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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

Getting a dog with two cats?

19 replies

Ikeameatballs · 16/06/2022 07:09

I have two indoor cats who are 3+ years old. They are really gentle, lovely cats who are no problem at all.

I’m now thinking of getting a dog as well. I’ve been looking on our local rescue page but so rarely do they assess the dogs as suitable to live with other pets that I’m thinking of getting a puppy. Any ideas on breed suitability and living with a dog and cats?

OP posts:

DecimatedDreams · 16/06/2022 07:15

I don't have a dog so can't comment on anything dog related. However, I do have 2 cats and one of them would pack her bags and move out if a dog moved in; took her months to accept little cat. As yours are indoor cats, they have nowhere to go if unhappy and that seems a bit unfair.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 16/06/2022 07:23

We have three indoor cats and a dog!

We got our beagle when our older cats were 2 and 3 years old. They're now 6 and 7, the beagle is 4, and we have a 2yo cat as well.

We've never had any issues, really. The cats will sit with him, sunbathe with him and he even washes them, though the 7yo is not the biggest fan of that

You will need to keep food and litter boxes well out of the dogs' wag (we use baby gates) and we make sure there are lots of high up spaces for the cats to escape to if they want some peace.

I'd definitely recommend it but beagles are not the easiest breed - they are intelligent and independent and require lots of patience, but they have amazing personalities and are generally great with people - especially children.

JuneJubilee · 16/06/2022 07:28

my experience with Beagles & cats has been good too, but as lovely as they are, they're bloody hard work.

not had any problems with labs, spaniels, Samoyeds, German Shepard's either though.

often with rescues it just means they haven't tried them with cats, not that they're definitely not ok, so don't let it put you off getting a puppy. Allow the cats lots of escape places and allow them to tell the puppy off, put them in their place.

EdithStourton · 16/06/2022 08:03

A puppy brought up with cats should be fine with them. We've had a terrier and high-drive gundogs with cats. If anything, any bullying went the other way. One cat would gratuitously and deliberately ambush a dog. She'd spot the dog, set her ambush, and pounce.

AwkwardPaws27 · 16/06/2022 08:28

Our dog (cocker spaniel) is 20 months old.
Younger cat loves him, they often share a bed. Older cat still hasnt forgiven us; she basically lives upstairs (she goes into the garden but via the upstairs window and a flat roof). Dog is fine with the cats but still a bouncy adolescent, & she's not keen on him.

Have your cats ever met a dog? My man brought her very calm dog round a few years before we got our dog; older cat was absolutely fine with her (sat on the sofa in the same room) but our late ginger boy was furious. Puffed up ball of rage! We would not have got a dog while he was still with us.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 16/06/2022 08:56

Many animals aren't okay with visiting pets but are perfectly okay with pets who live with them - so I don't think having visiting dogs over tells you anything either way.

Our boy loves our own cats but if he sees a cat on the street then his instinct is to chase. Likewise the cats like our dog but when I had to look after a friends dog in an emergency, they all hated her on sight 🤣

GodspeedJune · 16/06/2022 09:01

Please don’t give up on rescues before deciding on a puppy. The easier to rehome dogs are often reserved before even being listed online, so those that are cat/ dog/ child friendly. Puppies in rescue are also usually snapped up long before the need to list them.

It’s best to visit the centres in person, explain you need a cat friendly dog and ask them to contact you when a potential match comes in.

Sunflowers765 · 16/06/2022 09:51

We had a rescue dog that tried to attack our cat ( proper snarling and attack mode - good job he was on a lead- cat just sitting in the chair) unfortunately rescue dog had to go back as I think he would have definitely killed it if he could've got to it.
Put me off until we lost cat at 17, then we got another dog and then more cats. They were all young ( under 1 year) one of the cats adored the dog and cuddled up but the other just tolerated the dog . We separated them with a dog gate at the start so cats could decide whether to be near the dog or not but we found the young cats were very curious and soon in with the dog .
I think they can get used to each other, but I wouldn't introduce an older dog with a bad history or a breed like a terrier or grey hound as I wouldn't risk the cat. My friends greyhound killed a cat even with a muzzle on. Just pounded it into the ground. And my sisters terriers would rip it apart.

Sitdowncupoftea · 16/06/2022 11:37

I think any breed is suitable as long as you train your dog. I have 4 cats and have always had dogs.

