Archie and the new fur baby
We just got a kitten this week, we have a lot of building work here, and are getting mice coming into the house, they are too smart to be caught in any kind of trap, Archie sees them and just sits there wagging his tail. I know sometimes the scent of a cat alone can be enough to keep mice away, and so far this does seem to be the case, as the one that made himself at home in my bedroom seems to have packed up and moved on!
Anyway, the kitten will hiss, spit and claw at Archie until he thinks he has won, meanwhile, Archie still sits there, wagging his tail, grinning and dribbling away.
We know all he wants to do is give this kitten some Archie love ( for Archie love, read slobber all over and generally love it). Cat is having none of it, and we would like for them to tolerate each other if nothing else. Archie will come away when told "Leave it", but he just looks so sad.
Any tips to create more harmony here, he just seems so sad he cant love the kitten x
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on
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Make sure the kitten has a place he feels safe in. Have Archie stay away from the kitten, you can put him on a leash if needed. The kitten will get used to him if the dog leaves him alone. When the kitten is convinced the dog is not a threat, he will start approaching the dog, as kittens are curious. When Archie figures out the cat is off limits and his interest in the newness of the situation winds down, they will become buddies. But it has to happen on the kitten's time table. If you allow Archie to go to the kitten -> the kitten hisses -> you say leave it -> the dog comes away.... then the kitten will think his hissing is what protected him and that behavior can escalate.
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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How old is the kitten? If the kitten is young and has no prior experience with dogs, she will come around. If the kitten is almost an adult and/or had prior bad experience with dogs, it may be more difficult.
Keep the kitten locked in a safe room most of the time to start. Periodically lock Archie up and let the kitten out to explore. Re-introduce the kitten to Archie through the closed door, letting them sniff or reach a paw under the door. After that, start spending some time with a baby gate keeping Archie safely away from the kitten so that the kitten can watch Archie and learn what is "normal" dog behavior. If your cat is food motivated, you can feed the cat and Archie on opposite sides of the baby gate, keeping both of them several feet from their respective sides of the gate.
Then you can move to leashing Archie and letting the kitten loose in the same room, with the cat deciding when to approach and not Archie.
Much of normal dog behavior is rude/threatening to cats. Dogs bow before playing while cats crouch to attack (they may crouch in play but it's a form of mock fighting/hunting, NOT a signal that all is in good fun as it is for a dog). Dogs sniff backsides which cats often find offensive. Dogs tend to move straight towards something of interest while cats move forward in a meandering path. Dogs who are happy to see someone they know charge right to them while cats pace back and forth, arching their backs in invitation. Cats will move deferentially out of an approaching animal's path while dogs tend to jockey for position and bumble into each other. The list goes on. These are two animals with very different body languages and they need to become accustomed to each other by watching each other without being able to reach each other before they can be allowed to interact face-to-face.
If the kitten is young and had no prior bad experiences, it will probably only take several weeks to a month or two to get things under control.
Good luck!
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I completely agree about the importance of having a spot where the cat can go and the dog can't follow. When it was just Jack, he generally did not go upstairs, especially if no one was home. I could even leave the cat's food on the floor in the bedroom and he wouldn't touch it--- but he was also afraid of that particular cat.
With the mix of animals I have now, I keep a baby gate across the upstairs hallway, which leaves our bedroom and another room off-limits to the dog. The cat also has a very high (six-foot) climbing tower on the first floor.
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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I have always had cats and dogs and totally agree about the advice you have gotten. By the way, most of the time a cat will not be effective with mice unless their mother has taught them how to hunt. I have had lots of cats over the years that would have allowed a mouse to run over them with no problem! The two I have now find mice fascinating so I know when they are fixated on an area in the lower level that I need to look for the mouse. Make no mistake though I catch the mouse not them!
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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on
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Sometimes a cat can surprise you, though. When I was growing up we had a cat that was indoor only. If she ever got outside, she would hide under the porch for about an hour and then sit at the door meowing to come in. Quite the little diva!
At the ripe old age of 12, she escaped out the back door and hid under the porch. An hour later she was meowing to come in, so my mother opened the door for her. She sauntered in, her chest puffed out with pride, carrying a dead mouse in her mouth. As my mother squealed in disgust, she plopped it down right under the kitchen table looking completely smitten with herself! After years of ignoring the mice in the basement she finally managed to catch one (and outdoors, where it wasn't in a confined space, no less!) So you never know, yours might just surprise you one day. :)
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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YOu have gotten great info and in a bit you will be watching them play and get into all kinds of trouble:) We have several outside cats and a couple inside cats and all get along just fine. Do let the kitty have a safe haven:)
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Permalink Reply by Denise Hawkins on
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Thankyou all for your replies. Hunter, the kitten has a safe place in our bedroom, Archie knows this is out of bounds for him and will never cross the threshold, so Hunter is safe in there, and Archie may sit on the other side of the doorway, but will never come in. That said if I was not here, I would close the door to make sure that Archie never got in. I never thought of Hunter thinking his hissing was what sent the dog away, but will def bear that in mind. Am taking it slowly, but I dont want 2 unhappy furbabies in the house. Our old Corgi, could never be bothered to get up and I have photos of him sleeping right next to another cat we had. But basil was old and had no energy to chase a meal never mind a cat! Hunter is just over 8 weeks old, and is a snuggle bunny, so I know it is early days yet x
Will try all of your suggestions, many thanks again, Denise, Archie, and Hunter x
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