I have a dog and a cat.
I really need honest help and advice regarding the two of them together because I am starting to wonder if I should rehome the dog.
The dog is a herding breed, although he has never caught or killed anything, he does enjoy chasing after and sometimes stalking small animals.
When introduced to the cat initially he was VERY interested, intense starting, shaking, drooling, stalking.
I worked hard keeping him on lead, praising for calm behaviour and correcting fixated, predatory type interest.
He attempted to nip at the cat a few times but after a while they seemed to get on well.
By get on well, I fed them together, sometimes the cat would sleep snuggled up with the dog, he cat would play with the dog and he would play back. If something outside had frightened him, a firework for example he would try and run to the cat for comfort.
So I was really pleased.
After a while, I noticed play becoming rougher, instead of just nudging the cat with his nose he would be biting without contact. I assumed this was play behaviour, the cat wasn't in any way hurt after all but I still gently said ah ah and moved him away, stopping the play session as I was worried he could hurt her.
Sometimes he would still stare at the cat and run at the cat which I would correct.
Yesterday, the cat was sleeping on the sofa, the dog jumped onto the sofa with his toy, I assumed he was going to drop his toy on the cat which he likes doing so carried on working, I wish I had kept a close eye because The next thing I hear is the cat making this weird squealing sound. I checked the cat over and could see no evidence of any injury, I didn't know what to think but kept a close watch of him from then on.
Later in the afternoon, he was banished upstairs after the cat jumped In front of him suddenly and he leapt forward and tried to nip her, my toddler was sat right there as the cat was on the sofa arm so potentially my child could have been hurt, albeit accidently.
Later I let him down and kept a VERY close eye on him.
Today, I noticed the cat avoiding him which is odd as she usually wants to play with him.
I forgot the baby gate to the living room (where the dog was) was open, the cat was sat in the hallway near my toddler.
I went to take my toddler out the stroller and because of the position I was in the cat was out of my eyeline.
I have no idea what happened but I heard the cat making the same odd, sort of pathetic drawn out, squeal type noise and turned to see the dog there.
Absolutely raging I have locked him upstairs while I think what to do.
I love this dog despite how the post may come across, but I also love my cat and I am feeling really, really worried that the dog will hurt, maybe even kill my cat.
I don't really leave them unattended, I.e. When going out I lock the dog upstairs, when cooking I have the dog in with me etc but with a toddler I can't have my eye literally 24/7 on them and as the previous times have shown, he could harm her literally in seconds...
I don't know if it is safe to keep the two of them together and wondering if my dog would actually be better off in a home without other animals?
I don't know, he just doesn't seem safe around her.
I thought they were getting on well but first the nipping, now the squealing, I just don't know.
I am feeling very upset about the whole thing.