Doomed by the hounds?

[LisaT]

This board's tagline is "Discussions on living with more than two dogs."

Doesn't say what that third animal has to be...

Wondering if I am doomed to a life with no kitties. M&A "go after" cats when we've seen them on the street, and I'm pretty sure that's the prey drive--also considering their penchant for all things squirrel. So, two hounds always = no cats?

I still love Otis. 

[Mary [deryni]]

Cat outside - not same as cat inside.  Often when cats are outside dogs can have a much more predatory response than if it was a cat inside the home.

[SarahM]

perhaps a kitten or feisty cat would be okay - someone who wouldn't take m&a's crap, you know? will pointed out that cats can jump up higher to get away from dogs if need be. course, the hounderz may just destroy the apartment that way. not sure . . .

[Mary [deryni]]

I've actually found that the quieter the cat the better they get along.  But also like Sarah said won't take any crap from M&A but won't just run at the sight of them.

[LisaT]

course, the hounderz may just destroy the apartment that way. not sure . . .

Um, that's generally what they do ANYWAY. Retards.

Good point about the inside/outside thing. Don't know how I'd test that one out though. I guess find someone who has a cat who's willing to let me bring them in on leashes. Can you see that one? "Hey, friend, I'm curious as to whether my HUNTING DOGS would kill a small furry animal in the home. Can we come over this weekend to meet your cat?"  

I think Amos would be okay; I can totally see him snuggling with Otis, um, I mean a kitty, but Maggie...uhhhh, it's kind of what she was born to do, so I dunno. I could never ever ever live with myself if I came home to a bloody scene.

[A.J.]

Cat outside - not same as cat inside.  Often when cats are outside dogs can have a much more predatory response than if it was a cat inside the home.

Mary, Please call my house and tell that to Cana! 

[Mary [deryni]]

Crate the cat.  Should give you a good idea, and kitty is still protected.  And definitely let them see the cat one at a time - together they might gang up.

[LisaT]

So Cana answers the phone now, huh? 

Crate the cat.

Duh.

I think I know how that would play out, unfortunately. Amos has met cats in the vets office, while they were in their carriers. He was just curious, smelling the carrier and wagging his tail. Maggie lunged.

I just still can't get Otis out of my mind. And then a friend sent this page from a friend of hers who helped out with Katrina animals, and it really put me over the edge: http://www.fourpaws.org/pages/photocenter_pages/success.html

Vince would kill me.

[Lindsay- Bernie's Mom]

I've found it works great to start with a real young kitten. That way they grow up used to pushy, loud dogs and don't know that that's not how a cat is supposed to act  

Bernie loves Midori and all the kittens I've fostered, but he tries to chase (not kill) my roomates cats- who are old and have never been exposed to dogs. He tried to play with them like he plays with Midori, but one of them about split his nose open- so he doesn't really like them anymore!! I don't blame him. That cat has left scars on me, too. Outdoors Bernie would chase cats if I let him. But he and Midori are best buddies.

I think he would put up with an new adult cat indoors as well- as long as it didn't run from him before he got used to it and if it could learn to not let him be a bully.

[pittygrrl]

When you say the hounds "go after cats" do you mean they just chase em - or like, they bark, growl, lunge, and act like lunatics?  On the street Siris is interested in cats...just like she is anything that is whizzing by her.   I'm sure if off leash she'd go chasing after them, but once she got there and a cat arched it's back and hissed at her, she'd come back crying to momma. And, she lived with one just fine, and in fact relinquished everything to him.  This cat would eat out of her food bowl, taunt her, swat her, hiss at her, and she took it all in stride.  It takes very little time for a dog to learn a cat is the boss.

Have they ever been up close with one before?

(This from the girl who's going to see that fluffy black and white guy Monsignor tomorrow night, and who already scammed a cat carrier from one of her pals because she knows she's a goner.)

[A.J.]

So Cana answers the phone now, huh? 

 

[sahiela]

Would I be a bad person for volunteering one of the neighboorhood cats that is allowed to roam?

I don't mind cats, miss living with them actually (hubby and asthmatic daughter have serious cat allergies) but nothing chaps my hide quite like folks excusing their cats that prey on all the birds at feeders, tear apart nests, and hunt down the local rabbits, squirrels, voles, moles, mice, snakes, frogs, etc

One more person tells me that that is just what cats do and they can't control them, and I will set my dog on that cat, to show them that my dog is just doing what dogs do, and hey, I can't control them.   

Guess I am just bitter after having folks threaten to call the pound on my hound, when their cats leave poo in my yard and kill every bluebird that ever tries to nest.....I would never hurt a cat in all seriousness.....they are simply products of their slaves

[KatMoon]

I'd give it a shot says the woman with two blood thirsty dogs and a husband that would most certainly kill her. I would say talk to a rescue and see if they will let you try it out - maybe just bring in Amos so maybe Maggie will behave herself later once he has bonded with the kitty. Or she might get jealous and REALLY go after her. I would love to get a kitty myself, at least then I'd have somebody to take care of the mice (at least I hope they're mice) living in our ceiling.

[Claire]

Anything is possible. I think checking with a shelter for a "test run" first is a good idea. Not to discourage you from the idea, but a friend of mine had a cat & GSD that had been together for 14 years, and the dog grabbed the cat the wrong way(by the head) and killed it, it was an accident though, but things like that do happen.  You would need to make sure the cat could have a safe dog-free place he'd be able to hide.

[KivaLuver]

Dogs and cats are at odds because, according to my reading, cats have an instinctive nature to run from danger (a dog) and dogs love to chase anything that runs. So, dog meets cat. Cat runs. Dog chases cat. Dog has great fun. Oooh. That rhymed. I'm special.   If the dogs are wanting to kill the cats, I wouldn't try any experiments. Some dogs are out for blood.

Kiva loves cats but she was raised around cats. If you have a cat that won't take crap from a dog, you should be alright but your dog might lose an eye. We had a Siamese when I was kid, Cleopatra. She never ran from a dog cuz dogs ran from her. I saw her chase a GSD up a tree once. She loved us kids but was one tough kitty.

[sahiela]

I have to agree with Layne......mixing dogs and cats, when you know the dogs chase down cats, is not a good idea.....get a stuffed cat.....otherwise you are introducing more trouble than you need......you would have to spend 24/7 with the dogs and whatever cat.....to guard the cat and to watch the dogs.....

[Mary [deryni]]

Queenie chases cats outside.  Queenie doesn't chase cats inside.  Of course don't know if it'd be different if MY cats were outside.

[Hill]

My crew chases cats that aren't "their" kitties!! Once they realize it is their kitty they stop chasing them... Except when the kitties start it... And they DO start it.
If you are TRUELY interested in seeing what it would be like call around to your shelters and find out if they have a "test cat" usually they have a kitty that is dog savy that they plunk onto the floor in front of the dog to measure their reactions.
If you lived closer I would totally loan you a kitty or two to test the waters! They are the definition of dog savy! 

[SarahM]

lol - dogs owning cats - it's like stinky and nunzio on dharma and greg

[Ingrid]

There was a point when I thought we would get a cat someday....then Ezra got his terrier on as he got older, and now I know we'll never have a kitty as long as he's around. He really wanted to kill my parent's cat over Thanksgiving.  Miki has met a cat at a pet store a few times, and he wasn't really interested.

[Sally]

My neighbors cat, Kramer, beats up C&T all the time. Even when C&T are together.  Some cats can stand their ground.