Looking For Testimony Of Greys Living With Cats

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

I have 3 greyhounds and 3 cats, my male Vegas is scared of the cats, D.C used to chase the cats until she learned that they fight back and chili has been raised since she was 3 months old with the cats chili likes to chase the cats and wash their ears when she catches them they hate it but they are never hurt... chili on the other hand has bled a few times.

I choose to muzzle them when i am gone just incase.

 

Here are a few pictures of my cats and hounds

 

Chili (4 monthas old) and Bumpy

 

Bumpy sleeping on D.C's Head

 

 

Vegas and Radar

[SkipSailors]

For us, we are more afraid that our cat (a street-smart ex-tom) will hurt one of the dogs. It took a better part of a year before we felt like we could leave them all alone without risking serious claw damage.

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

For us, we are more afraid that our cat (a street-smart ex-tom) will hurt one of the dogs. It took a better part of a year before we felt like we could leave them all alone without risking serious claw damage.

 

People always ask about my dogs cat safeness, but my cats are not always dog safe they have tried to attack small dogs before and im sure thats why vegas is scared of indoor cats.

[Guest barkdogs]

I have 2 cats and 7 dogs (4 greys) and I have had a total of 7 greys in my lifetime. All have been great with the cats--most have just ignored them. Allistair tries to get them to play--especially my 3 legged blind cat Maxine. Intros with muzzles ARE important--I did bring home one grey who ignored Vinnie the tuxedo cat, but who bit the end of maxines tail and broke her tooth--all while wearing a muzzle and with me trying to pull him off (it was in the bathroom and hard for me to get traction) Maxine would have been history if I wasn't right there.

 

So, muzzles on and close supervision at first. My cat safe guys proved to me very quickly that they were not interested in harming the cats.

[jetcitywoman]

Just in case you don't have enough testimonials, I'll add mine.

 

We had our cat Pixie before we got the greys. She's a timid little thing who just wants to be loved, but grew up with semi-hostile older cats who taught her that it's not possible to cuddle with other animals. Kind of sad, but she can cuddle with us, or specifically my husband, so it's not like she's unloved. But she is rather a piss-and-vinegar cat. She didn't like when we brought home Capri, but over about 6 months she got used to it. She adapted more quickly when we brought home Ajax because she'd already learned that the dogs wouldn't hurt her.

 

We muzzled Capri for the first two days in the house, then gave her free run inside. Pix has lots of places under furniture to hide if she wants to. Neither dog has ever seriously threatened her, but both have occasionally made play bows/gestures to her, and indulge in the occasional chase. (We do yell at them for that - no chasing the kitty!) I did come home one evening to find a super long cat claw stuck in Ajax's snout. It was actually just the sheath, but the longest sheath I've ever seen. So something did happen, but neither animal had even a scratch, and they acted like nothing happened, so there is some sort of agreement between them.

 

I agree with the person who said that prey drive has nothing to do with race results. Capri had a nice bell curve track record over her three year career, and has NO prey drive. Ajax had a mediocre record over two years, he thinks a neighborhood yorkie is a cheeseburger on legs and brought home a rabbit once. But as I said, we have full confidence leaving both dogs home alone with our cat.

[winnie]

We have 4 greys and 3 cats... no problems here. I also agree that career length has nothing to do with how prey driven a dog is. Our grey Darcy was in 154 races and retired at close to 5 y/o.

 

Celeste getting her ear cleaned by a cat at a friend's house.

 

 

Celeste and our cat Puff - Puff rules the house here.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2011 by winnie

[Guest Bang_o_rama]

Bang was cat-tested safe before we adopted her, and has always been friendly with our cat. The cat is less thrilled, tending to smack Bang on the nose (always with claws retracted, good cat that she is), so now Bang the omega dog sort of tries to steer clear.

 

Interestingly, just a couple of days ago Bang encountered her first strange outside cat up close and personal. They just sniffed noses.

 

~D~

[Guest june]

I have 3 greyhounds and 3 cats, my male Vegas is scared of the cats, D.C used to chase the cats until she learned that they fight back and chili has been raised since she was 3 months old with the cats chili likes to chase the cats and wash their ears when she catches them they hate it but they are never hurt... chili on the other hand has bled a few times.

I choose to muzzle them when i am gone just incase.

 

Here are a few pictures of my cats and hounds

 

Chili (4 monthas old) and Bumpy

 

Bumpy sleeping on D.C's Head

 

 

Vegas and Radar

 

 

I particularly love the one with the CAT on the leash.

june

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

Yet another happy home with one grey and two cats here.

