Dogs and cats (Pet question)

[apes3978]

This question is for anyone out there who has pets or had them in the past...

I know the real answer here is probably just going to be "time", but I want to know if there's any advice that could possibly help things along without too much panic from the cats...

I just got a dog on Saturday and he is really very good with the cats so far... When he first seen them, they burst off and hid, but his reaction was kind of like "Well, okay, so there's two cats here..."

Same with last night, one cat is starting to settle a little bit and she crept around a little bit but still is very hesitant... The other cat sets on the stairs and stares down and really won't even come down at all... When either cats see's the dog, naturally they his at him, etc. Again, when the dog seen either cat, he was like "No big deal"...

Can anyone recommend any tip or tricks to help the cats become better with the dog? I don't want them to be jealous and I try to give them all the attention they had before, but it's sort of hard to when they go into hiding. I am sure the dog must have had extensive training or was rasied with cats because he really just looks at them and when he does see them he only wants to look at them, there's no aggression on his part...

Any tips from the cat psychologists out there?

[Hulk]

Don't let the dog have the run of the house right away. You are infringing on what the cats once thought of as their territory. Keep the dog confined to a crate or a seperate area, especially when you aren't around. Let the cats know they still rule the roost (at least until they are better acquainted) and you will be better off in the end.

[Sideshow Spock]

Do the cats really enjoy a certain treat? My cat goes crazy when she hears the can-opener cuz she thinks we're opening a can of tuna, which is a treat she gets a couple times a month.

Anyway, if there's something along those lines, try and have the dog right there when they're getting the treat. That way they start to associate the dog with good things, and less with being a threat or intruder.

Just a thought. Good luck!

[Bo8a_Fett]

No matter what you do there will always be incidents of the pet version of a mexican standoff...especially where food is concerned....what we used to do is let the cat get settled while the dog was out of the room then call the dog in and make he/her sit at your feet while the cat was on your lap. The cat should be reassured of your presence and happy that he/she is no 1 as far as ruling the roost is concerned. If you do this repeatedly then maybe they will accept each others presence in the house if nothing else.
....of course there's always the chance that they won't............

[Mikey]

I'd say give it some time with no intervention on your part.

After a time they'll either get used to each other or not.

Expect the dog to get a few cat swipes on his nose from the start.
It's just the cat telling the dog back-off.

[mitchedwards]

Time is the key. I've had my Border Collie since July and we are still working on issues with the cats. But each day gets better.

I recommend you get the 2 books written by Ceaser Millan on Dog Psychology. Great reads and they help give you insight on how to handle issues like this.

[theantiquetiger]

This sounds like an issue Michael Vick could answer!!!

[Adam West]

I was going to suggest getting rid of the cats.

But if that is out of the question, it sounds like many of the other suggestions sound like good advice.

[mitchedwards]

This question is for anyone out there who has pets or had them in the past...

I know the real answer here is probably just going to be "time", but I want to know if there's any advice that could possibly help things along without too much panic from the cats...

I just got a dog on Saturday and he is really very good with the cats so far... When he first seen them, they burst off and hid, but his reaction was kind of like "Well, okay, so there's two cats here..."

Same with last night, one cat is starting to settle a little bit and she crept around a little bit but still is very hesitant... The other cat sets on the stairs and stares down and really won't even come down at all... When either cats see's the dog, naturally they his at him, etc. Again, when the dog seen either cat, he was like "No big deal"...

Can anyone recommend any tip or tricks to help the cats become better with the dog? I don't want them to be jealous and I try to give them all the attention they had before, but it's sort of hard to when they go into hiding. I am sure the dog must have had extensive training or was rasied with cats because he really just looks at them and when he does see them he only wants to look at them, there's no aggression on his part...

Any tips from the cat psychologists out there?

Also you could try putting your puppy in a kennel or in a closed room. Let the cats get used to his scent though a door. That would give the cats time to adjust

[apes3978]

I just wanted to say thanks for the good tips...

Hopefully it won't take tooooooo long to get the cats to adjust... The dog's cool with them, but they're still gun-shy...