Can someone advise please?

Yesterday my neighbour called round and asked if I could take in a lost kitten. I agreed on the condition we put up posters in the local area to try and trace it's owner. It's about 10 weeks old male and uses a litter tray so obviously not a stray although it is very skinny and has been hanging around the area it was found in for at least a week.

The problem I have is it's being quite hostile towards my dog [a 5 year old jack russell staffie rescue dog] who is very placid and total ignores the kitten as she has lived with cats before.

Mostly they are content to sit in the same room, but every so often the kitten is approaching the dog and hissing and getting set to pounce. It's also taking liberties with the dogs food. My dogs now getting nervous and 'sulking' a bit.

Is this likely to get worse if they are left alone together or will they settle down [assuming the kittens not claimed] My daughters have fallen in love with the kitten and want use to keep it if the owners can't be found. I'm more inclined to contact a cat refuge if we still have it after a week or so.

[PS We've named the cat Percy the dog is a bitch called Jess and quite timid due to her past experiences]

RSPCA advise that you introduce the cat and the dog in an enclosed room with the door shut, probably a bit late for this but to make sure the cat has somewhere to run to, actually that's for a puppy, probably different when it is inroducing the kitten. If I were you I'd call the RSPCA tomorrow and ask for their advice, they told me exactly what would happen, that the puppy would push it's luck and the cat would bat it.

This happened.

They also said that was a good thing as the pup would learn to leave the cat alone and it would be a lesson for life.

Cats are always top dog if you'll pardon the pun.

Every case I've ever encountered - including my own - sees the cat(s) dominating the dog(s).

A friend of mine has two rotweillers and three cats - and they make sure they speed up a bit when walking past the cats in case they get swiped.

My cat Jess who was 14 years old who recently passed away bless her heart used to do this to my 2 year old Staffordshire Bullterrier. My dog would never bark or chase after her but Jess would and occasionally swipe Tara across her snout but she would always back down and leave.

What we used to do was, at night time we'd put them both together on a bed and they'd usually sleep together with no problems, (this might be because both Tara and Jess had lived with other cats and dogs before we took them on.) Sometimes we covered them with a pet blanket.

We done this for a while and we noticed that Jess only snared in the morning and afternoons, especially around dinner time. Gradually the hostility reduced but it took a while.

I can't really offer much advice unfortunately, though.

Oh and yes, cats are mostly the dominate one, I once caught her eating dog biscuits on more than one occasion, sometimes Tara would not enter the kitchen until Jess had finished.

I've got this image of 3 cats sitting in line in wait for the dogs to walk past to give 'em a swipe

Get rid of the cat it's not fair on the dog, tell your friend it's not working out and your dog is getting nervous. Cat's are most always aggressive towards dogs first, causing dogs to bark and chase them out of fear, often mistaken as the dog being viscous towards the cat.

It's very early days, the two animals have been together for such a short space of time, and I would give them far more time to settle.

I've introduced dogs and cats many a time over the years, and in my experience, once they've established their boundaries they're absolutely fine.

The kitten's just behaving as kittens do, with the hissing and pouncing behaviour. It sounds as though your dog's behaving beautifully and has perfect manners.

You could try this: sit very calmly with the animals either side of you. Stroke their heads and talk gently. Don't raise your voice or they'll both think there's something to get jumpy or upset about.

Keep doing this for a few minutes at a time, over and over. If one runs off, then just try again later. After meals is a good time to start, when they're feeling full and maybe a touch sleepy.

What you're aiming for is a situation where each pet thinks the other is a bit boring, feels calm and reassured, and learns to leave the other alone.

HTH.

Thank you all for the replies.

I followed the advice above and Jess and Percy are now getting along beautifully most of the time. Percy still has the odd swipe at Jessies nose but not with his claws out and usually when he is bored and getting hungry. Jess is very calm about him, unless he tries to get onto my lap when she tends to push him away lol I'm her 'Mum' not his.

Percy is getting his bits done next week so I expect he will get a bit more docile once he has been 'done' and is able to go out and roam a bit.

Wow. Thanks for the update. It realy nice too hear how you are getting on with both of them

My cat bullies my dog as well. The only time my dog ever "mans" up is when there is food involved. As the kitten gets older it'll become less playful and (assuming you let it) will spend more time outdoors.


Yes this is what my cat does. Not just to the dog either, he'll do it to us and the kids too if he feels like it.

I've heard this argument before, usually by cat haters as an excuse to perpetuate the rumour that cars are mean, spiteful, not good pets, etc.

Cats are not aggressive without a reason, dogs will as pointed out elsewhere in this thread, push their luck until the cat has had enough - and dogs cower when they're afraid, they chase and bark out of aggression.

My cat Bubu beats my Staffie up all the time, I just let them get on with it.