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Thread: Cat afraid of Dog and I don't know what to do...really need help please!

  1. #1

    Cat afraid of Dog and I don't know what to do...really need help please!

    Hello there. I just signed up for this site, but I might be here a lot. For now though I'm just really desperate for advice/help/guidance/opinions etc.
    I have two babies right now, a cat named Mizzie and a dog named Ava




    Mizzie is 6, she just turned 6 this month, and Ava is almost 5 months old now. I love them both to death, but I have a problem now that didn't matter before.

    Mizzie lives with me at my grandparents, meanwhile Ava lives with my boyfriend since he paid for her and my grandma doesn't want a dog and whatever else.
    But Miz is terrified of dogs. I've had Ava and another dog named Kitty over at my house, and as soon as Mizzie knows they are around she hides. One time Kitty went into my bedroom (Mizzie's favourite place) and Mizzie was just hiding under my desk, and no matter what I did she wouldn't come out. She also wouldn't eat any food or treats until a while after me and my boyfriend left with the dogs.

    The problem is: is that my boyfriend is moving September 1st, and is obviously taking Ava, and I've been seriously thinking about going with him...except I want to take Mizzie and I really can't imagine not taking her; but her reaction to dogs makes me afraid to take her.

    I really really don't want to move without my kitty. Mizzie is my big suck and when I went away for a week my grandma said she was really pouty, and when we talked on skype Mizzie perked up right away. She sleeps with me every night unless she's mad at me (usually she gets mad when I go away for the weekend or when my friends sleep over and take her spot) and she's a spoiled princess.

    On the other hand though I'm afraid to take her away from my grandparents. Because they love her as much as I do, and I know she's attached to them too; though not as much.

    But assuming right now that I would take her with me; is there any hope of her getting used to Ava? We'd be moving into a two bedroom apartment...I mean its a pretty big apartment but I don't know where Mizzie would be able to have a 'safe spot' in an apartment. Our bedroom wouldn't work because Ava is also a huge suck and wants to sleep in the same room, though I think she'd sleep in her bed rather than on ours. We'd also be moving in with another person so I can't just give the second bedroom to Mizzie either.

    Any advice would be super helpful, thanks in advance...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Oklahoma
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    First off, Hi! and welcome to Pet Talk! Your pets are adorable.

    I went through something similar when my roommate moved in. They have a cat(Snowball) that had a bad past experience with a dog and was understandably afraid of them. Thankfully my dogs grew up around cats so they don't bother them at all, so within a week Snowball felt comfortable enough to be out and about among the dogs.

    Its pretty natural for cats to be afraid of dogs, especially one that hasn't grown up around them. They are just looking out for their own safety until they know that this "strange creature" isn't going to cause them harm. Have Ava and Mizzie met face to face... how'd that go? And does Ava go out of her way to bother Mizzie?
    As long as Ava isn't the type that chases or pesters cats, then I think your transition should go just fine. Make sure to give Mizzie plenty of places to get up and out of Ava's reach (such as cat towers, shelves, etc.) so she feels more safe. Its okay if she hides for a bit, just give her time and eventually try coaxing her out with some yummy treats. You can at least give it a shot for a few weeks, and if Ava truly seems miserable it may be best to take her back to your grandparents.

    Best of luck!
    The Minions:
    {The Dog: Towser & Raiden} {The Cats: Khaith, Martha, Adelaide, Snowball, & Floki} {The Bird: Gir}

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    That is a hard thing to deal with sometimes as Cats ae from Venus being withdrawn and Dogs are from Mars noisy.
    We pray that your Pets can each a happy agreement as Cats and Dogs can get along!!!
    THE RAINBOW BRIDGE FOUND HOTEL ANGELS HAVE A NEW FRIEND IN CORINNA.


    ALMOND ROCCA BATON AND ELLIE ANGELS ARE GUARDIANS TO ETERNAL KITTENS ROCC-EL AND T TEEN ANGEL, ALMOND ROCA , VLAD , PAWLEE , SPRITE. LITTLE HEX, OSIRIS AND ANNIE ANGELS.
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    NOW PRECIOUS AND SAM ARE TOGETHER WITH ETERNAL KITTENS SAMMY ,PRESLEY, SYLVESTER AND SCRATCHY JR , MIGHTY MARINA, COSMIC CARMEN, SAMSON ,UNDER KITTY AND SUNKIST AUTUMN & PUMPKIN.
    MIA AND ORANGE BLOSSOM ANGELS HAVE ADOPTED TUXIE , TROOPER , SONGBIRD AND LITTLE BITTY KITTIES MIA-MI BLOSSOMER, TUXEDO AND DASH AS THIER ETERNAL KITTENS.
    PRINCESS JOSEPH AND MICHAEL ARE CELEBRATING 19 YEARS AS LUCKY FOUND CATS

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    California
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    Quote Originally Posted by Casper View Post
    First off, Hi! and welcome to Pet Talk! Your pets are adorable.

    I went through something similar when my roommate moved in. They have a cat(Snowball) that had a bad past experience with a dog and was understandably afraid of them. Thankfully my dogs grew up around cats so they don't bother them at all, so within a week Snowball felt comfortable enough to be out and about among the dogs.

