# Cats and dogs



## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

So we have had our boy home for almost a day. We have two cats and one I expected to not get along. She is old and crotchety. The other male cat is very affectionate and likes to be around. I'm hoping that he warms up to the new puppy, I know it will take a while. I was wondering if anyone has mature cats that were never around a dog before you got your V and how it went and how long it took them to be able to be at least within sight of each other. 
Thanks!!


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

Hi,

I had cats for many years before I had dogs. It really depends on the personality of the cat and the dog. Our youngest cat is ok with our vizsla, and will play with her. However, our oldest cat really wants nothing to do with her. There is no fighting - just polite ignoring. 

Good luck!


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## Melissa_DT (Jan 9, 2013)

My cat was 5 years old when I brought Bentley home and had never previously been exposed to a dog in the same house as her. She was definitely far from pleased about it but eventually she learned to accept it. They are not best buds, she tolerates him. Sometimes I catch her grooming him while he's laying down, other times I catch him chasing her around the house and receiving cat swats in the face. Essentially she likes him when he's calm and relaxed and hates him when he's bursting with energy. The cat never hides from him though, they share the space just fine with the occasional squabble when he's bothering her when she's trying to relax.


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## Carolina Blue (Sep 20, 2012)

As said, it all depends on the cat and dog. I have 3 cats all exposed to dogs before, K treats each cat different. The older one is her sleeping/sunning buddy, the middle is the one she chases (he asks for it by running thru the house and meowing when he enters the room); the third one K stalks - this cat will have nothing to do with her (she is a lot on the crabby side). 

Older pic of her buddy(think K was about 3-4 months).


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

Melissa, that sounds a lot like our male cast that I'm hoping will warm up to him. Right now they will tolerate the same space as long as Tuck isn't paying to much attention to the cat. As soon as he gets to excited the cat is gone. But the cat seems to be slowly getting better with Tuck. Thanks for your story. And I love the picture! Really shows the stereotypes of each animal. The cat looks like yea whatever and Bentley looks like he's waiting to see if you want to play


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

Carolina, running through the house is not the best way to go unnoticed! Our older cat does that and it just makes Tucker want to play even more, which is just the opposite of what the cat wants!


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## lilyloo (Jun 20, 2012)

Our cats were 2 when we brought our Vizsla home. Our male cat is less easily bothered and never really hid from the dog at all. Our female cat is more shy and it honestly took her about a year before she started being out in the open as much as she previously was.


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## Lyndam (Aug 22, 2013)

My cat was 14 when she was confronted with the tornado on legs that is our Vizsla. We kept them apart the first few days. The at refused to acknowledge the pup for about a week then proceeded to give her a quick bash then back to ignoring. Eventually as the pup grew and I relaxed more that she wasn't about to be beaten up the two of them tolerated each other as long as the pup wasn't in zoom mode. It took several months and me feeding them treats one either side if me turn and turn about but eventually the cat got on the settee with the pup and happily slept. No cuddling in tho as the pup is still wary/ jealous of the cat and contorts herself to stay out of reach if she has to walk past him. ( puss just saunters under her belly). The dynamic can be seen here. Ruby's bone. Ruby's bone blanket. And a caption above her pleading eyes saying ' now what do I do?'. 

The upside to this is Ruby thinks I 'm way the alpha as I move cat around unconcerned


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

Shameless copyright infringement - I don't know where I got it, but I copied it to my PC.


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

Lillyloo, I'm sure our female cat will never warm up to the dog. She doesn't warm up to much of anything! :
I hope our male doesn't take that long. He is always trying to play with the other cat who hates it, so it's funny now that Tucker wants to play with him and he runs just like our female cat does to him. So I'm hoping the 2 boys will become buds. 
Bob, that picture is hilarious. That's what I'm waiting for


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

I would be more worried about the Vizsla warming up to the cat than the other way around! Our V has grown up with our two adult cats, and all of a sudden (he is 3) he has decided that he wants to stalk them and aggressively chase them (he'll chase them out of nowhere, barking and growling....it doesn't look or sound like playing). I think it is the "prey drive" finally coming out, and I don't think he can help it. I thought if he was around them from day 1 he would be fine, but I guess you can't underestimate the hunting and prey drive in these dogs! 

