Cat is enormous and very heavy (cross breed, half giant apparently). Dog is a tiny slim sausage dog. Together they’re like Jack Sprat and his wife.
Dog spends lots of his time burrowed under something soft (blanket, cushions, etc). Cat sees this lovely soft blanket mound (that is actually the dog) and makes a bee line there thinking it will make a great place to nap.
She doesn’t seem to be able to sense him or smell him until you’ve lifted the blanket up and shown her it’s the dog. Then she goes into full cartoon panic mode; leaps in the air and scatters away.
BUT, she’s like bloody Dory from Finding Nemo: Two minutes later she merrily waltzes back in the room and eyes up the mound of ‘blankets’ again. Seemingly having completely forgotten that it’s the dog! (Until we show her and she scatters away again.) This goes on and on, it’s like we’re stuck in a loop.
She hurts him when she sits on him so I can’t just let them get on with it. He yelps and freaks out and once he snapped at her and got a mouthful of fur (she wasn’t hurt). I get it, she’s heavy, she hurts my lap after a while and he’s nearly half her size!
It’s gotten to the point where he’s started barking at her and chasing her away when she comes anywhere near him if he’s trying to sleep. I’m on edge that this is going to escalate and she’s going to get hurt.
I don’t think there’s anything I can do except continue to watch them both very carefully when they’re together and keep the dog trained. But oh my god it’s exhausting!