Visiting A "cat" Household With My Grey

[sobesmom]

We have a dear friend (my SIL's brother) who has a weekend place near us. He comes to his weekend place with his lab - Jack, his mother, his sister, and her cat JackFrost.

 

His dog and mine have met and get along just dandy. (well, his dog is happy, my grey mostly ignores the lab). He's been bugging me that "since you don't have a foster right now, you should bring Diana when you guys come to visit so she's not home alone". His dog is NEVER left home alone .

 

Well that's great, Diana LOVES LOVES LOVES to go visit anybody. But there's that cat. Diana started off crazy high-prey, but after several years she's toned it down a dozen notches. Still - I don't trust her. If she hurt a hair on that cat it would be a terrible situation. Not only for the cat but for friendships, too.

 

I've got to take her next time. Our friend really loves her, and wants her to come. He hates his sister's cat so he's not concerned - but OF COURSE I am!

 

Harness, leash and muzzle at all times inside the house? I can't ask them to put the cat in a separate room, that would be rude (even though the cat just sleeps in a bedroom most of the time we're there anyway- it's a "bit" antisocial). Or can I? The sister is VERY protective of her cat. Slow introductions? Or just avoid the whole situation?

 

I think the cat's mom would work with me on some kind of introduction testing. She's pretty animal-savvy. But she'll totally freak out if Diana gets all "prey-eyes".

[Yamaha_gurl]

Beware of the cats, you don't want to be surprised when the cat decideds to strike. I thought I was well prepared to have my Bella meet my parents cat...Bella ended up with some small scrathes on the back of her legs, was not fun at all...my stupidity, now she's terrified of cats

[JAJ2010]

Just ask them to lock the kitty in a safe room or keep your pup on leash and muzzled. Whenever a non cat safe pup visits us I put the cats in the bathroom. Kitties are pissed off but alive.

[krissy]

Sounds like a bad idea to me. If you're at all concerned I wouldn't do it. Summit doesn't bat an eye at cats or small critters. But he full out attacks huskies or dogs with blue eyes. I would never take him to someone's house if they had a husky. I would be interested in asking them to help me work with him on his husky issues... but if I was just going over to socialize I'd leave him home. In your situation I'd do the same.

[Trihounds]

We put our cats away when our friends come stay with us who have a non-cat safe Lacy Dog. No big deal for us.

[OwnedBySummer]

When I had cats, I had no problem putting the cat away when a dog came over. Sure didn't hurt my feelings or anything and the cat was quite happy. I just moved food/water/litter into the same room and that was that.

 

Would I bother doing introductions? Not if this isn't a regular thing. Would the sister be willing to just leave the cat home on weekends when you and the dog want to visit? Cats are more than capable of being left alone for a couple of days.

[DocsDoctor]

I think keeping cat and greyhound completely separate is the safest option, and that the polite thing to do would be to talk directly to the sister, in advance of your visit, to see whether she would be able/ happy to arrange this.

[GeorgeofNE]

I don't travel with my cats. They stay at home. There are far too many opportunities for a cat to get away if you do. Perhaps she'd consider leaving it at home just this once?

[winnie]

I think keeping cat and greyhound completely separate is the safest option, and that the polite thing to do would be to talk directly to the sister, in advance of your visit, to see whether she would be able/ happy to arrange this.

 

Agreed. When my in-laws visit with their cats - cats, food and litter all stay with them in the guest room. The cats could care less. Our greys live with cats too, but we don't want to try to introduce new cats for a short visit.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Beware of the cats, you don't want to be surprised when the cat decideds to strike. I thought I was well prepared to have my Bella meet my parents cat...Bella ended up with some small scrathes on the back of her legs, was not fun at all...my stupidity, now she's terrified of cats

 

 

That is actually what you want to do with a dog that sees a cat as prey, if you can get the hound to fear the cat, then there wont be a problem with the hound wanting to eat the cat. The problem is with non-cat hounds, when the cat strikes at them, the actually get MORE excited to kill the cat. If your hound is a no-cat hound, I personally wouldnt bother trying to introduce them as it will take a lot longer than a short vacation together to get over the prey desire. I have cats and foster cat-workable hounds and it usually takes 2-4 WEEKS for them to be comfortable in the same room together. That is working with them day and night.

 

Just let the cat have a room, when the cat is sleeping, close the door. Otherwise, your hound should be muzzled and someone HOLDING the leash at all times when in the house.

 

Chad

Edited February 15, 2012 by Greyt_dog_lover

[Guest mbfilby]

It sounds like he is pressuring you to bring your pup, and you've visited many times without doing so. I would just tell them you don't trust your grey with a cat. They will either offer to lock the cat away, or leave it at that.