 

The first night she came home she was VERY interested in the cats. The next morning she got a slap accross the muzzle for her curiosity and cats became not so interesting.

 

It's been just over a year. She'll share a plate of food with one of the cats and has had her face landed on a couple times by the other (dog laying down, cat jumping onto couch/bed not knowing the dog was there, not aggression) and hasn't had a problem. They aren't super cuddly bestest friends ever, but that's OK.

[Guest Lovey_Hounds]

I have 3 greyhounds and 3 cats, my male Vegas is scared of the cats, D.C used to chase the cats until she learned that they fight back and chili has been raised since she was 3 months old with the cats chili likes to chase the cats and wash their ears when she catches them they hate it but they are never hurt... chili on the other hand has bled a few times.

I choose to muzzle them when i am gone just incase.

 

Here are a few pictures of my cats and hounds

 

 

 

I particularly love the one with the CAT on the leash.

june

 

We got Bumpy (the cat) as a rescue he had been hit by a car and lost a back leg, so when we do take him out he is on leash as he like to try to run away from home.

[kikibean]

Helen just got returned from her adoptive home because she was afraid of the cats and one was bullying her.

[BootsyCollins]

I no longer have a cat, but my current hound is extremely cat safe, including outdoor cats. Our first hound was as well. Here are a few testimonials

 

[rascalsmom]

Before we adopted our first greyhound, that was our (MY) biggest issue, too. We had two cats at the time. I talked to various folks from the adoption group about it (including GT's own queenwinniesmom's DH, Doug), and got a lot of reassurance.

 

We ended up adopting Rascal, who was a foster of Doug and Nancy. They had a bunch of cats at the time, so we were pretty darn sure she'd be OK with our two cats.

 

The best thing is to get a dog who's been fostered with cats--and talk to the foster parents about that dog.

 

When we brought Ruby home, she was not in a foster home with cats, and her first impulse was to BARK at the cat, and try and chase him. I made a frantic phone call to Doug, and he told me to calm down, muzzle Ruby, keep telling her NO CAT when she looked at the cat--and Ruby was ignoring the cat within the hour [she had passed her 'cat test', but just was not used to them].

 

Really, the BEST WAY is to go for a fostered dog. The particular cat, of course, will come into play--but at least you'll know the dog you are interested in is NOT interested in cats!

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Only Fruty mentioned one HUGELY important factor, the CAT. I say there are about three types of cats, 1) rabbit (acts like prey, freezes then darts and runs) 2) agressive cat (attacks the hound if said hound is within sight) 3) happy go lucky (doesnt mind the hounds, may or may not swat if cornered). The toughest to deal with is the "rabbit" cat. Most greyhounds regardless of how workable they are will investigate a cat that acts like prey. To someone that already has incorrect information from a so-called expert (vet), will probably be very nervous and over-react if confronted by this situation. My cats are testers as well as I foster. I have had 2 out of a hundred or so tested that fooled me. I do testing in my house in a quiet setting once the greyhound has been in foster for a few weeks to get the most accurate test that I can (simple things like a new home, stairs or other stimulus can change a hounds reaction). If a group tests, and fosters said hounds in cat homes before being adopted out, there should be minimal issues. If the group does neither, then the new owner may have some issues. I wont go into testimonials since you have many here, but I thought I would explain the one important part of the equasion that seems to be missed in the comments.

 

Chad

[Guest CampWhippet]

My friend (who shall remain nameless) had cats and took in whippets and a lab AFTER the cat was there. They lived together for 5+ years and one day the dogs killed the cat while she was standing 20 feet away, just outside for a moment. For that reason I would never trust a dog with a cat.

[Pepperjack]

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

They lived together for 5+ years and one day the dogs killed the cat while she was standing 20 feet away, just outside for a moment. For that reason I would never trust a dog with a cat.

 

A pack of dogs and a cat is very different than a single dog and a cat.

[Guest Gert]

My first grey, Maurice, and Rudy. Both are gone now.

 

[GeorgeofNE]

They lived together for 5+ years and one day the dogs killed the cat while she was standing 20 feet away, just outside for a moment. For that reason I would never trust a dog with a cat.

 

A pack of dogs and a cat is very different than a single dog and a cat.

 

And a cat OUTDOORS is a different creature from a cat indoors. My dog (featured in a bunch of pictures earlier in this thread) would go after a cat outside. They seem to understand that a cat inside is part of their family. A cat outside? That's just prey.

