Mrs cloudnine has been offered two 8 week old kittens. We have 3 girls aged 5,3 and 18months... all want cats. Im impartial to cats but like dogs.We have an 8 year old lab who doesn't particularly like cats.
Dog has quite bad hip dysplasia and is quite sedentary.
Any onions experience on cats and dogs becoming friends.
If the cats have been well socialized and had plenty of interaction from humans then it should be ok. You'll need to know the kittnes history realy but it shouldnt be a major issue..
We've had kittens go and live wiht dogs wiht no problem at all (multi cat household wiht a 3 and a half year old) your more likely to find the dog put ut of place than the kittens being afraid! (though having two means they wont pester the Lab too much)
Introduce them off your dog's territory ie not at home.
Hold the cats and show the dog you like them and they mean no threats.
Have the dog on a lead held firm.
Slowly bring the cats down to the dog and see the reaction.
Do this a few times.
then bring them onto the dog's land and let them explore.
This worked with our cats and (initially) cat hating dog.
They will be fine, dog will become subserviant to the cats as will your entire family 😆
Kittens will hiss and spit untill they see dog is not a threat.
We've got two Poodles, a lab and a staffie and two cats, the cats sleep with the staffie and the lab (not in that way) and terrorise the poodles..
Im actually more concerned about the dog. He has to put up with constant hip pain and small children already... he's exceptionally tolerant with children.
The dog will be fine. He'll growl a bit when he's pissed, maybe even bark but that's all. The cats will behave.
Kittens will hiss and spit untill they see dog is not a threat.
Try turning the heat down a bit.
I'd expect that the history of the dog and its owners would have a bigger impact than the history of the very young kittens. If you're one of those mouth-breathing halfwits that shouts "look Fido, catssssssss" and whips up the pooch into a frenzy of barks and slaver every time a cat goes past the window then you're going to have a harder time of it.
Our mates have got a big, soppy old daft lab. They had the same issue recently when offered 2 kittens. It couldn't have gone better. Basically the dog spends most of its life curled up being lazy anyway, and this suits the cats perfectly. The cats snuggle up against him, and regard him as a big daft cushion/hot water bottle. He seems to be quite happy with this arrangement. When they're having their mad half hours, as kittens do, he leaves them too it
Shouldn't be an issue, we had (he passed last summer) a dog who lived with our three cats*, yet would chase any cat he came across. My partner got me a kitten after my old cat died and the dog was so bemused by her it was funny. She instantly took to the dog, as the other cats avoided her, yet the dog couldn't run off. Unfortunately George (the dog) died not long after (cancer).
Get a cage (our vets lent us one for just a deposit - big thing 2x3x4ft aprox) for the kitten to live/sleep in initially, for when your out (& at night) and the other cats/dog have the run of the house.
My old cat was mature and had lived alone with me all her life before I moved in with the cats/dog, oh and my partner. So I'd suggest cats are reasonably adaptable, she never loved the dog (or the other cats) but it was never a problem for any of them long term.
Smear the cats in gravy and let loose in the house while ensuring you have video camera ready.
That or what iolo said.
When we got a new kitten the dog was very unsure about it. They were best of friends soon enough.
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My brother and sis-in-law had several cats when they got their two dogs, and there was no problem there, the cats trained the dogs as to who was boss.
And the ferrets had great fun terrorising Mac, their second dog when he was a puppy, he was far too slow to react quickly enough; lots of fun for all the family! 😀
Irelanst that is an awesome pic 🙂
Only time our dot and cat touch is when they both stretch out in their sleep and touch paws without realising or when the car sniffs the dogs face when she comes in.
They get on well though, the dog just won't admit it.
Be very diligent around feeding times as this is usually a flash-point, at least till your dog knows that the new arrivals wont eat it out of house and home 😮
5 year old GSD had to get used to a new kitten - kitten hissed and slapped him to start with but they soon get used to each other. our previous cat had to get used to Marley when he was a puppy too. If the dogs/cats are good natured then they will get on.
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Our lab was 8 when the cat arrived. In fairness we knew that she had tolerated a neighbour's cat adopting us when they were away. Took steps to keep cat in one room until she had accepted this as new home. She tended to hide under son's bed as her bolt hole. We did take steps to introduce them in controlled conditions but despite a brief growl one night when the cat wanted to play and the dog wanted to sleep they rapidly sorted themselves out and the cat soon became boss of the local cat world by dint of coming and fetching the dog whenever any of the local cats decided to invade her territory and try and mix it.
Dog now 16 and a little infirm but they still greet each other warmly. We put cat flap into hall cupboard and feed cat in there so avoiding any risk of lab scoffing cats food.