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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Dog around kitten for Christmas HELP!

29 replies

figgypudding24 · 09/12/2020 08:01

Looking for advice and reassurance!

It's suddenly been sprung on me that despite having made plans to see my parents on boxing day - (Christmas day we are at my DMIL's) my sibling has deigned that they are bringing their 2 month old kitten because they would like to socialise her with my dog! I find the whole thing quite bizzarre and I'm worried that something bad will happen.

My dog is generally friendly and calmish with other living things/ not really shown any sign of a prey drive but she hasn't really been around cats or small animals. Also for some reason the last few weeks she has become a bit of a nightmare being boisterous/friendly (not aggressive) when it comes to walking with me and pulling which is concerning me (I am 6 months pregnant and she is a golden retriever almost 2 years old)

I'm being harrassed by my DM and Dsis that this is fine and nothing bad will happen however I feel I don't want to risk it, especially when I'm finding it increasingly difficult to ensure control/manhandle her.

If I had realised they were planning this I would have arranged to come on a different day to avoid this whole situation!! WWYD?

OP posts:

SlothMama · 09/12/2020 08:30

With the golden retrievers I've owned in the past I'd ask if they can shut the kitten away in a separate room. You could try for an initial reaction with your dog on a lead, and if she chases then separate them.

Why do they want to socialise the kitten? It seems like an odd thing to do to me!

Pulling wise, you need to go back to basics and retrain it it's important to reinforce behaviours if they seem to have forgotten them. It'll be very useful to have a solid lead walk by the time your baby arrives, and you have a few months to work on it again.

PollyRoulson · 09/12/2020 08:52

Very stupid thing to do for a one off day when you want to be with your family and not concentrating on a major socialisation programme.
I would not do it or be involved in it.

If she wants to "socialise" her cat with dogs let her do it at another time.

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 09/12/2020 09:05

Cats are intensely territorial, it's cruel to bring the kitten to a strange house for the day, never mind adding a dog to the mix. Your sibling doesn't understand cats.

Motnight · 09/12/2020 09:13

Ridiculous idea. Kitten will be absolutely miserable. Say no.

Hoppinggreen · 09/12/2020 09:15

It will be very stressful for the kitten and unfair on your dog.
We have always had Goldies with cats and the biggest danger to the kitten is being trodden or over enthusiastically licked but it won’t make for a relaxing Christmas
Besides you shouldn’t take your pet to someone else’s house unless they have been invited

Alexandernevermind · 09/12/2020 09:17

If it was dogs - yes, a dog and a kitten - hell no.
Dogs and cats can live together and be fantastic companions, but mixing a stressed kitten in a strange environment and an excited dog is asking for tears.
We leave all of our dogs at home having had a good walk when we visit parents and PIL at Christmas.

MatildaonaWaltzer · 09/12/2020 09:20

utterly cruel on the kitten, and very dangerous to generalise based on breed. My own cat was killed a few weeks ago by a fucking labrador that broke into my garden. Would never have had a labrador down on cat killer bingo.
Anyway - its your house and you don't want cat pee and spray from an animal that's (a) terrified by being removed from its own environment and then (b) put under intense stress by having a dog paraded past it. Your sibling needs to be told no.

daisy118 · 09/12/2020 09:25

ridiculous idea,id be worried about the kitten escaping,lots of people in and out

Hoppinggreen · 09/12/2020 09:35

Matilda I’m so sorry about your cat and I am surprised that it was a Lab that did it but it goes to show that you need to be cautious with any breed. Labs and Goldies have a reputation for being good family dogs but people forget they are big powerful dogs too

Otocinclus · 09/12/2020 09:37

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

Floralnomad · 09/12/2020 09:40

Totally stupid idea and also means you will spend the whole day cat and dog wrangling , just say no . If the cat turns up it stays in its cat box .

longtompot · 09/12/2020 09:47

Christmas. Away from home. With in-laws. Throw in a dog. And a kitten. What could possibly go wrong?

read with The Fast Show 13th Duke of Wymbornes voice

I take it your sibling is bringing the kitten as they are too young to leave alone for a whole day? I'd suggest a crate or cat basket for the kitten, so it can feel safe. If it's still very young, they sleep loads anyway.

