My dogs have just mauled my cat (iong.... sorry)

[BillOddiesBeard]

I have two terriers, both normally well behaved - good recall, obedient and placid around people. They have lived with our cat in reasonable harmony for the past 7 years.
Last night we heard one hell of a commotion and realised that the dogs were attacking the cat.
Both dogs were ragging him and I'm sure if we hadn't have intervened they would have torn him in two.
We rushed the cat to the vet, who says there was no physical damage other than severe bruising but the cat was in severe shock. They have kept him in overnight and are doing xrays this morning, as a precautionary measure.

Now a decision to make........clearly we cannot risk having the cat and the dogs back under the same roof (I could never fforgive myself if the incident was repeated).

Do we rehome the cat, muzzle the dogs when out for walks etc and take the risk that the dogs will not be aggressive again?
or
Is this the end for the dogs, we don't think we should rehome them as this is just passing a problem on to somebody else, because they have shown this agression is our only real choice to have them put to sleep?

Just some sensible advise please this decision, I can't think straight at the minute as either option will break my heart.

I don't think they need to be put to sleep. Agression to another animal is not the same as to humans, even though it is terribly distressing.

Terriers are small animal killers, they get used for ratting etc and it is in their nature to chase and kill small fast fury things - like a cat.

Having said that you must be vigilant with any dog that has shown aggression.

Do you have someone who can take either the cat or dogs?

I think I would start by keeping the animals loced apart, fit a lock to a door that seperates them so they will definitly not be able to get through. Keep a stairgate on and the cats litter tray and food upstairs so that it doesn't have to be near the dogs.

Poor cat, I hope he is ok, and poor you its not very nice at all.

Keep them on a lead when walking, muzzle if you feel the need but I don't think it is necessary, they have given into the chase/kill side of their nature which is not going to make them start biting unprevoked.

Keeping them on a lead will keep them in line.

I realise you're upset, but considering putting the dogs to sleep is a massive over reaction. It's pretty normal behaviour for dogs to chase and kill things. Obviously it's not something we want to happen, but it doesn't mean they need to be labelled as aggressive although you're right they shouldn't be trusted with cats again.

Could the cat have been ill already? Sometimes dogs can sense this and will attack a sick animal when they wouldn't usually. For example, epileptic dogs are sometimes attacked during siezures by dogs they have lived harmoniously with for years and that have never shown a single bit of aggressiveness before or after.

Whether you keep the cat or not depends on whether you feel you can keep it safe. Obviously it would mean closed doors when you weren't around and maybe when you were too. It's likely the cat would try to avoid the dogs in future, but as long as the cat is able to freely stay away from the dogs it shouldnt cause too much, if any, stress to the cat.

Thank you all for your replies, I think in my heart I know that we need to rehome the cat. I could not risk the potential of further damage to my cat.

I am hoping that by removing the cat we are giving the dogs the chance to live in a stress free enviroment (with no temptations right under their noses)
I am able to now see the difference between natural chase and kill instinct against a "small furry" and out and out aggression towards a human being.There is no correlation.
You have all reiterated exactly what our vet has said.

I think our confidence as dog owners (well trained, obedient dogs or so we thought) has been knocked and we have too deal with this. I do understand this is our problem to solve and hopefully over time we will be able to work through this.

My dogs did this once. It took a hell of a lot of retraining and more dog gates than you'd find in a commercial kennels . But dogs and cat now live happily together, although they are never, ever left alone.

They can now be in the same room without world war three breaking out.

The cat moved upstairs for a while behind 3 dog gates. He had a window to come and go from.

It's do-able but not easy.

I would try and see how you get on keeping them apart at home before you rehome the cat. If you have a close friend or relative who would take it then it is an option, but I would avoid having to send it to a rehoming centre.

Ultimitly if the cat can't settle and is a nervous wreck then it is best to rehome it, but give it a few weeks at home.

When we got our current cat the dogs I had at the time (rescue labs) were cat mad, tried to eat him all the time. We just kept them appart. Make sure the cat has high surface to jump on to escape, and food and litter away from dogs. Our upstairs has no mid jump point to let it out from there so we had a gate on the kitchen so the cat could use the hall window to get out.

They got used to each other, and I was consistent with training them, although would never trust them when I wasn't there.

Those dogs are not with us now and the ones we have are throughly ruled by the cat who considers it his place in life at the head of the pack. I still make sure when I am not here that the gate is on the bottom of the stairs (well I have them on all stairs at the min as I have a toddler) and the cat is upstairs before I leave...just incase.

I hope you are feeling better, I know how awful it is when a dog you love and trust does something awful and unexpected (once had a lab go for a child, thankfully I got there first and it bit me. It was the end of the world at the time, but a timely lesson that the animals we share our home with are still animals and have the element of the unexpected).

Poor cat.

