Cat not getting used to puppy

[newusern99]

Hello. We have a 17 week old cavapoo puppy. He grew up with cats and kittens at the breeders and is used to playing with cats. Our 7 year old cat doesn't like dogs but has got used to them in recent years after we had an elderly lab to stay for a few weekends (lab ignored him so he got used to her). However he is getting worse with the puppy rather than better. To start with he was ok with the puppy but after a few incidences in the garden when the puppy chased the cat he know growls, swipes and hisses at the puppy whenever he gets near. We are trying to keep them apart and call the puppy away/ use leave it command with lots of treats.
I'd add that the cat is still happy in himself, goes upstairs where dog isn't allowed and still tries to come in the lounge in the evening to watch tv with us. When the puppy is asleep he will go up to him for a sniff.

Do we just keep teaching the dog to ignore the cat or do we need to also be giving the cat treats around the dog? How long (if ever) does it take for cats to get used to a puppy? The dog makes things worse as when the cat growls the dog thinks he wants to play and lies down and barks, tail wagging.
We try to keep them apart but there are door pinch points that the cat needs to get through to go upstairs, eat food etc etc.

Have had the puppy for five weeks.

You need to keep them separate and train the pup to leave the cat alone. This can take months. My dog (breeder had cats too) at 18 months only now can have free roam with the cat but we still have to police it as she can get a bit giddy with him. Our cat has lived with dogs all his life and is very calm and laid back generally.

You need to come up with a solution where the cat has a puppy free route to wherever it needs or wants to go. We set up room dividers and closed doors.

My cat has always lived with dogs and it takes her 6 weeks to not be unhappy about a new one (longer to actually be ok with it) so honestly 5 weeks with a cat who isn’t always living with them is still very early days.

some people use stair gates… I just shut doors tbh, and if the doors are open then the dog is on a longline until it’s reliably ignoring the cat.

The important bit is preventing any chasing because you don’t want the dog to think it’s a fun game they can play.

If you can prevent the dog harassing the cat, the cat will eventually start slowly coming to check it out from a distance.

some feliway plug ins can help too.

The important bit is preventing any chasing because you don’t want the dog to think it’s a fun game they can play

^this. No chasing, even if it means multiple gates on doors/using a long line when cat is around.

AwkwardPup is 3, & our older cat only started comfortably hanging out in the same room by choice this year. Before that she would avoid him or glare at him but she always knew she was safe as he was never given the chance to chase her. She's just a grumpy madam & the boss of everyone.

Puppy needs to stay on a lead so it can't chase the cat. Cat needs lots of high up areas and places he can escape to. We used baby gates so our cats had a room or two where they were completely safe from the puppy but so they could still see each other.

The oldest cat still isn't the dogs' biggest fan six years later but they co-exist quite happily. The dog adores the cats we introduced to him as kittens though!

I agree with separating them and making sure the cat has places to escape to that the puppy can't access. I don't currently have a cat, but many years ago I had a cat that was about 6 or 7 years old when we brought a collie puppy home. The pup very much wanted to make friends and the cat very much did not! She mostly ignored him, but once the puppy got his paw caught under a table and cried out. The cat observed the scene and it was as though she realised for the first time that he was just a baby. From then on she tolerated him, though I wouldn't say she ever fully warmed to him. The kitten we had at the same time, on the other hand, grew up with the collie and they absolutely adored each other. It was very sweet.

Thanks everyone. Will carry on keeping them separate then. I’d wondered if I need to try to train the cat with treats etc but sounds like I concentrate on the dog. He’s only chased him in the garden and even then the cat stays in the garden. The irony is that the cat loved playing chase with us in the garden. He’d come up to the back door specially for us to then chase him down the path. If only he’d realise the dog would love to play this game with him 😂

You are expecting far too much of your cat. He may never accept the dog however you try and train him.

Keep them separate for now and train the dog to keep out of the way. Your cat is also training the dog by being hostile and should be allowed to do this if he wants- don’t try to force them to get on.

Don’t allow any chasing at all.

One of our cats doesn’t really like the dog as the dog thinks she wants to play when the cat gets annoyed and starts hissing. Sometimes the cat does go up and rub against the dog though! But it isnt really an issue, the cat can leave the room and go somewhere where the dog can’t if she wants. If they are both outside she can go outside the garden if she wishes!

Our puppy is 10 months old now (lab) and one of our cats is trying to establish her authority. She swipes and hisses. After a lot of training on our part, the puppy just stands out of reach and watches. But it took a lot of persistent training to make sure she didn't chase or react.

DCat was fine in the house with my previous DDog in spite of often being chased in the garden. Ignored each other rather than best friends but would walk past each other, sleep quite close etc.
Lost DDog, dog-free house for 6 months. DCat very happy house cat!
Got DPup. DCat leaves the house never to return, moves into the garage/ workshop/ utility and is literally never in the same place as DDog for over a year.
Then suddenly, no idea why, DCat moves back into the house and is fine with the dog. Rubs up against him, doesn't run away, sleeps next to him etc.
Cats are weird.

The cat is teaching the dog its boundaries let it get on with it

It'll take time, the cat will teach the dog. Our old cat and our now 4 year old dog will sit on the same sofa now. But the dog gets jealous of the cat getting attention which is tiresome as we have to persuade the dog to go to her bed so the cat gets some loving too.

Dog won't walk past the cat. Gives a pitiful bark to be rescued.

Give it 6 months
Also train the puppy to leave the cat alone

Thanks everyone. Hopefully it will improve in the future. Sounds like we are doing the right thing focusing on training the dog to leave the cat alone rather than trying to train the cat!

Don't worry it will improve.

One of my old cats spent a couple of months swiping our new pup whenever she was in range. Next thing we knew they were best mates, walking round the garden together, sitting looking out of the window, watching TV. It was very sweet. That same cat chased my rescue terrier round the garden because he'd tried to chase our younger cat.

Your cat has an escape route, so has the advantage, and your dog is being driven by the desire to play, not kill. They will work it out.