[teambrandt]

i have a 10 year old cat named kitkat, and a 1 year old staffordshire terrier named trouble. i rescued trouble almost 9 months ago when he got hit by a car and i witnessed it... (he is totally healed and rambuncious....)... he chases after my cat all the time. he doesn't grab hold of him, but rather stomps on him and tries to lick his ears.... my husband and i know he doesn't mean any harm, but my cat doesn't.

my question -- is there any way of socializing them without having my cat feel endangered -- or is separation when hubby and i are not home the only answer?

 

[newpitowner]

Um - I'm rather new to all of this but I too have a cat (pre pit) and while Sam has not shown any aggression she is too rough PLUS I worry that if Pedro (the cat) ever reacts in a defensive manner that prey drive will kick in and there won't be any pedro left. So with that being said - and since given the proper provocation I belive Sam would eat my almost 12 yo Pom Jack) She is either always crated when I leave OR Jack and the cat go into the bathroom until I return. Just what I do...

 

[Stormy]

I don't have a cat, but would also be concerned about prey drive kicking in. I would have a safe area in your home for your cat to be by itself especially when you're not there.

 

[gazar]

Clara, my apbt, is fascinated with our cat. She thinks of it as
a live fuzzy wuzzy cute thing. She wants to play with it, lick it,
chase it, etc. I do not see any aggression in her play but her
power and strength could hurt the cat. The cat knows this and
keeps her movements slow when she walks past any of the dogs.
She knows that I am her protector, so she comes to me when
Clara makes her nervous. I have to remind Clara that she is not
a toy and to be easy with her.

 

[teambrandt]

i appreciate the help.... we've started separating kitkat and trouble when we are not home --kitkat has the whole furnished exposed basement to himself, and trouble has the upstairs. i don't see aggression, but his power and strength, i agree, could certainly hurt kitkat.

the only problem now is that kitkat feels safer around trouble because he sees him being scolded when chasing, kitkat now walks around more and, i guess, antagonizes him....

i guess it's a loooooong training process... thanks to all that posted!!!

Anne-Marie

 

[sashasmom]

We have two cats and two dogs. One cat will have nothing to do with either dog - hates them both. The other - Sydney - was born on a farm and has no fear. She loves to zip right past Sasha and Maggie and torment them from a high perch. Sasha does the same exact stuff that you are all saying - thinks Syndey is a squeak toy and loves to get her sopping wet. What her end-goal is I am not sure but I am afraid her strength will be too much for Sydney.
We had a gate on our stairwell for a few months - that way when we are downstairs with the dogs the cats had a safe zone upstairs (we elevated the gate so tha cats fit under it).
Now we have moved the gate into a doorway of one room upstairs (the room where the litter and food are) so we can teach Sasha "easy" and work on "come - hurry!" (because she will disappear upstairs).
So far both of these techniques have worked and give us some piece of mind.
I should say that Sasha is crated during the day.

 

[chloelove]

Bella and Chloe...

Hi There,

I totally know what you feel. We got our cat (Bella) first, she is a year old, and then the puppy (Chloe). At first, the puppy was smaller than the cat and well the cat felt all tough. Now, the puppy is stronger and way bigger than our cat. Chloe is not showing any prey drive, but she is very aggressive in the fact she likes to wrestle with the cat all the time. After our walks, she comes in and wrestles with the cat. I do worry about that.

However, In time, I feel that they will get along, BUT I make sure I cut the nails of both the dog and the cat. My fear is that one will scratch another in the eye. I always cut both of their nails at the same time.

 

[teambrandt]

thanks!!

thanks to everyone for all their help... it's one day at a time... ALTHOUGH kitkat DID walk in front of trouble today - his tail actually hit trouble's nose - and he didn't flinch... of course hubby and i were present... but it's a step