I think I´d be trying to resolve it first-I would find it very hard to oust a cat that was the "victim" in all of this & tbh I think that I´d be wanting the dogs to go.

Our close friends have offered him a home, they have recently lost their dog and are really missing having a pet. They have always loved our cat and we know he will be spoiled rotten for the rest of his natural.
Also means we get to see him sometimes...although I have a feeling we will be quickly forgotten once he moves in with his new family and trains his new humans accordingly!!!!

I can't tell you how relieved and grateful we are, as the thought of sending him to a rehoming centre was breaking our hearts.

heres to my lovely, lovely friends.

Poor you, what a rough 24 hours! I'm sure you feel like you've been through the wringer but your very lovely friends have saved the day. They certainly deserve and so do you .

Went to the vet to visit him today, he has taken a turn for the worse. Still very, very poorly and although they have him on a morphine drip he is massively in pain. The vet thought he would be well enough to come home after his xrays but he has not picked up at all.Really not sure if he is going to make it

The vet wants to keep him over the bank holiday weekend to continue to assess and medicate him.
My poor, poor sad little furry man .

Oh Bill, that is so sad. If he is in so much pain have you considered your options? Its an awful situation and I wish him well. And you of course, what a bloody awful turn of events.

i know it is instinct, but i could never forgive the dogs.

Ah, bless him:(:(:(

Oh I am so so sorry to hear this. What an awful situation you have found yourself in. Feel emotional for you. Everything crossed for your brave furry little man.

My jrt and cat had grown up together and the cat was definately the boss and she would never of hurt him (I dont think as sure as you possibly can be) but when he tragically dropped dead age 5 (not related to dog in any way!!) I made the tough decision not to get another cat as although she was fine with him I see the way she flies down the garden to chase any passing cat on the fence and despite her being lovely and trustworthy with people including children I really couldnt say that with a cat she wouldnt chase it and snap just like she does the squirrels in the woods. It is their nature, what they are bred for.

To be honest I don't even like leaving my two soft as muck terriers, who love each other,alone together when we are out of the house. My dogs love to cuddle up together and play all the time but I have seen on 2 occasions dogs being mauled by dogs they live with when the owners have left them together for years previously. Just takes one disagreement to get out of hand and my 2 they will squabble and growl over toys etc. Maybe over protective - but they are happy with their own rooms when no one is home and I know they are safe that way.

Best of luck to you and your furry family members.

I´d also find it hard to forgive the dogs.

I have a cat & dog & the cat is the boss.

The only time my dog has been attacked was when 2 others set on it.

Just returned from the vets, he's like a different cat...he's alert, moving around and almost back to his old self Vet is going to let him home tommorrow if he continues to progress.

Unfortunately the friends who are taking him have been called away and won't be back for couple of weeks so he will be coming home to us to recuperate. We have bought some baby gates so he can be safely kept seperate from the dogs.
He always spent a lot of time on our spare bed so we will put his food and a litter tray in this room.
Either me or DH is at home for the next 2 weeks so there will be limited time when he will be left on his own and if we are both out of the house the dogs will be left in their kennel in the garden.

Thank you all for your kind wishes it means a lot.

Glad your cat has pulled through and that you get to spend some time before he's off to pastures new and thoroughly spoilt rotten

I'm glad he's doing so much better and hope he can come home with you tomorrow. It's great of your friends to take him :) and it sounds like you've got everything set up to keep him safe until then. What an awful thing to happen.

maybe if everything goes OK over the next two weeks you will be able to keep him. that'd be lovely

What a horrible experience for you all. The dogs were only acting on instinct and your poor cat was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I hope that he recovers quickly. I can't imagine how deeply upsetting this must have been. Best of luck and I hope that you can find a way to keep him after all.

So glad he is doing well. Fingers crossed he is coming home today and you enjoy the next couple of weeks spoiling him. :o

Glad your cat's ok. I've got 2 springer spaniels and they've both caught and killed rabbits on walks. I can imagine how awful it is when it's your own pet. Unfortunately your dogs being terriers were just doing what they're bred to do. I think you're doing the right thing in reforming the cat but I don't think your dogs need to always be on the lead from now on or muzzled.

I've got a sheepdog whistle for my 2, and have reinforced their recall with it, using lots of treats and praise. This way, if I spot any potential prey I can get them back, ideally before they see it.

Good luck, but you sound very sensible and responsible, so I'm sure you'll be fine.

He's home, eating tuna and lounging happily on the spare bed
There are 4 baby gates and a flight of stairs between him and the dogs so I am sure he is safe.

He's due back to the vets for a check-up on Wednesday but all looks good for him.
I would dearly love to keep him, but at 12 yrs old he's not as quick as he was and I couldn't bear another incident, but the next best alternative will be to have our dear friends take him and for us to have visiting rights!!!!

Again thank you all for your kind words.
All is good in my world again!!!

Really pleased he's home being spoilt and the future looks good for all of you.