New dog is terrorizing our kitty...

[Joker]

Is there anyway to help a dog and cat get along?

Our other dog has always been fine with our cat. The foster home for our new dog told us he was fine with cats, but here we are two months later and he's actually getting more aggressive. The cat won't even come downstairs anymore so we feel like she's all alone most of the day now and that stinks. She used to hang out with us down here most of the day and night. We've put a gate at bottom of stairs so cat can come down but dog can't go up at least.

It's becoming an issue and I'd like to find a way to fix it as I've never given a doggie back but this isn't a good way to live for our cat either. Help!

[MercyA]

I am so sorry. 😞 Often aggression can't be fixed, at least to the point of fully trusting the dog around your cat. If he has a high prey drive, he might not be able to help himself if he caught your cat where she couldn't escape.

I would hate for your kitty to spend the rest of her life upstairs and I know you would, too.

I am usually a very staunch "once you adopt a pet he is your responsibility for life" kind of a person. I had an aggressive dog myself for 14 years. But in this case I really think you should consider sending the dog back to his foster home. If you had adopted him from a shelter with a high kill rate I might feel differently. I think he would adjust just fine back to the foster home and then hopefully to a home with no cats. 

I know it would be very hard, but perhaps there is a dog who is a better match for all your family members.

[Pawz4me]

IME a dog very well may respect one cat and terrorize another. It depends on the personalities of each animal involved. Some cats, while appearing indifferent or even friendly to a dog, seem to give off a "don't get too friendly, dog face, or I'll shred your nose and eyes" vibe and some dogs respect that type of self confidence. Other cats are more "please, please, please don't chase me" and many dogs will pick up on that and not be able to resist bullying that cat. All that to say that I think it's possible the foster believed the dog was fine with cats.

Can you tell us what you've tried? Squirt gun, shake can, teaching dog stay, place, leave it or similar commands? Then maybe we can go from there and offer suggestions. But it's possible these two just aren't good fits for each other.

Edited December 27, 2019 by Pawz4me

[Pen]

How aggressive? Chasing or mauling?

[Tiberia]

Our dog tried to kill our cat for a month after we got the cat. We ended up doing a lot of research on the internet and came up with something that worked for our dog: we put the dog in his crate when we were all at home and together, and we let the cat walk around so the dog could see her. We read that the dog would eventually get used to the cat and see her as part of the pack. We did not have anyone pick up the cat or control the cat while this happened, so the dog wouldn't associate the cat with any one person. After a few weeks in the crate, the dog was put on a leash and held while the cat walked around the room. Eventually the dog got used to the cat, and now they are fine together. We were surprised, but this actually worked. I do hope you find something that works for you. Good luck!

[Terabith]

My parents have a cat that LOVED and adored their Golden and was devastated when he died.  He loved the golden next door.  Then when he died, they adopted a year old terrier.  The cat was around 12 at that point.  The dog is now 8 and still can't be trusted with the cat.  They keep the cat locked in a bathroom 90% of the time and keep the terrier leashed and tethered to a coffee table whenever the cat is allowed out. It's awful for both the cat and the dog.  

I think this is a circumstance when returning a dog makes sense.  I wish my parents would have done so.  Their dog is such a terrible fit for them and their family, and she'd be so happy in a different household.  

[ktgrok]

Is the dog trying to play with the cat and not getting the hint the cat doesn't want to play, or trying to hunt/kill/hurt the cat?

If the latter, I'd consider rehoming the dog. 

If the former, how do you handle other things the dog does that it shouldn't? Things like jumping up on people, stealing food, etc? Handle this in a similar manner. Teach the dog to lay calmly on a bed, teach the dog the "leave it" command, get a "pet corrector" which is a can of compressed air that will startle and disrupt the behavior without causing harm, toss a throw pillow or can of pennies, etc. 

All dogs should know what the word "no" means, in my opinion. This is one of the times you need to use that "no". Teach the dog that chasing cats might seem like good fun, but it is not allowed, period. 

Similar to my kids who think jumping on the furniture is great fun, but it is not allowed. 

Now - just like with my kids, this may not be 100 percent, so if the dog is actually trying to hurt the cat I'd consider rehoming in case there is a mess up. But if the worst case is that cat gets chased under the couch by a playful but misguided dog, then this kind of approach should work. 

And yes, leashes, crates, etc can help. 

[Joker]

I do think this is more of a case that we have a kitty who is skittish to begin with. The dog has done great with training and listens well but the cat is the exception. He just loses his mind when he sees her now. I noticed today that the poor cat seems to be losing hair now so I assume that's because of all of this since it's definitely a new development. 

I talked with foster mom and she actually has 3 cats that the dog was fine with there. She was nice about everything and is OK with taking him back. I absolutely hate it but I do think it will be better for both the dog and our cat. I'm definitely not doing another dog adoption until dd and her cat move out, which is probably not for another two years. It just feels awful to do this.