# Run-in with a cat



## jennybaines (Apr 8, 2018)

Hi there - 

We have a 1 year old boy who is the sweetest pup ever (I know, everyone says that)! We were walking to the park about 2 weeks back, and he had a bit of a run-in with a cat. The cat lunged at him and swiped his nose. He now refuses to walk down that block. Will he get over this? Should I force him to walk by the house in question - or do I just honor his reluctance and hope it passes?


----------



## Gabica (Jan 20, 2018)

i would not force him. in couple of days or even weeks i would try and bring him around the same area, stocked up with lots of high value treats, and keep giving him treats at the spot where it happened. see how he reacts. he may get over it with the treats quickly or will need more time or another motivator, like favorite toy, a buddy to play with etc. fear phases come and go till they are 3 years old, so what you want is to work gently with that assumptions that it is a phase, never force. hopefully the cat won`t be there anymore though!


----------



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

No other advice, but he must be sweet.
My dogs are not that kind to cats.


----------



## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Oh, how awful...I am not at all a cat person, and that's just one reason why.

A few things: First, I sure hope the cat wasn't feral. Actually even if he was an outside house cat, if it drew blood then always think: Infection. Recall how they bury their feces and urine with those paws. Call the vet.

Second, if it was an outside cat and your puppers was on lead, consider ringing the bell and informing the owner. In much the same way that we wouldn't tolerate this from a dog, same for a cat. Responsible pet ownership, +1. Especially if there's injury and a vet bill. 

Third, stay away from the scene. Yes, you could work him thru it, and offer treats...but unless he has some generalized symptoms, then the best course of action is to just avoid that spot. If he has a more generalized anxiety reaction...doubtful, btw...then that's a different story and a different response. But for now, just avoid the scene and let it fade. At a year, their attention span is about 4 minutes, anyways. Going back and trying to work thru it might keep it around much longer.


----------

