Introducing 2 Corgis to 2 Cats

Hi!
I have 2 Corgis (One male, one female both 4 yrs old, same litter). I'm trying to move in with my boyfriend who has 2 cats (both male, 12 yrs old, same litter).

He doesn't think that the animals will ever get along and that it's a hopeless case.

My female Corgi, Ziggy, does not ever participating in running and chasing at home right now. My male, Cash, will chase because he follows what the other dogs do.

Neither of them have ever seen a cat. Cash sometimes will participate in chasing squirrels with the big dogs. He has a good recall and when he starts running, I can call him back to me very quickly.

The 2 cats have never lived with a dog. As I don't have as much experience with them, I've been told that the larger one doesn't like dogs and swats them. They do not have claws though. They are indoor cats.

My dogs sleep with me, and are my little partners in crime.

I'm in dire need of as much advice on how to make this work. It's such a sensitive subject in my relationship!

Should I introduce one dog at a time? Or both at the same time?

I know this topic has been discussed, but they're typically introducing Corgis at as pups. Has anyone had any experience with introducing cats and dogs at an older age rather than as puppies/kittens?

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Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on June 15, 2016 at 2:17pm

You and DBF (that would be "dear boyfriend" in blogspeak) have exactly zero fear, eh? ;-)

About all I can say about the circus that awaits is one word: crate.

Seriously, though: some corgis are not inclined to chase cats. Cassie thinks they're her little pals: she wants to go up to them and smooch them on the nose. Oddly, that interest is not reciprocated by most cats.

Ruby: ??? She hasn't really had an opportunity to acquaint herself with cats, or she didn't until I sicced her on the neighbor's GD stray cat when it came over the wall and went after the brooding duck. With great joy and elan, she went after that critter like a rocket. DuckDuck was so abhorred she flew away in a fit of pique. Ever since, Ruby has had a new vision of what cats are for...

If your dogs have never deliberately been sicced on a cat, there's a good chance they'll come to see the little charmers as part of the family. They are herding dogs, after all, and they quickly come to see all the residents of their (house, farm, den, whatever they think it is) as "theirs." Just keep an eye on them and discourage chasing until you can be sure all parties see it as play behavior, not dinner-seeking behavior.

A cat can scratch a dog in the eye, inflicting a very serious injury. So discourage any sniffing or nudging until such time as the cats mellow out.

As for dogs on the bed: one word...crate. You'll have a new PiC, who may not want to share his bed or his night-time pal with anyone or anything else. Men are funny that way. ;-)