cats and dogs

[NorfolkEnchantsToday]

I've got a 7yr old parsons terrier, he's very good but he has the tendency to chase cats when on a walk.
Dd aged four would love a kitten too, well specifically a cat:
Can dogs and cats ever get on?

Anyone?

They can get along quite well, but in my experience (multiple cats and dogs here) it really works best if you have a cat first and then bring a pup into the house, rather than the other way round.

Might be a bad idea

I have 3 cats and two dogs. Cats were here first and evilgingercat never took any nonsense from dogs. I wouldn't risk a terrier who chases cats with a kitten. Maybe an adult dog savvy cat, but you'd have to be prepared for it not to work

Definitely possible with a bit of forethought.

We have a terrier who was brought up from puppyhood with family cat. Terrier learnt very quickly that she didn't chase her cat but woe betide any random stranger cats that dared enter our garden.

When family mog died I was quite worried about introducing old dog to new cat but with very careful intros and a week or two close supervision they are now good friends.

In my experience it's better if the cat is an established member of the family before the dog is introduced. Also a dog who isn't bothered about chasing cats would be better than one with a history of it. Our cat and elderly rescue Bichon got on fine and the cat was bereft when dog died.

Meant to say - I deliberately chose an older (6 month) kitten so it didn't look quite so edible vulnerable to ddog. It also helped that new cat showed no natural fear at all of dog and walked straight up to her rather than running.

If you get a running scaredy cat and a chasey dog then your intro training will be loooong.

The thing is the dog will chase a cat but if a cat turns around and even looks at him he is scared stiff! Thing is he's so very spoilt

We started with cat in crate, dog in room. Then dog in crate, cat in room. Then cat in room, dog on short lead. Then cat in room, dog on loose lead. Over a couple of weeks we gradually increased the time they spent near each other.

Within three weeks they were curled up next to each other asleep on the sofa.

We had one dog and three cats, they all got on well. Had the dog first then introduce the cats as kittens.
Then we got another dog, a lurcher puppy who had been around stable cats and respected them, and the cats moved out and went to live with a neighbour because she started feeding them!
Eventually we got the cats back but by that stage running away from our dogs was a habit, so they had to stay inside in a limited number of rooms in the house before they died of old age.
By now the old dog had died and been replaced by a puppy who wasnt used to cats, so we had two dogs who liked to chase cats.
DH really wanted more cats so we got two kittens who had been brought up with a dog and basically smacked the dogs around their faces if they got too close. The dogs do follow them around a bit and will chase if the cats run but mainly the cats take no notice of the dogs except for to use them as hot water bottles in the winter or steal their food.
I think it's a bit of a lottery, but if you get a cat or kitten who won't run from dogs, then you have a good chance.
This is a good link
icatcare.org/advice/how-introduce-cat-dog

Oh god, it looks like I'm saying WE smacked the dogs! It wasn't us, it was the kittens. They are definitely the bosses in this house!

In my limited experience, no.

Our cat hated my parent jack russell and literally flew at him and rode him like a mid-west cowboy on several occasions.

We had a fig stay for a weekend once. Let's just say that the injuries incurred to my by the cat trying to escape the fog in a confined area (sitting room - cat jumped in through window) were enough to convince us that we shall not risk getting a dog until the cat has left this mortal coil!

Sorry, so many typos there I don't know where to start!

I do think if the dog could get on with the cat it would be hugely beneficial for him

So not getting a kitten has turned into looking at them on Sunday

I used to have a Scottie who would go nuts every time he saw a cat, so I thought I could never have one. Then my mum got a kitten and it was a joy to watch. Super perky ears, following the poor kitten everywhere. Totally fascinated. We then had kittens ourselves, and was lovely each time. I think he sensed they were babies, and treated then accordingly. I used to have a sofa with a dog on one cushion, one cat next to him and one on the back. We now have a puppy who is utterly fascinating to the cats, but only from some distance. I'm looking forward to the day they cwtch up together. It's only been a few weeks, but as neither cat has left home I have high hopes.

Our dog simultaneously adores and is terrified by our cats. They were both established members of the household before he arrived and he was very quickly put in his place with a couple of well-timed swipes to the nose (from the cats, not us...)

He won't go past them on the stairs so sometimes our elderly tabby corrals him onto the landing while she sits on grump glory on the bottom step. He's very careful not to make eye contact if either of them is in a bad mood but sometimes the younger cat will relent and let the dog come up and sniff him - if he's feeling really magnanimous he'll even allow himself to be licked

However, any cat he doesn't know is fair game and will be chased if he has half a chance ...

I have a kitten reserved for 4 weeks time so watching this with interest.

I just know if ddog could get over his instincts he would adore having a friend