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

Cats and greyhounds?

22 replies

WinkyTinky · 06/01/2025 14:43

Long story from a few months ago, dh brought a cat home unannounced. I love the thing now, but still annoyed at the circumstances of his arrival. I think I am now getting used to being a pet owner for the first time in my life, and have often thought that if I ever did get a pet, it would be a retired greyhound from a rescue centre. Would I be crazy to seriously consider this seeing as we already have a cat in the house? Is it a recipe for disaster, or are they capable of being friends?

OP posts:
Durrbraino · 06/01/2025 14:44

Speak to the rescue as they may know if any of their greyhounds are cat safe. We had a whippet with cats and they all got on well, but in that case we got the whippet as a pup with adult cats so he grew up with them.

ToastyCat · 06/01/2025 14:45

I wouldn't say so. Greyhounds have an extremely high prey drive, and with them being older as well, I don't think it would work imo.

Although saying that if it has already existed with a cat, you may be in luck.

GodspeedJune · 06/01/2025 14:45

Of all the breeds to choose from, honestly I’d steer clear of ones that are bred to chase small, furry animals. You don’t want a tragedy in your home.

Game0fCrones · 06/01/2025 14:45

Please dont do this to your poor cat. Cats are territorial and he will hate to share his space.

Thesnoozingsighthound · 06/01/2025 14:47

It entirely depends on the individual dog. If you look on most greyhound rescue sites they will say if a dog is safe around cats, small dogs or other small furries. They do a “cat test” when the dogs are being fostered in family homes.

Some of them (including ours!) have such high prey drive that we couldn’t live next door to a cat never mind in same house! Others happily curl up with them.

RuthW · 06/01/2025 14:47

Mainly greys and cats don't mix. Occasionally you may get one. All of ours have thought a cat was the electric hare.

Worldgonecrazy · 06/01/2025 14:48

I love greyhounds - it’s one of the few breeds I like, so understand your view. However I would not mix a retired greyhound with a cat. They are trained to chase small fast fluffy things - it wouldn’t be fair on the cat or dog.

Our neighbours greyhound killed a local cat that ventured into its garden - it’s not worth the risk.

Persista · 06/01/2025 14:48

Some greys are cat friendly and some are friendly with the cat they live with but no other cats. Follows am many greyhound rescues as you can and you'll see some cat friendly greyhounds being advertised x

WinkyTinky · 06/01/2025 14:48

That's fair enough. Thank you! I'll leave it and just look at the cute pictures of all the long noses who need a mam 😭

OP posts:
maudelovesharold · 06/01/2025 14:51

They do a “cat test” when the dogs are being fostered in family homes.

The mind boggles at what that might involve for the poor cats!

Thesnoozingsighthound · 06/01/2025 15:07

maudelovesharold · 06/01/2025 14:51

They do a “cat test” when the dogs are being fostered in family homes.

The mind boggles at what that might involve for the poor cats!

I know! When I read about it on a rescue site I imagined they had some super chill professional cat who goes in and then writes a report afterwards “Goofy and silly, respects I am boss - PASS” “Tried to eat me through a stair gate - FAIL” 😁

its2025allofasudden · 06/01/2025 15:20

My DD has two greyhounds/lurchers and did have a cat.

The cat came first and they looked for a GH that would be good with cats. She had been abandoned - possibly because she has zero interest in chasing things. They went through a GH rescue centre and sought advice. Dog no 2 was a puppy. GH Collie X.

They all got on fine, to the extent of one dog and the cat sleeping together.

Sadly the cat died - but it can be done.

MJDecember24 · 06/01/2025 15:28

I have two greyhounds and two cats. Also previously had greyhounds and cats. Most greyhound rescue centres don't allow the two, but some do. Our current two are from Wolverhampton greyhound trust and Kent greyhound rescue. Kent have a lot of young greyhounds (18 months) that weren't particularly interested in the lure and are therefore cat workable. Our boy actually had a decent racing career but was retired through injury, but despite this, he has zero interest in cats, he doesn't even seem to see them.