[gracegirl]

Had a similar situation once. My former roommate moved in with her boyfriend. She missed the greys so she asked me to bring them over. I knew her boyfriend had two dogs. I did not know he had a cat. I found out he had a cat once Fenway had the cat in his mouth.

 

My advice: total separation or no visit with the dog. It's just not worth it.

[Fruitycake]

If you absolutely have to bring your dog (no sitter), make sure that you talk to the sister before and see IF she would be willing to leave her cat home (or a distant second choice, contained while there). If not, I wouldn't bring my dog and would make other arrangements for my dog or wouldn't go at the same time as the cat. I would think this could really ruin a relationship (either yours and the sister's, or even his and his sister and/or his parents if he's "meh" about the dangers).

 

I wouldn't want to set my pup up for failure or the sister's cat up for injury or death if it thinks your grey is just like a lab that he/she knows and can deal with. I couldn't live with myself if my animal harmed another's even if my friend said "it'll be fine." My dog, my responsibility for anything that he might do. And I don't care if your friend hates his sister's cat, it's her cat and she loves it. If he wants your dog to come, have him schedule a trip WITHOUT his sister's cat.

 

(If you are worried and there is a chance that your dog might hurt another's animal, think of the financial situation here. If your dog hurts the cat and it needs emergency care, I think many here would say "Your dog, your responsibility to pay for it" in other situations like dogs off leash attacking our own. I assert that it is the same thing here. Do you have money to pay for any injuries to the cat, should a worst-case-scenario happen?)

Edited February 16, 2012 by Fruitycake

[GreytNut]

I would explain that you're worried that your dog may harm their cat, and suggest that they put the cat in a safe room during your visit. It is not rude.

 

I always put my kitties in the bedroom when someone brings their dogs over. Even a dog that's safe with a familiar cat might not be safe with strange cats... especially those like Evita, who is a yowler and has a tendency to make quick darting movements. She's irresistible to any dog with an ounce of prey drive (I even have to watch Riley closely around her). Putting the cats in their room is not a big bother and it keeps them safe.

[Guest DoofBert]

I'm in the make plans to keep cat and hound separate mindset. We had a hound that tested very NOT CAT TOLERANT when she first came off the track come over for a visit. some three years after retiirement... Kept the cats in separate room. Dog made no effort th trace the cat smell.....all was fine.

[Guest Garwood]

I think the cat will put itself away.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

I think the cat will put itself away

 

That really depends upon the cat. While Jayne is my first dog, my kitties have been around visiting dogs off and on their whole lives and aren't afraid of dogs. Ron will take up a defensive position under an end table when a new dog comes in the house, but that's more out of disgust at the dog being there and the under-table position being a good spot from which to whack a dog if it comes too close. Neither will hide themselves away in another room.

 

When a local foster dad brought a grey over for a cat test both kitties came in the room willingly (we locked them away while the two dogs met) and neither left the room again. Bob walked on the floor and although he mewed in protest, didn't run when the (leashed and muzzled) grey rammed her nose in his butt for a good sniff.

 

It is up to the owners of the cat and the hound to keep both animals safe from one another. If the dog is known to not be cat safe it would be best if either it or the cat stayed home.

[rschultz]

When my Aunt got a cat I was worried Lexie would go after the cat but it was the other way around. The cat was agressive and tried to attack Lexie so be careful whatever u decide

[Guest june]

I have taken my non-cat-safe hound with me to visit a friend who has two cats. She is muzzled and leashed with me holding the leash while we are there. The WHOLE time. My friend's cats are declawed and are used to many dogs coming and going (she fosters non-grey rescues) and do not back down from dogs.

 

We have gone twice and both times my girl's eyes do not leave the cats when they are present. One of the cats will pace back and forth in front of my girl at which point my friend will put that cat away as my poor girl is just trembling and shaking. Needless to say I don't take her with me to visit unless I don't have a choice and we don't stay long.

 

They can't help being what they are and no matter that we would like to have them be safe some just cannot be trusted.

[sobesmom]

I think I will take my grey with us next time they are here. But - I really appreciate the cat owners' comments that said it was no big deal to shut their cat in a room for a few hours. I'll talk to the cat's mom ahead of time and ask her if that's ok. I think she'll say yes. And of course, if the cat wants out, I'll leash Diana.

 

I think you all are right that it's just not worth the worry and bother to try to "introduce and acclimate" the grey and cat for a few hours visit once per month or so.

 

When I approch the cat's mom - if she says she doesn't want to do it that way - I'll just leave my dog at home, like I have been doing. If the others want to see her that badly - I guess they'll come to my house. (and bring the dog- not the cat!)