    Its pretty natural for cats to be afraid of dogs, especially one that hasn't grown up around them. They are just looking out for their own safety until they know that this "strange creature" isn't going to cause them harm. Have Ava and Mizzie met face to face... how'd that go? And does Ava go out of her way to bother Mizzie?
    As long as Ava isn't the type that chases or pesters cats, then I think your transition should go just fine. Make sure to give Mizzie plenty of places to get up and out of Ava's reach (such as cat towers, shelves, etc.) so she feels more safe. Its okay if she hides for a bit, just give her time and eventually try coaxing her out with some yummy treats. You can at least give it a shot for a few weeks, and if Ava truly seems miserable it may be best to take her back to your grandparents.

    Best of luck!
    This is exactly what I was thinking. Great minds..........
    But they are not going to be immediate friends. It will take time for Mizzie to get used to Ava and vice versa. Just make sure you never leave them alone together until you are sure things are good between them. Always supervise their interaction at first.
    And if/when things are good between them, maybe you can rescue another kitty to keep your grandparents company.
    Our goal in life should be - to be as good a person as our dog thinks we are.

    Thank you for the siggy, Michelle!


    Cindy (Human) - Taz (RB Tabby) - Zoee (RB Australian Shepherd) - Paizly (Dilute Tortie) - Taggart (Aussie Mix) - Jax (Brown & White Tabby), - Zeplyn (Cattle Dog Mix)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    2,616
    Ava looks like a Sheltie so I googled "are sheltie's good with cats" and many links came up. This thread from dogster had a lot of good input.

    http://www.dogster.com/forums/Shetla.../thread/460905

    I think if she ignores Mizzie or lets Mizzie be boss, everything will work out eventually. I never thought my Moon would tolerate living with a dog, or even another cat. Surprisingly, He loves having fursibs!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Methuen, MA; USA
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    17,105
    Welcome!

    Several things to keep in mind.

    Dogs make friends in about 30 seconds - a butt sniff, a play bow, and they are best buddies! Cats take time, often 3 weeks, to adjust to ANY changes. New roommates, new living space are no exception. So don't expect the cat to accept the dog instantly. The short visits are just convincing the cat she need not bother adjusting, the dog WILL be leaving soon, lol. If you relocate with the cat, expect her to stay under a bed for about a week, and remain in one room for another 2 weeks. She will slowly gain courage to leave and explore the new digs. Relocating with the dog, she will bound through the new space, find the water bowl and then the sofa -- best seat in the house -- and make herself at home in less than 2 minutes!

    You can expect them to live in peace you can not make them best friends; only they can do that and it will take time. Keep your expectations realistic.
    .

  7. #7
    Casper: Ava and Mizzie haven't met really. Tried to introduce them and Mizzie just ran upstairs after scratching me up a bit.
    Also I think Ava is a little bit afraid of cats? I'm not sure, we had her at my friends once (she has a cat) and Ava just tried to avoid the cat. It also kept going out of its way to bug her though ._. the second time with my friends other cat it just stayed clear of Ava and Ava it, that's why I'm kind of hoping Mizzie can get over it eventually

    Catmandu: Thank you I'm hoping it all works out too

    Taz_Zoee: I actually think my grandparents are thinking of getting a puppy to be honest; recently around 80 dogs were found in a house near my area, and 33 are in the adoption center here, and when we went to drop off supplies we picked up an adoption sheet. So Mizzie may have to live with one anyways, but yeah, I would bring her home if living in the apartment didn't work out.

    MoonandBean: she's actually collie/shepard, but I agree. I think for any cat/dog relationship the cat needs to be boss because they have more limits then a dog so to say? My boyfriends cousin was living over there once with her cat, and their dog at the time wouldn't leave the cat alone and got a nasty scratch to the forehead. Miz doesn't have claws though so a bat to the head would just tell Ava to back off rather than hurt her lol

    Freedom: The thing about moving with Miz is that she'll be introduced to a new home, partially new people (she's met all the roommates before just never got really used to them) and a dog. So I'm glad that I don't have to feel bad about one of them having dibs against the other space wise (not very nice to lock up an animal that runs the roof so to speak). So if all of us are ever out I can lock either of them in the bedroom and the other can deal with it. I have absolutely no expectations for Miz to be comfortable right away, and I know that she'll take time with getting used to it and Ava. I just really hope it works out.

    Thank you everyone for the help. I feel much better about this right now, the only thing I have to work up the balls to do now is talk to my grandma about it ._.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
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    If it were me I would leave her with your grandma where she is comfortable and at home. I know you love her and would miss her but in taking her you would be changing her whole life, a dog, strangers, new place, the only constant being you, would that be enough do you think? Just my opinion not a judgement.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisH View Post
    If it were me I would leave her with your grandma where she is comfortable and at home. I know you love her and would miss her but in taking her you would be changing her whole life, a dog, strangers, new place, the only constant being you, would that be enough do you think? Just my opinion not a judgement.
    I've been thinking about that too lol...I have till September and I haven't talked to my grandma about it yet, but one of my options in my head is getting a kitten to take with me. While its not the same and it would still be hard I think it would make it a little easier then simply packing up and leaving her at home.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Los Angeles, Ca
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    I've had two cats killed by dogs they knew. I am too scared to mix the two anymore. I love cats and dogs, but I'll never trust another dog around any of my cats.
    Proud to be a crazy cat lady!

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