My dog bit my cat

[gelatoandfudge]

My dog bit my cat today, not sure what to do. My poor cat is deaf and has disabilities due to having had a stroke. There are water bowls scattered inside and out for the dog and cat and today I hard an almighty noise outside. I heard the dog going crazy, barking and scrabbling around in the stones just outside the door where I was sat. I ran out and found my poor cat terrified hiding under the table with blood dripping from his ear and nose.

The dog came to us as a puppy and is used to being around the cat. However the dog has gone for the cat before but never bitten. The cat doesn't do anything to provoke from what I can see.

Was it definitely the dog attacking your cat? Could it have been something else and he was seeing it off?

Does the vet say it was a dog bite? Dogs often grab and shake, breaking the neck, so I'm surprised your cat survived it.

I have absolutely no idea what you ought to do going forward, beyond keeping them apart, properly, for your cats sake. Separate areas of the house? Dog in pen when unsupervised? Rehome one of them?

Is the blood from flesh wounds or a more serious head injury? Vet should be able to tell you.

I'm waiting to see the vet. There was definitely no other animal involved it's in a very small area and was literally a few feet away from where I was sitting inside. The dog sounded very aggressive.

So sorry, glad you are getting help for the cat and hope it has a safe place to recuperate, as it may feel rough for a while. It is not normal for a dog to attack an animal it is familiar with. Is the dog from a breed with a high prey drive/a bull breed? Is the dog a risk to people and other animals.

You can't make any decisions till you know if your wee cat will survive.

However, you sound quite frightened of your dog after this incident, in shock at the very least.

Is the dog ill by any chance? Although this doesn't sound out of character, except for the severity of the attack. What do you intend to do if your cat can't be saved? Will you keep a dog you're frightened of?

The poor cat. We had one who was brain damaged after a stroke and she was a dote.

If I were you, I'd have to look at rehoming the dog. The cat will never feel at peace around it again, and it wouldn't be fair to rehome a cat with disabilities.

Poor cat hope he’s ok . If you are going to keep them both then they need to be kept apart from now on obviously . When the cat gets home from the vet keep the cat in as he’s likely to try and move out . What sort of dog is it ?

If the dog goes for the cat regularly (but simply hasn't bitten before) then he needs to go. He isn't safe around cats.
I'd hope he could be rehomed to someone who not only doesn't have cats, but who doesn't live near any.

The dog needs to be checked by a vet - unexplained aggression is often caused by pain.

That's what I was thinking. It's got to be worth getting him checked over by a vet too, OP.

Vet check for the dog.

Really if your cat has additional needs they need to be separated when you are not there to supervise.

Does your dog guard from the cat? Anything? If so then I'd put money on it being the reason in which case separation applies. Predatory behaviour isn't usually a bite. It is grab and shake. A bite would suggest a fear based reaction.

People always make excuses for dogs on here.
First priority is keeping your cat safe.

Yep. I predicted all the 'the dog didn't mean it' and 'get the dog checked by the vet' (not the cat?) posts.

Just about reasonable if this had been a one off, but it wasn't. He regularly goes for the cat without cause. That's not pain.

What kind of dog is it?

Yes. That is why most people told them to separate them at least for the short term.

I have a dog and a cat. I had a dog and two cats. We kept them safe and happy and some of that involved managing flash points like food and space.

That's why everyone has said to separate them.

But in the long run, part of keeping the cat safe means making sure that the dog isn't being triggered by something the cat does.

How is the cat today @gelatoandfudge

How’s the cat?