Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The litter tray

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

Oh god ....do I get the kitten ?

19 replies

bemorebernard · 21/09/2023 09:41

My friend and neighbour is getting a kitten and there's a boy without a home ....would my two dogs accept a new baby

I've a 10 year old German Shepard and a 4 year old terrier

I'm a sucker .

Oh god ....do I get the kitten ?
Oh god ....do I get the kitten ?
OP posts:
Beamur · 21/09/2023 09:43

How are your dogs with cats outside the home?
I think that's a potentially quite dangerous combination for a kitten - the terrier more than the GSD.
Kitten is exceptionally cute ♥️

Shopper727 · 21/09/2023 09:43

Only you know how they are with cats but he’s a beauty although every male cat I’ve ever had has strayed so I’d not get a boy my girls all stay close
good luck whatever you decide

bemorebernard · 21/09/2023 09:46

I think they're all boys needing homes

My dogs bark at cats outside - I just thought maybe with it being a baby the dogs might accept it

I think my gsd would nanny it would not sure about the terriorist

OP posts:
Beamur · 21/09/2023 09:50

They may see it as a cat rather than a baby.
To be honest if you have any doubts at all I really wouldn't. Your terrier could very easily kill a kitten. Prey drive for small fluffy things is what terriers are bred for.
My last dog was fine with cats and lived quite happily with ours. But I didn't get cats while my previous to that dog was alive as I didn't trust her with them.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 21/09/2023 09:54

I wouldn't risk introducing a kitten to a terrier.

Hermittrismegistus · 21/09/2023 09:55

GSD most likely be fine and probably enjoy having something to look after. The terrier I wouldn't be so sure about .

NotObligedToArgueWithStrangers · 21/09/2023 09:58

My friend got a kitten with a resident terrier. Kept them separate initially as the dog clearly thought it was a squirrel in his house. It took months and months but they're friends now. Depends if you have the space and the patience to do this. It only takes one slip up to end badly, so you need to be sure everyone else in the house is as vigilant.

bemorebernard · 21/09/2023 09:59

Yeah . You're all
Probably right. Terrier is a scotty, my dd calls him the bipolar dog as he's either super sweet and obsequious or acts like he's got roid rage.

OP posts:
Findyourneutralspace · 21/09/2023 10:00

I’m not saying they couldn’t get used to each other but the process of that sounds quite frightening for the poor kitty. I don’t think it would be kind.

bemorebernard · 21/09/2023 10:02

You're right . I'm just a sucker for anything cute and furry

OP posts:
RaisinsOfMildAnnoyance · 21/09/2023 10:03

Too dangerous for the kitten. I'll have him.

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 21/09/2023 10:05

I would be wary with a terrier as their instinct is to chase.

bemorebernard · 21/09/2023 10:06

Yeah, I've said no . Too risky .

OP posts:
TheDogsMother · 21/09/2023 10:07

I've only managed to put a terrier with cats when the cats were already living with us then the terrier came later. I would t be confident doing it the other way round.

VeridicalVagabond · 21/09/2023 10:11

I've got dogs and cats and they're all fine together, and I have sight hounds. For me though I had the cats first and the dogs came later, and the cats are very much in charge. Our elderly greyhound is now a cat pillow, he can often be found with 2-3 cats loafed on him while he's snoozing.

I'm not sure I'd try and introduce a kitten to the mix now though. The dogs don't really see our cats as cats, but a new cat might not be given the same grace. I wouldn't want to risk the potential stress to the kitten.

bemorebernard · 21/09/2023 10:16

No , you're right I'm not
Going to risk it

OP posts:
NotObligedToArgueWithStrangers · 21/09/2023 10:18

Hard as it is (because kittens are amazing!) I think you're making the right choice. My terrier and cat are best friends and actually wrestle, but the cat was there first and has been able to smack the shit out of the dog from day one as a puppy. I wouldn't get another kitten now the dog is an adult though as I think he'd just be too rough. Which is annoying because I really want another kitten!

Dillane · 21/09/2023 10:21

Suggest to your friend that they take the other kitten. Kittens are best in pairs.

DiaNaranja · 21/09/2023 10:22

I have dogs and until recently two cats (one sadly recently passed away), and they get on fine, but when the cats were kittens we did extremely slow introductions. My dogs are classed as "toy" breed, but they are more terrier in nature than most terriers, (will chase squirrels, rabbits, cats etc, with no chance of snapping them out of it) so I was nervous. But very slow introductions, with dogs on leads, and restrained, and keeping them apart at all other times, and they now all snuggle up and sleep together with the cat usually on top of them, and they're never ever chased him. Once they got used to the scent of the cat in their home, it's like they knew this one was family and off bounds. I do think it really depends on the cats personality though. One of ours was very confident and would stand his ground with the dogs from very early on, and a couple of swipes to the nose let the dogs know not to mess with him. If he'd got scared and tried to run and hide, it wouldn't have worked, which is why we chose that particular kitten. He'd been brought up in a busy house with dogs and other animals, so was kind of bomb proofed. The other cat who we still have is a ragdoll, very laid back, quickly grew larger than the dogs, and again, knew how to put them in their place from early on. A nervous flighty cat wouldn't be a good choice, so I would recommend spending some time with this kitten and getting to know his personality, if he always lives with dogs, even better. Just don't rush introductions, keep them separate, and let the dogs smell the room he's been in and vice versa, until they become desensitised to his smell in their territory. Only let them see eachother when dogs are fully restrained and cannot be a threat to him, as all it takes is one bad interaction that scares the cat, and they are best, will likely never get on, and worse, the cat ends up hurt/dead. We clicker trained ours for the purpose of interacting with the cat. Looking at the cat, sniffing the cat, sitting calmly near the cat, click and treat. Any sort of lunging or barking at the cat got them a stern "NO" and instant removal from the interaction. We did this for weeks and weeks, and then the dogs would sit calmly and again get rewarded when the cat chose to come and say hello to them, and they reacted in a positive way. Good luck!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread