upstairs OR whether things should be reconsidered.

As for the we want a dog eventually remark. We've ALWAYS said we'd have a dog but at the time we got the cats 3 (or so) yrs ago we were both working full-time and IMO its cruel to leave a dog for 8/9 hrs a day. Esp cos I'm then going to sleep 8 hours that night, dog would have barely got time with us.
Now we're in a position to have a dog, we're going to have one, esp cos I believe that children should be surrounded by animals and DD is definatly a DOG person.

So hence me thinking Lucky may suit a quieter house with less changes.
We're going to move once the housing market stabalises cos this area is a HORRID area to live in (as shown by kids trying to set fire to my cats tail) do you think I should stay here cos Lucky wouldnt like the change?

I understand what youre saying and I try to do EVERYTHING for my animals, that's why I'm asking opinions.

Lucky could you try keeping the pup on her lead for a short time each day while the cat is brought downstairs? That way pup is more under control and cannot give chase when the cat bolts. Plus it will help them both get used to being around each other. Maybe for a while after her walk.

Also it might help the pup learn how to behave around cats if you know any more resliant cats that the pup could interact with? My dog learned the hard way that you just don't mess with some cats, after trying to chase my mums, previously ferral cat. It meant he was slightly calmer around my cat.

If it does come down to rehoming I have to say I disagree with those saying the act should come first. I used to have two cats, neither much liked change. But clearly being young family changes happened often. New babies, new houses, holidays were taken. Dd2 was a step too far for my ginger tom. He turned to religion and moved into the vicarge near my house. He is very happy there with the elderly, single vicar and is spoiled rotten.

Maybe if it cannot be resolved you should look at rehoming the cat with an elderly relative where there wouldn't be many changes.

As a young family your life cannot stop because you have an unhappy cat. As much as the cat would like that, it is not possible. If it wasn't the dog upsetting the cat it would be a new baby, or a house move, or a holiday taken and new carers coming in for a while.

Okay, maybe no longer suits wasn't the right words but I meant from the point of view that it wasn't working easily and nicely.

I'm joining LadyR.

Hi there,
I am a feline specialist vet. What probably went wrong here was your introduction. Did you just bring the dog into the house and allow them immediate contact with each other? You are obviously very keen to resolve this situation but you need to try to understand your cat much more. Imagine how stressful it would be to have a large, bouncy, scarey thing introduced into your territory - terrifying. The previous urination suggests a nervous disposition anyway. Sometimes this dog cat combination does not work and re-homing is kinder. However, you can try but it takes hard work. You need to go back to the beginning.
I recommend reading any books by Vicky Halls. She is an excellent behaviourist. You can also arrange a behaviour consultation with her, or with someone like Sarah Heath, a veterinary behaviourist.
Try a feliway (the feline version of a DAP) but buy enough to cover the areas. You need a cat flap (good ones are not at all drafty and can be locked at night) but the cat is unlikely to go past the dog to get to it. This is a very stressed kitty and hard work may mean you can keep all pets, but not always. Read Cat detective by Vicky Halls or any of her other books as this subject is covered. With lots of effort you maybe able to sort this all out!!
best wishes

That's something we're implementing at the moment actually shiny. Cat is sitting on the window sill and tizzy is quietly watching at the moment. She's on a lead so if she does bolt for her I can step on her lead and it means she wont chase the cat which must not be nice for a cat.

Re: other cats - she goes to my mums once a week and mums cat (previously feral too) has battered her a couple of times but she still acts like a loon around him - just abit further away than he can reach!
I think its an age/breed thing as she's collieX. I'm hoping she'll calm as she gets older.

Also hoping this lead thing will work - I've also started banising her to the kitchen when she chases for a couple of minutes and this has started to work. In theory the idea was if you dont behave you cant stay in the room with us (which she wants to do) so she's coming back into the room calmer. The calm only lasts for a couple of minutes but those minutes are getting longer so maybe a combination of the both will calm the dog down and i'll try getting some more zyklene for cat's confidence.

Thanks Sam.

Will look on ebay for the books then,

When introduced tizzy went for a walk and came back worn out.
I took her straight into the living room on her lead and made her lie down.

Lucky looked at her and ran. She didn't even have chance to see what she did, she just ran.

Am def gonna look into some feliway and zyklene again.