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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Introducing a cat. Would you?

7 replies

AintNobodyHereButUsReindeer · 29/12/2018 21:53

We have a dog, we've had her for 3 years and we got her from a rescue. According to the rescue she's always lived happily with cats (she grew up at the rescue place so her backstory is known). However whenever she sees a cat in our garden she gets a bit irate, starts growling and pacing in front of the french doors watching for another glimpse of the cat.

I've heard of a lot of dogs that live perfectly happily with their own cats, yet chase strange cats. And my dog happily lived with them for 4yrs. I'm wondering if we introduced a cat and with a lot of careful management, would she accept it as family?

We'd love a kitten but I think that's too risky, I can't imagine a kitten would be able to stand up for itself very well, so we'd look at rescues for a dog-savvy cat.

Side note- if you're wondering how/why she grew up at the rescue, the people that run the place run a boarding kennels and they also breed and show a couple of different breeds. My dog was bred by these people, she was kept as a worker (she's a terrier) but was terrible at pest control so they rehomed her via their own rescue which I think is a bit Hmm

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AintNobodyHereButUsReindeer · 29/12/2018 22:12

I should add that the dog is crated overnight and when we go out so she would never be totally alone with the (potential) cat.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 29/12/2018 22:16

No I wouldn’t. That’s not a normal reaction for a cat friendly dog.

Wolfiefan · 29/12/2018 22:17

If cats make her irate you would be taking a huge risk to bring one into the home. Sorry. But I wouldn’t.

MadCatEnthusiast · 29/12/2018 22:55

Honestly, this is a dog behavioural thing. I wouldn't get a cat right now.

However, I don't know much about dogs but would training her to be calm around cats work? I'm guessing the doghouse or littertray who have dogs would could answer that.

MadCatEnthusiast · 29/12/2018 22:55

littertray posters*

Wolfiefan · 29/12/2018 22:59

I wouldn’t trust any dog who growls around a cat. The ideal is they ignore them. Growling is often a last warning before a bite.

AintNobodyHereButUsReindeer · 29/12/2018 23:24

I know dog behaviours Wolfie, I'm not stupid Hmm I was simply asking opinions from both cat and dog owners (hence two threads).

I know my dog is a pretty awful terrier, I took her to the woods earlier this year and there were squirrels everywhere and she didn't even bat an eyelid Grin What sane dog (especially a terrier) ignores hundreds of squirrels?!

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