Luckily, cats are pretty spry. And for some odd reason, if I ever yell at one of the cats to stop scratching or doing something, Gus will fly off the handle and attack. It's like he thinks he is "the enforcer", it's actually kind of funny (because no one has actually gotten hurt yet..) I guess my point is, after 3 years together, my Vizsla and cats hate each other. But no one has gotten hurt, and it hasn't been the end of the world, so don't worry too much! You will never be able to force cats and dogs (especially highly-driven hunting dogs) to be friends!


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

That's a good point Johnson. I honestly haven't been thinking of it that way. Hopefully no one looses any fur. We have been very mindful of how we correct the cats, mainly so we don't startle Tucker and have him think he is doing something wrong. And actually we've been letting the cats get a way with some fridge surfing. I figure they can have their vantage point for a while till things settle in.


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

We've never had lost fur  As long as the cats have a safe escape from the puppy and visa versa, they should be fine.

I have a toddler too, so I am constantly yelling "no" at either a cat, a dog, or a kid, so I'm sure they get confused about who I'm talking to! So far my Vizsla doesn't try to be the enforcer with the toddler like he does with the cats!


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

Wow, two cats a v and a toddler. 
As I'm typing this I realize that will be me in a year or so! 
Oh Lordy


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## Melissa_DT (Jan 9, 2013)

Found this video posted on Facebook today and thought it for perfectly here

http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/2014/04/dogs-annoying-cats-with-friendship.html?m=1


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Don't even get me started on the cats and dog thing........We have 2 5 year old cats and 2 guinea pigs as well. The one cat used to be really skinny and is now so fat from hiding out in the office and eating puppy kibble. The same cat just hisses and snarls and swats at Dharma. there is no chance of those 2 ever getting along. The other cat will drink out of Dharma's water dish and she chases him and puts her nose up his tail end. Dharma just gets in his face too. Unfortunately the cats have taken to marking territory too. Animals..... why are they like this? Can't every one just play nice?


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

ugh, I feel for you. Was nervous about the cats marking as well. I went and bout some spray that is a calm in pheromone. I actually bought it when we moved a few months ago because 1 of the cats stared marking in the basement, I used it a few times and haven't had an issue since. I have been using it since we got Tucker as a preventative measure. It's called no mark.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Actually it is time to put Dijon and Schnoozer back on the Feliway diffuser again I think. I have had to pick up anything plush and keep all the bedroom doors closed. Our cats also have a cat door into our rec room office where they get fed and have their litter boxes. It is a safe place from Dharma. At night Dharma gets locked in our bedroom and I think the other 2 sleep with my daughter. I will have to look into the No Mark as well. Where can you get it? I was getting the Feliway diffuser from my vet.


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

First sorry for the atrocious spell checking and typing. I was using one hand, Tucker was on the other taking a nap 
I haven't heard of a feliway diffuser. What does that do? That doesn't sound like it's much fun to wrangle all the pets. Kudos to you for sticking to it though and not re homing them. I bought the no mark at a locally owned pet store. I took some pics of it so you might be able to find it on line. you should be able to read some of the description from the pics.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Feliway is a pheromone as well. You get a cartridge with a liquid in it. and it then gets plugged into a diffuser. It gets slightly warm. I have used it in the past and it seems to have gotten the cats over the initial FREAK Out over the puppy. I just wish they would start to get along! I will have to find out if they carry No Mark at one of the pet stores I frequent for everybody's supplies. One of them is bound to have it or something similar. Ask the vet about the Feliway. Or the pet store may have something similar.


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

@Daul77 

Haha good luck! Having cats and a dog and a toddler isn't so bad, except don't expect any time alone ever again! Once the baby is in bed, then the dog demands cuddles. Then the dog falls asleep, and the cats start crawling all over you, purring, and demanding attention. Or....you just finish cleaning a dirty diaper, and then step out into the hall into a pile of cat puke, and while cleaning it, the dog starts barking at the UPS truck. Who needs peace and quiet anyway? At least there is no shortage of love or cuddles!


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## daul77 (Jan 22, 2014)

Haha. I'm glad we have a teenager to help with the dirty diapers and cat puke. Not sure if there is much worse than stepping in a pile of cold cat puke  
As I'm typing this I have a vizsla in my lap and two cats on the other end of the sofa. All isn't lost yet.


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