# Cats & Vizsla dogs



## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Since we got our V I noticed our cat's (Maine ****) attitude toward me grew colder :'( 
Now 4 years old, could jealousy be the reason?

Our V is 5 months old, the baby getting 90% of my free time. We all sleep in the master, our V on my side, the cat on my wife's side - happily until, morning when Sam (the V) decides it's play time and the cat is his chew toy.
It's time for the morning walk/bike ride.

Any suggestions on how to stop the morning mayhem? Any thoughts , even humorous ones, much appreciated.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2009/12/cats-and-dogs.html

Good luck to the cat.

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2011/07/notice-to-people-who-visit-my-home.html

Our Bailey and Chloe sleep in their crates in our bedroom. We own two cats that own the bed until the morning when we let the dogs up. Then the cats only own under the bed.

We keep a squirt bottle of water in the living room to end any disagreement between our cats and dogs. One squirt = end of discussion.

Happy trails,

Rod


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## Big Rick (Apr 14, 2009)

When Dexter was a pup I tried a squirt bottle to keep him from barking so much. He liked it!!! I squirted and he drank. Gave up on that method rather quickly. Tried the sonic bark stopper, he barked even louder at it. He finally just grew out of it, thank goodness.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Sam likes being squited with room temperature water too.
Outside, we upgraded from squirt bottle to the garden hose, luckily it's summer time. 

I suppose the crate door could be locked all night. Sam sleeps in his wire crate too, however, the door is closed but not locked. So much for freedom. 

Funny blog, Rod. Thanx for the links.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

It sounds like Sam and the cat have established a morning routine and you will have to change it to change their behavior. There are a few different approaches:
1) Offer something more interesting: 
a.Keep some treats they both like on your nightstand and give one to each before the mayhem starts – I would recommend feeding the cat first. That way the cat won’t run and Sam gets the idea that good things happen when the cat stands still. If you can make this option work, it is my favorite because the cat gets immediate attention and affection. It will also require the most patience and effort from you.
b. You could also try offering Sam a toy to distract him if the cat is running to the litterbox first thing in the morning. Obviously, the litterbox is going to be a priority both for you and the cat.
c. Set your alarm before Sam wakes and take him outside before the cat as a chance to get off the bed.
2) Negative consequences for keeping the routine: Use a spray bottle or can of pennies to try to keep Sam from chasing the cat. I am not a fan of this approach because as soon as you leave, chasing the cat becomes fun again.
3) Change the sleeping arrangement: Crate Sam or put a cat bed higher than Sam can jump. I am not a fan of this approach because if they share space all night long, they are doing pretty well with each other and moving either would be a step backward.

Good luck!


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Thanks, I'll look into distracting Sam or I can simply lock his crate. I was really hoping Sam would have more graceful manners with the cat.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

I have found cat manners are difficult to teach, but possible. Savannah is almost a year old now and we have been working on cat manners from the beginning. It took many, many months for Savannah not to chase the cat. Part of that time was teaching Savannah not to chase and part of that was teaching the cat not to run. 

You are already ahead of where we started since yours will sit on the bed together. My cat is 9 years old and declawed. She runs from anything and everything. 

We started with a small piece of cheese or lunch meat ham each day with Savannah and the cat on opposite sides of the kitchen door. The cat would come that far if she heard the refrigerator door open. Kitty ate first so Savannah would associate the presence of the cat with really good treats. After literally weeks, we moved to feeding on opposite sides of the same room. Weeks later I started moving the food dish closer a couple of inches at a time. And moving back a couple of inches at a time if the cat spooked. Months later, they eat dinner together and will sit in the same room. Savannah eats better when the cat is there. The cat will not go onto the deck unless Savannah is there. With all those successes in mind, while Savannah does not chase the cat, they still will not sit on the couch together.

If you do work on distracting Sam (instead of just crating him), keep the cat's safety in the front of your mind at all times! He is now big enough to hurt the cat by accident.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Nice, feed them together, of couse 8)
Looking forward to that.
In the meantime, I'll incorporate some distractions. 

Good times


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## Oquirrh the V (Jun 24, 2011)

I have 2 cats (6 & 17 yrs old) and a 5 month V. Both cats will lay on the bed with Oq as long as he doesn't move around (as long as the cats think they aren't going to be eaten). At night I put Oq in his crate and lock it, this way the cats don't feel like I've pushed them aside, since they have ALWAYS slept on the bed with me. But as soon as the alarm goes off in the morning, the cats know to retreat. I didn't teach them this, they just picked up on it. My cats also liked when I gave them higher areas of the house to get to. I put rubbermaid bins on top of each other in steps, then put a cat bed at the top of the highest one. Also, I cleaned off my dresser top and put a smaller rubbermaid next to the dresser for the cat to use as a step. They both retreat to these places when the dog is out and both feel comfortable enough to go to sleep.


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## NeverGiveUpRAC (Aug 27, 2012)

Datacan, what's the update here?? Did your cat and dog finally get to living peacefully?


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## brendano (Dec 2, 2012)

My cats quickly taught the pups who is boss !! My cats are feline ninjas though !! I wouldn't mess with them either.

Amber and Oakley's favourite game is for Oakley to run as fast as he can to the bottom of the garden and up into the tree with Amber in hot pursuit. If Oakley stops and spins, Amber immediately expects a paw to the nose !

they sort it out between themselves


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Gotta get a hunting cat, Butterfly forgot his employment standards. Saw a mouse outside getting chased by the dogs, cat supervises only :'(

I am always amused when my neighbors say we don't have mice, we live not too far from agricultural land... These things eat their way through concrete even. 
Gotta upgrade the furry mouse trap, I think.


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## brendano (Dec 2, 2012)

you really want to separate Vizslas and cats. They don't get on at all !!


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## Kay92 (Oct 19, 2012)

Speaking of cats.....funny story. Our neighbors have two cats, Ally and Indigo. The boys are used to seeing Ally cat running around the neighborhood and don't bother her at all. But Indigo is a lot younger and has just started to roam the neighborhood. Well yesterday while taking Riley to the bathroom he stopped and was focusing over at the neighbors yard. We look over and there is Indigo in our neighbors tree (her owners house). He started drooling, not the regular drooling either, I'm talking hanging from his jowls, foaming at the mouth drooling. So we took him in, but when Chuck came out and saw her, he rushed the fence barking at her. 

My dad said it all in his comment when we told him the story: "It's never a good thing when your hunting dog starts drooling over your neighbors cat"


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