MrsWooster · 09/12/2020 09:49

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername

Cats are intensely territorial, it's cruel to bring the kitten to a strange house for the day, never mind adding a dog to the mix. Your sibling doesn't understand cats.

This is a bit general: our cats now would cheerfully eviscerate you if you tried something like this with them; previous cats travelled everywhere with me and weren’t remotely phased. It may well be a pita, op but if your sister is prepared to keep the kitten in a separate room /basket if it doesn’t go well from the start, then it may be worth a try- IF it works, it would be a useful thing for your dog to be cat-safe and good for the kitten to grow up not scared

midnightstar66 · 09/12/2020 10:02

It can be fairly straightforward, treating both dog and cat at fist sight and continuing to reward dog for not texting to cat - how her Xmas is not the time you want to be spending time on training rather than socialising with your family. Tell dsis you'll bring your ddog around another time as kitten will be more confident in their own home.

PugInTheHouse · 09/12/2020 11:39

That just seems cruel to the kitten, I have 2 cats age 3 and weare 2 weeks into having the puppy and they are still nervous. There is no reason whatsoever to socialise a kitten with a dog. The kitten can be left at home with timed food or with someone popping in. It really is the most ridiculous idea ever!

Aquamarine1029 · 09/12/2020 11:49

Your sister is beyond daft. Is she coming to your home for Boxing Day or are you going to your mum's? If it's your home, tell her this is not happening.

Aquamarine1029 · 09/12/2020 11:50

Sorry, I reread (again) and see it appears you're going to your mum's. Don't go or don't bring your dog.

Honeyroar · 09/12/2020 11:56

The kitten will already be stressed and uneasy in a strange house (very weird to take a kitten to another house) and your dog’s presence won’t help. She’s probably going to spend the whole day trying to entice her kitten back out from under a wardrobe anyway! I’d either leave the dog at home, keep it on the lead or just not go.

tabulahrasa · 09/12/2020 13:50

You can’t really socialise cats to dogs tbh.

My cat has always lived with dogs, as in we had one when we got her...each time we get a new foster dog we have to acclimatise her to that individual dog over a couple of months...

It really won’t benefit the kitten to spend a day in a different house, with a dog - she’ll just be stressed and terrified.

HardAsSnails · 09/12/2020 13:56

This is ridiculous and cruel. At 8 weeks old the kitten won't even be fully vaccinated. Do they know anything about cat welfare FFS?

midnightstar66 · 09/12/2020 13:58

This is ridiculous and cruel. At 8 weeks old the kitten won't even be fully vaccinated. Do they know anything about cat welfare FFS?

I completely missed that the kitten was 8 weeks old. It shouldn't even be away from its mum!

TheSpottedZebra · 09/12/2020 14:02

How long has she had this 2mth old kitten? They don't usually leave their mother until 8 weeks?

Has she had cats before? This is really a ludicrous idea. As pp have said, cats are territorial and don't really like being taken away from home, let alone when there are loads of new people, bei g loudly festive, with a dog, when the kitten is still very much a a baby...

midnightstar66 · 09/12/2020 14:04

Kittens should be with their mum til at least 9 weeks but most good breeders keep them til at least 12

LST · 09/12/2020 14:10

Even if the dog is ok with the kitten. The kitten will not be ok with a strange dog just for one day. Completely unnecessary stress for the poor thing

viques · 09/12/2020 14:15

Poor kitten, it will be miserable. And if someone leaves an outside door open it will probably make a bolt for freedom and that will be that.

Tell her no, leave the kitten at home with plenty of food, its own bed, its own litter tray. It will be fine. Why would you want to “socialise” a kitten with someone else’s dog anyway? Pointless.

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