Applespearsandoranges · 16/06/2022 11:41

I’d get a puppy but not a rescue
we had a rescue cat who had lived with dogs before and she is fine with our dpup because hes grown up with her he knows to leave her alone and he also doesn’t bother with other cats.
im not experienced enough for a rescue and couldn’t risk the unknown history witb young dc

Hugasauras · 16/06/2022 11:47

We added our working cocker when our cats were about 6/7. Generally was fine. Cats were a bit put out for a couple of weeks and then just adapted. Cats are quite often the boss - our dog still gets a telling off from our remaining cat when she's being too bouncy around her

Tubbyinthehottub · 16/06/2022 11:52

I got a puppy when my cat was 9 years old. It took a few months of the cat pretty much living in a separate room and being escorted in and out but eventually the cat decided it was time to integrate. Now they are fine together in the house. They aren't best friends but they can relax in the same room in close proximity. If the dog sees the cat outside however, that is far too exciting and she goes nuts.
I couldn't find a rescue dog who could live with cats and children.

Username917778 · 16/06/2022 14:09

Currently 3 weeks in with a puppy (11 weeks) and 2 cats (8 +6). Puppy desperate to be their friend. The older cat is slowly beginning to accept the situation. Not a fan of puppy racing towards her though and will hiss in that case. She was similar when we introduced little cat too.

When the puppy is asleep it's interesting to watch the cats tiptoe over and sniff her. Can't imagine what they'd do if she woke up!

Loobyloo68 · 16/06/2022 14:20

My previous cat who was 16 when he died wasn't fazed by any dog, the ones I had here or visiting ones. My advise would be to introduce them slowly. My dogs are 6 and 4 so were pups when I had the other cat. I had a kitten last year and although I kept them pretty much separated for a month, I'd just sit with the kitten on my knee for a few minutes a day so they could get used to each other, now the cat kicks them out of their beds if she wants to lie down , she definitely rules the roost and the dogs are fine with her. In fact she cuddles up with my German shepherd, but isnt much for the terrier .

BadAtMaths2 · 16/06/2022 14:36

Introduced our puppy to our 12 year old bolshie pampered cat the day after we moved house. So he was already in a snit about moving and being kept in for 2 weeks. Keeping the puppy out of the litter tray was a challenge as was stopping them eating each other's food.

The cat disappeared upstairs for a week to a safe space. Only popping down to toilet and eat.

After a week he got over it - We introduced them slowly and never let the puppy chase him. Had her on a lead at first and took her away at first sign that she wanted to chase.

The cat is very definitely in charge, and the dog lets him go through the door first. We assume the cat gave her a bop on the nose at some point but there's never been any aggro.

They aren't friends, but they aren't enemies either.

The dog barks like a look at any cat he meets on a walk and I swear there's an extra loud bark for one that looks like ours. But if she sees our cat outside from a distance she doesn't bark...go figure.

pigsDOfly · 16/06/2022 15:52

I got my dog as an 8 week old puppy when my two cats were 17 years old - both cats had access to outside so not 'indoor' cats as such, although, they were very much home loving cats.

I made sure the cats had places to go so they could eat and sleep in peace and didn't allow the puppy to annoy them.

It was absolutely fine.

Both cats were very easy going and puppy was pretty calm and laid back as puppies go.

Cats accepted the puppy almost straight away and puppy enjoyed their attention.

ManxDi · 16/06/2022 15:58

I have 3 dogs - one of which is 'enthusiastic'. She has a high prey drive and on one of our wilderness walks, she ended up in a fight with a feral kitten. Both had operations/treatments/lots of money spent on them. We brought the kitten home to hopefully recuoperate (we thought he would die, he was a poorly boy, turns out the dog came off worse). Annnyway.... 7 months later and the 'enthusiastic' dog sits and watches what the cat does, in the same room (not at the point of unsupervised yet).
My 'advice' is limited but, allow time to do its thing and don't force anything. We have a stair gate across the dog area, so the cat can jump it and see them, or get the hell out of it as required. The 4 of them are all rubbing along fairly well and we can now see a point where they might be friends in teh future.

Original poster

Ikeameatballs · 16/06/2022 18:10

Thanks for all of your messages. Really helpful.

Now I need to think about the other practicalities! OH works from home and have dc aged 16 and 13 who could be around after school but I work FT+ out of the house. To settle puppy in I’d be thinking of taking 2/52 off work before a school holiday then having dc and OH around in the holiday and then OH thereafter. Does that sound like long enough? I could do this next Summer so that there would be 8+ weeks of not just OH around to supervise?

OP posts:

pigsDOfly · 16/06/2022 19:38

So you're thinking 8 weeks to settle puppy in and then your OH will be working from home still so puppy won't be alone?

As long as OH is aware that while he's working from home and on his own with the puppy he/she will still be feeding during the day and will still need letting out in the garden frequently and, while out will still need to be supervised if house training is going to be sucessful.

Sounds fine to me.

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