[Remolacha]

Only Fruty mentioned one HUGELY important factor, the CAT. I say there are about three types of cats, 1) rabbit (acts like prey, freezes then darts and runs) 2) agressive cat (attacks the hound if said hound is within sight) 3) happy go lucky (doesnt mind the hounds, may or may not swat if cornered). The toughest to deal with is the "rabbit" cat. Most greyhounds regardless of how workable they are will investigate a cat that acts like prey. To someone that already has incorrect information from a so-called expert (vet), will probably be very nervous and over-react if confronted by this situation. My cats are testers as well as I foster. I have had 2 out of a hundred or so tested that fooled me. I do testing in my house in a quiet setting once the greyhound has been in foster for a few weeks to get the most accurate test that I can (simple things like a new home, stairs or other stimulus can change a hounds reaction). If a group tests, and fosters said hounds in cat homes before being adopted out, there should be minimal issues. If the group does neither, then the new owner may have some issues. I wont go into testimonials since you have many here, but I thought I would explain the one important part of the equasion that seems to be missed in the comments.

 

Chad

 

A very good point! When I got my first grey, I had five cats. After the initial introduction, three fell into the third catagory, and we never had any problems, even with a later dog who took some training. I've lost those three cats, and the two I have left fall into the "rabbit" category. The dogs don't chase them, but they are much more aware of Fred and Ethel, and the cats mostly stay in their "cat rooms". It very much depends on the cat, as well as the dog!

[Pepsi2004]

The other day, when we got home after being away for several hours, DH went to let Charlie out of his crate. Imagine his shock and surprise, when not only Charlie was standing there, but our HUGE Maine Coon was as well!! RamboKitty likes to sleep in Charlie's crate, but has never caught in it before WITH Charlie. Charlie gets along greyt with our 3 house kittieas and our JRT

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

And a cat OUTDOORS is a different creature from a cat indoors. My dog (featured in a bunch of pictures earlier in this thread) would go after a cat outside. They seem to understand that a cat inside is part of their family. A cat outside? That's just prey.

 

Oops, I think I misread the post I was responding to. I thought the human was outdoors for just a moment, not the cat. As in she left the house for a moment and the pack of dogs killed the cat.

 

You are very right, GeorgeofNE, cat-indoors and cat-outdoors are completely different animals to most greys. Jayne lives in complete harmony indoors with her brother Bob, but when she sees a simmilar cat outside, she's right at the fence ready to get it. I'm sure if Bob were in the yard, she would go for him without thinking about it.

 

edited to fix quote tag

 

The other day, when we got home after being away for several hours, DH went to let Charlie out of his crate. Imagine his shock and surprise, when not only Charlie was standing there, but our HUGE Maine Coon was as well!! RamboKitty likes to sleep in Charlie's crate, but has never caught in it before WITH Charlie.

 

One of the fosters with my adoption group was proven quite cat safe in the same scenario. The foster parents left for the day and crated the dog. They didn't know the kitty was there. When they returned both animals were happy and healthy and ready to get out of the crate.

Edited May 17, 2011 by Jayne

[BootsyCollins]

I'm always hearing that on GT - cat outside is different from cat inside. I only have my own experience to go on, but in that limited experience, that's not true. Both of my cat-safe greyhounds were and are cat safe with cats they know and cats they don't, both indoors and out. And my other two dogs, both of whom were extremely not cat safe except with my own cat, were also safe with my cat outside.

 

Again, only my experience.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

I'm always hearing that on GT - cat outside is different from cat inside. I only have my own experience to go on, but in that limited experience, that's not true. Both of my cat-safe greyhounds were and are cat safe with cats they know and cats they don't, both indoors and out. And my other two dogs, both of whom were extremely not cat safe except with my own cat, were also safe with my cat outside.

 

Again, only my experience.

 

Sure, it's not 100% accurate, but it's a safe rule of thumb to go by because it is true of enough greys for people to use caution. I tested my gal and it was true for her. DH and I took her and one of the kitties out in the yard, both leashed and her muzzled. Her reaction to him was completely different than indoors. I wouldn't call it competely predatory because she was distractable, but not very. I think she would be trainable to having a cat outdoors and not going for it, which is something I intend to work on this summers as well as continuing with getting her used to my ducks and chickens in the yard too. While I don't intend to trust her off leash whith them loose, it's good for her to see them out and about so it's not completely novel if it happens, which it did once. I think it was only a result of working with her this way that she was able to be called off a chicken she was chasing without harming it.

[Guest HHHounds]

We had 2 cats. Adopted Joe - no problem. One cat died of old age. Adopted Dee - introduced as instructed by all the books. Cat jumped on Dee in her crate when she was asleep. Dee chomped on the cat. Cat was dead. No more cats - just more hounds...