Dogs and Cats Living Together....
I’d like to hear from other people whose dogs and cats live together peacefully (or unpeacefully!), whether it took some for them to get along, how you solved the problem, etc. Here’s my story:
My 16-year-old cockerspaniel, Ben, never had any problem with cats, and lived with two in our home in Toronto for many years. So when I had to move back to my hometown to look after my mother about a year ago, I knew there would be no problem with Ben and my mother’s cat Angel. Sure enough, the two got along very well, and Angel was heartbroken when Ben was gone.
Dear old Ben passed away about 6 months ago, shortly after which I adopted a two-year old Harrier Hound named Henry. On the first day I brought Henry home, he immediately went after poor little Angel as though she was game to be hunted, and she ended up pinned against the wall, terrified. Henry was immediately SEVERELY punished (yes, physically), to make it clear to him that such behaviour would NEVER be acceptable. Of course, the first words out of my mother’s mouth were “That dog has got to go!!”
I managed to convince my mother to give me a week in which to get the animals used to each other, after I promised that if there was still a problem after that I would return Henry to the organization from which I adopted him. For a couple of days I kept the animals separated, and both seemed to calm down. However, when I tentatively let them together in the same room again, Henry again went for Angel and pinned her against the wall. This time I punished Henry even more severely. Well, the next time I allowed them in the same room together, Henry was afraid to even look at Angel for fear he would be punished again, and he kept his distance from her for several days. I also fashioned a gate on my mother’s door with a hole that was big enough to let a small cat go through, but strong and secure enough to keep Henry out. That allowed Angel a safe “out” should she need to get away from Henry quickly, and that seemed to give her courage to be in the same room as him. In the end it was her insatiable curiosity and incredibly social nature that allowed a relationship to develop between them. To my astonishment, our gutsy little Angel started to approach Henry in a conciliatory fashion, and over the next few days they started to tentatively sniff each other and touch noses, and soon even engage in some gentle playing.
Today Henry and Angel are the best of buddies. Angel ADORES Henry, following him around like a kid sister. Every morning they greet each other by touching noses, then jump up on my desk to look out the window together (see pic below). Then they have a gentle game of “chase” while I get ready to take Henry out for his run. Angel goes to the door to see Henry off, and is at the door to greet him when he comes home. Late at night after our last walk of the day, they inevitably start up an intense and sometimes rough game of chase through the house, to the point that my mother has to tell them to settle down. Angel is inevitably the instigator, and the most disappointed when the game has to stop. Angel also stopped drinking out of her own water dish and now drinks out of Henry’s bucket only. And from time to time they can be found curled up sleeping together on the same bed....
My advice to anyone having problems with a new dog being aggressive towards a cat, is to not be afraid to severely punish the dog. I feel that in our case it made Henry understand that the cat was a protected member of our pack, and on a higher footing than him -- and therefore off limits. I also highly recommend the “gate with a hole in it” approach, which allows the cat to approach the dog on his/her own terms, and beat a hasty retreat if need be. And, finally, give the situation some time and don’t expect results overnight.
Here’s a pic of Henry and Angel first thing in the morning:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...8/fbacef35.jpg
