Originally posted by Scarlet91
I understand what you are all talking about. Now my husband wants to buy a cat. We now have a yellow lab three years old and I'm afraid of them not accepting each other. We can't try it without purchasing the cat first. So if it doesn't work out, we're basicaly screwed. I"m so afraid that one is going to hurt the other. He really wants this cat for christmas and I hate to say no, but I'm just not seeing any signs that it will work out. Since Chester (our lab) has been there for three years already, he may think of the cat as a threat. Any suggestions would be appreciated....
Is it possible to see how he would be around someone else's cat? Maybe a friend has one, and you can bring your dog over to see what you are up against? Or maybe, could you take your dog to a shelter and see it reaction to some of the shelter cats that are known to be fine with dogs?

I have a large dog, who, even though, he has grown up with 2 cats, since he was 8 weeks old, still gets the urge to chase them now and again...he is still puppyish, so I know, in time, he will outgrow it. My one cat isn't bothered by him at all, the other could certainly do without him I would prefer them to give him one good scratch on his snout, but they are too friendly to do so...they usually just run...the other day, one hissed at him, and my big doggie went running, it was very funny He will eventually get the point

ANyway, maybe a friend with a cat can be of some help to you, to test the waters, before you adopt one yourself. And i wouldn't take the cat out of it's familiar ground, i would bring the dog to the cats house, if anything...just a thought...