However, having said that, it takes a good bit of work to do the integration and we usually have 3 months of the house being compartmentalised with baby gates so the cats have safe passage, and they are never left unattended until we're thoroughly sure all is well. Our cats are well used to dogs by now, and stand their ground, so they aren't particularly exciting to the dogs, who prefer a chase.

We have a woodburning stove and as soon as that goes on, all four pets gather together in front of it.

paranoiaofpufflings · 06/01/2025 15:48

Some rescue greyhounds are fine with cats, mine couldn't be less interested when we see them outside. But to be honest I just wouldn't risk it. Because you could never be 100% sure and if anything went wrong it would be the greyhound you move out - last in first out? And moving on a greyhound who is already a rescue would be unfair to it.
I'd be pretty p'ssed off if my partner brought home any pet unannounced. A pet is for life and shouldn't be taken on without discussion and agreement!

melissasummerfield · 06/01/2025 16:06

Sighthounds and cats do not mix, would be such a risk to the poor cat!

lljkk · 06/01/2025 16:09

We fostered a lurcher who made friends with my cats & quickly learned not to chase them. She had previously broken off her lead to chase cats... bit of shouting in the house when she first wanted to chase, kept her on a lead and gave the cats escape routes... the lurcher got the rules right away, chasing these specific cats was not allowed.

I do agree with others about looking at other breeds first, but I also think most dogs are trainable.

CandyStripedCottonBedsheet · 06/01/2025 16:17

It only truly works, in my experience, if the adult cats were there first, and then a sighthound puppy is introduced secondly.

It's important that the cat/s are allowed to firmly put the puppy in it's place early on, so that it grows up being wary of them. My hound will still have a half-hearted chase if the cats are chasing each other particularly energetically in the house. She is scared of them, but she still does chase occasionally and I am very aware that nothing is certain, one day she might flip and kill one of them. Mostly they just warily coexist. I don't let the cats near when she's eating or sleeping.

It's innately wired in them to chase. My own was raised in the manner described above to live with our cats but spends her every opportunity plotting to kill the neighbour's cats. And I am certain she would kill those ones if she got the chance. When she is in chase mode, she would run through a barbed wire fence and barely notice... She's injured herself tripping in holes during "chase mode", and that was just chasing me.. It's like a switch goes off and they lose their brain, and become a single-minded speeding idiot lol. You wouldn't stop them if they decided to kill a cat, they'd be too quick.

However, she's come face to face with a massive cat on a walk, and I didn't have time to tighten her lead because he was hiding behind a car. My dog instantly went to attack him, I snatched at her, but the cat just stood his ground and she immediately backed off. It was a big shock to me. She's a whippet though, if she were a greyhound that cat would probably have been hurt or killed.

I've had farmers ask to use her for rabbiting and I refused because I don't want her getting a "taste" for it, even though that's what she's literally bred to do lol. Best not tempt fate!

Stickytreacle · 06/01/2025 16:22

I have 11 cats and rescued an ancient lurcher who was fine with cats. When she died I rescued another 4month old lurcher, who is also fine with cats, but he did need constant supervision and training initially, which I wouldn't recommend if you're new to dog ownership. Some are apparently fine from the get go, but I would want to be totally confident that that was the case.

kirinm · 06/01/2025 17:24

@Thesnoozingsighthound love your test results theory 🤣

WinkyTinky · 06/01/2025 19:45

@CandyStripedCottonBedsheet Laughing at the image of the cat standing his ground, as mine did this the other day when my son and i were out playing football out on the path next to our house. A massive growly bulldog went past and was pulling at his lead which the owner was finding hard to control (seriously massive dog) and my six month old kitten stood there making himself big and stared him out. I was very proud 😅

OP posts:
bakewellbride · 06/01/2025 19:51

Our greyhound costs us £150 a month - could you afford that plus whatever the cat costs?

It was really shitty of your dh to bring in a cat 'unannounced' btw, it's a huge thing that should've been discussed first.

biscuitsandbooks · 06/01/2025 23:37

I know plenty of people with cats and sighthounds. It absolutely can work.

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