Can you get a cat if you have a dog?

[curiousgeorgie]

That may sound like a stupid question, as I used to have both!

But the cat came first, then the dog, then sadly none

Then we felt healed enough to get a dog again and while he's amazing, he's also a very very very very crazy cocker spaniel and all I've ever seen him do is bark like crazy at cats that come into the garden.

I'd love a cat, and my DD1 went crazy over our friends one today.

It's never going to happen is it?

[MrsMcEnroe]

Ooh I'd like to know if this is possible too, as I have two Labradors and would love a cat - apparently Bengals can be quite dog-friendly according to an acquaintance who has both a dog and a cat.... I was hoping we could adopt a rescue cat who had already lived with dogs, and then all (!) I'd have to do would be to train the dogs to leave it alone ..!!!

[FernieB]

A friend once had a border collie who hated cats. You only had to say 'cat' and she's dash out into the garden to find one to chase away. Then they got a cat. The dog just ignored it. It was really funny to watch - it really was as though she couldn't see it.

It can be done but it would depend on the temperament of the dog.

[desertmum]

I have five dogs and three cats - all get on fine, the cats get their food in an area the dogs can't into and the cats leave the dogs alone when eating. If you introduce a cat into the house make sure it has an escape route from the dog in case a chase starts. My dogs will chase stray cats in the garden but will snuggle up with our cats. it really isn't as difficult as it is made out to be! Most dogs and cats will tolerate each other. Good luck.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

If you get a rescue cat the rescue centre will usually tell you if the cat is dog friendly. Cats Protection list Yes, No or Unknown in a special section about whether the cat can live with dogs.

My old cat was a horror round dogs. He puffed his not inconsiderable self up to the size of a beachball and growled at them. He wasn't above wading in for a full-on scrap if he thought he could get away with it. He died in October and the house is very empty without him scowling round it. So we're just starting to look for a dog-friendly cat and a cat-friendly dog, hoping to bring them home during February half term.

[Sarah2013mum]

Ow I'd like to no too ! We have a jack Russell who is 2 and desperately would love a cat to join us but our dog barks at cats that come in the garden :( although I do have a friend who has a Rottweiler and 2 jack Russell's and have recently got a kitten and the cat rules the house now :) the dogs and the Rottweiler in particular had previously been known to jump fences to try and catch any cats so this seems promising to me ?! I don't think our dog would hurt a cat that we bought into the home but I'm not sure if the chasing thing would last forever :/ x

[christine44]

We have got two cats now after having a Dalmatian for 9 years.we got them noth when they were kittens and were very careful sbout introducing them slowly. But now they are all fine together. Dog doesnt appreciate them stealing her bed or trying to join her when eating her tea but the worst we get is a low growl. Cats rule the roost. Even had a litter of kittens last year and dog
Coped fine, in fact she was so sweet with them ofyen caught her washing them . I guess it does depend a bit on the breed of dog?

[HomeHypno]

We've had cats and dogs over the years so I would say it's fine. You need supervision in the beginning and the cat needs a place to away from the reach of a dog (like the top of wardrobe etc) and somewhere to eat in peace. You could build a separate bit for each or use crates while you can't be there? Most dogs I know love cats and most cats I know can stand their own ground very well once they are used to one another. Mine used to sleep in a big pile and play together and also seemed to have special rules such as the dog would play gently and not hurt the kitty and equally the kitty would only paw, not claw the dog.

[FlippinStuck]

I recently got a new kitten with 2 large young dogs, introducing them slowly worked for me, holding dogs by collar for 5 min at a time while cat runs around in a room, then trusting dog more based on its reaction until they are all free together, just had to build the times up that they spent together until the cat no longer was a novelty to them

[JustDanni]

Its better to introduce a dog to a cat's territory than the other way around.

[Floralnomad]

I think its better to have the dog first ,I have numerous friends who had cats then got dogs and the cats have had to really adapt the way they live or in the worse case move out . If a cat comes into a dogs house at least he will know from the start how things are . I think it very much depends on the dog , my dog would happily kill a cat so for us it would be a non starter.

[lazydog]

Well we have successfully introduced an 8 week old kitten into a household with a Jack Russell Terrier whose entire goal in life is to terrorize cats. We'd never discouraged that behaviour because we have hummingbirds on our property all summer long, so he kept them safe from hunting cats. He needed constant supervision with the kitten for the first few weeks...possibly up to a month...but now (kitten is 9 months old) they're fine to leave together and both seem to love wrestling together, but as soon as either squeak in pain, they spring apart and look worried. I think it helped that the dog never realised that the tiny little kitten was going to turn into the same creature that had always been his arch nemesis Now when we see a cat stalking the birds and while calling "cats-cats-cats!" open the door to let our dog out, the kitten/cat/'thinks-he's-a-dog' tries to follow him out to join in the chase!

[GemmaTeller]

My six year old boxers found an abandoned kitten on the bypass three years ago - they all live happily together.

Boxer didn't flinch when kitten swung off his tail or wrapped round his leg (boxer just looked as us as though to say 'sort it out')

I think it is do-able, you just have to be patient and vigilant

[Hubblez]

I have 2 large young dogs and recently added 1 kitten and then another, the cats didn't care at all about the dogs and the dogs learnt to be gentle with the cats after slowly introducing them and limiting time they spent together at first. Now they all love each other and the dogs will play wih the cats, slowly and gently nudging them around while the cats roll around like maniacs, the dogs seem to understand that the cats are smaller and more 'delicate'

[haggisaggis]

The rescue (assuming that's where you plan to get it) will advise whether the cat is ok with dogs - but this is only a guide as they may not know for sure so any introductions need to be done slowly. The cat needs his own space the dog can't get to - and an escape route if needed. And be prepared for it to take time for everyone to settle - it took around 5 months for my Maine Coon cat to be happy to be around our puppy - and around 2 months for our new rescue cat (introduced after pup arrived) to be comfortable around him.

[sienawilson]

well they eat same kind of food. there might be chances of fights.
I think you should chose one of them.

[sashh]

We had a cat then a dog as children. Then when I was about 18 I found a stray and brought her home.

She would hang on to the Golden Retriever's tail and be dragged around.

[KarenGold]

we had a dog and a cat they both actually liked each other :)

[MrsCapable]

We have an excites rescue staffie and OH bought me a kitten last year. Staffie (male) thinks he had a puppy and kitten thinks she's a staffie so all live happily ever after here too! We just had to be a bit careful to make sure he was gentle enough with her to start with.And give her time to get used to her new species...