ramonaghan Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) ...did you feel safe leaving your grey(s) and cat(s) loose in the house together when you're not home, if ever? We've had Sweep for four months now, and we always crate her overnight and when we're gone. I work from home, so other than overnight, she's rarely crated for more than two or three hours at a time. When we're home during the day, she's unmuzzled and has the run of the house, and we are just super-mindful of where everyone is at any given time. (Not too difficult when we have three velcro pets!) We feed them separately and at different times and have had no issues in that area. Sweep mostly ignores the cats, but she isn't scared of them. She watches them sometimes and seems curious, but doesn't get fixated and has never lunged, chased, drooled, or given any signs of aggression. She play-bowed to the female cat once, but the cat wasn't having any of that and Sweep gave up easily. She has growled at our male cat on a few occasions: once when he got too close to *our* dinner--yummy, stinky barbecue--and I suspect she was either jealous or correcting him; once when she got too close for his comfort and he swatted her; and again just the other night when she had had her first dose of Comfortis and clearly was feeling rotten and didn't want him getting close. (Both cats generally keep their distance, but this was a tight quarters situation and the cat had to pass her to get into the room...not the typical setup but we had just had Easter company. She's not usually space-aggressive, but as I mentioned, she obviously felt crummy--was fine the next morning.) I recognize the growling for what it is and don't reprimand her other than a firm "no kitty" when appropriate, but I still worry about a situation escalating in our absence. I guess as long as she continues to crate well, I shouldn't stress about it, but I am curious if there's a light bulb moment where you realize the cats are perfectly safe (well, 99%; I know there are never any guarantees). I am definitely not there yet, but would like to think I will be in time. TIA. Edited April 3, 2013 by ramonaghan Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascalsmom Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I admit we left them all free in the house pretty soon. Our first dog was fostered with multiple cats (thanks, queenwinniesmom!! ) and once she was over her initial greeting with the cats she couldn't have cared less. Ditto with the second dog. Third dog was different, since she wasn't used to cats...but she quickly decided they weren't worth her trouble. Fourth dog, also not at all interested in them. The cats ALWAYS had places to go where the dogs couldn't go, and I think that's vitally important. For us, greyhounds and cats was never a big issue, fortunately. Quote Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13. Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FinnsMom Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 When we brought Finn home the cat greeted him at the door. He was muzzled and on lead, looked at the cat for all of about 2 seconds and has never showed an interest in her. His muzzle was removed after he was inside about 10 minutes and we haven't looked back. He was crated for the first week only. Even outside in the backyard he shows no interest in her. All of this is to the cats dismay though since she would love nothing more than to snuggle up to him. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yankeegreyhound Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I admit we left them all free in the house pretty soon. Our first dog was fostered with multiple cats (thanks, queenwinniesmom!! ) and once she was over her initial greeting with the cats she couldn't have cared less. Ditto with the second dog. Third dog was different, since she wasn't used to cats...but she quickly decided they weren't worth her trouble. Fourth dog, also not at all interested in them. The cats ALWAYS had places to go where the dogs couldn't go, and I think that's vitally important. For us, greyhounds and cats was never a big issue, fortunately. Same here. We left them pretty soon and the cats have places to go and are also faster (inside) than the dogs. Sara has lived with cats for over 10 years and she still has her snarky moments where she'll growl or snap at one of the cats if he bothers her. It's more of a warning. I would be more concerned if Sweep was licking his lips and salivating over the cat rather than just warning it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I admit we left them all free in the house pretty soon. Agree with the others. If she's ever acted inappropriate/preyful of the cats, I'd be very vigilant. But from what you've described, she sounds fine. It's definitely important though to have areas where the cat can retreat if it feels scared or threatened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozgirl2 Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Cody was a lunger/chaser/drooler with my cat - I kept her crated when I wasn't there for several YEARS - just didn't trust her with the cat... I think in that time, the cat would 'discipline' her through the crate bars because she ended up being very wary of the cat.. (She probably should NOT have been placed in a home with a cat but the group didn't screen for cats well and they wouldn't take her back, so we just had to work through the issue - took a LONG time though...) Quote Jeannine with Merlin, the crazed tabby cat and his sister, Jasmine, the brat-cat With Angel Cody(Roving Gemini), and Weenie the tortie waiting at the Bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytNut Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I don't leave the cats and dogs together unsupervised at all. When we're not able to supervise, the cats stay in the bedroom. Then we don't have to worry. We probably could have left the cats unsupervised with Argus and Raven, and possibly with Tiny. But accidents happen and I prefer to err on the side of caution. I would never in a million years leave the cats unsupervised with Riley. He is fine with the cats when we are around and watchful. He would not be fine with them if there were no humans to keep him in check. We also have a dog door, which is a game changer. A dog that is cat safe indoors is not necessarily cat safe outdoors (Argus was a big example) and my kitties would find their way out the door and into the yard in no time flat. Quote Kristen with Penguin (L the Penguin) Flying Penske x L Alysana Costarring The Fabulous Felines: Squeak, Merlin, Bailey & Mystic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I have never stopped crating my greyhound when I go out. The cats aren't the main reason as she's never acted inappropriately and there are lots of places for them to escape (she is calm(er) and perfectly content in the crate, happily heads right in on her own when she sees me getting ready to leave, she has an occasional tendency to chew things if let unattended), but knowing the cats are 100% safe is a side benefit. That wasn't my initial plan, but I decided there was no need to mess with success. Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starbuck Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) We never ever leave Starbuck alone with the cats. Ever. Her cat moods very from disinterested to interested in butts, but all it takes is a single accident for something tragic to occur. (And to be fair, our younger cats are pretty terrible at not getting trampled.) When we leave, Starbuck goes in her crate (or is babygated in the library), and the cats go downstairs with the door shut and locked (because one of the other cats opens doors). Not taking any chances here. Edited April 3, 2013 by starbuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Cat and Grey was never an Issue. The Cat that belongs in the House is safe at all times. But Forbid the Cats next Door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 (edited) Thanks, all. Your responses have been really helpful. It's clearly an issue of one's personal comfort threshold and of risk analysis/tolerance. Maybe as a newb I also needed to be reassured that it wouldn't make me dysfunctional or paranoid if I never get to the point where I'm okay leaving them all out together. I know the crate bothers me more than it has ever bothered Sweep; she goes right in at 10 p.m. and stays quiet til 7:30 or later (lucky me!). As long as that holds, I think I'll stick to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. Even outside in the backyard he shows no interest in her. All of this is to the cats dismay though since she would love nothing more than to snuggle up to him. LOL This is so funny to me…I can't even fathom my cats wanting to snuggle with Sweep. Olive vomited daily and lived in the top of our closet for at least two weeks after Sweep arrived, and Henry is the stink-eye master. They have come a long way in four months, but I still considered it a major victory when they got close enough to sniff her feet (Fritos!). Edited April 3, 2013 by ramonaghan Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest widowcali Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 The first few months I had Cali, she and Rosie were in seperate areas (Rosie had my bedroom, master closet and master bath since they were all connected. Cali had living/dining area and kitchen. However, about 6 months after I adopted Cali I was transferred to Florida. Between the moving, settling into new job, getting unpacked, etc. I kind of went a little batty. The first day in my new job (after all the insanity) I actually had one of those lightbulb moments where I gasped and exclaimed "I left the dog and cat with free run of the apartment." When I got home, Rosie the cat was in the dog crate snoozing like she had nothing to worry about. Cali the greyhound was roaching on my bed. No fur or fluff anywhere, the toys hadn't been played with, and no damage anywhere. I asked my neighbor if he heard anything odd, and he said no. So I started leaving them unsupervised with free run of the place. I was lucky though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Oh, not long! George hated his crate and I dispensed with it after a few weeks, but I was really never concerned since he showed NO interest at all. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 The first day in my new job (after all the insanity) I actually had one of those lightbulb moments where I gasped and exclaimed "I left the dog and cat with free run of the apartment." While I haven't actually done this, I can say that I no longer worry about whether I remembered to turn off the stove, etc.—now it's always "did I lock the crate door?" Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Oh, not long! George hated his crate and I dispensed with it after a few weeks, but I was really never concerned since he showed NO interest at all. :beatheart The quintessential cat expression. All he(?) needs is a tiny Photoshopped flag between his paws to make it official that he's staked his claim. Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest karilynn Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 I leave my two alone - the cat and grey. My cat is a crabby old lady and doesn't take any crap. Bullet tries to sniff her sometimes and she slaps him in the face. (poor thing) but then he leaves her alone for a looong, looong time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolarik1 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Not too long as Pop had zero prey drive...but back then we used to put Mousey in the basement when we were gone as we didn't want her ripping up our furniture with her claws (even though she did have a cat post)...and there was a landing where she could look outside through a back door. With my current cat, she still barely goes up to Zelda even though I adopted Carmel almost 5 months ago! Zelda doesn't chase indoors (although she did chase Mousey during the initial home visit 5 years ago)...Zelda is loose with no muzzle and the cat is free to do what she wants as well...even when Pop was alive, there was no need for muzzles. Quote Marble, Noah, Eden, Raya (red heeler), Cooper & Trooper (naughty kittens) Missing my bridge angels: Pop, Zelda, Mousey & Carmel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 In the interest of cute greyhound/cat pictures, here's another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 In the interest of cute greyhound/cat pictures, here's another. Gives me hope, thanks! And what a good-looking duo. I miss my Siamese boy every day; they're the best! Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3greytjoys Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 We keep a baby-gate installed about 5" off floor level separating the hounds' most frequented rooms from the cats. Cats' favorite resting room is on the opposite side of the house, also gated so hounds can't enter the cats' favorite room. The cats have all their needs within their safe zone, food/water and bathroom (toilet trained), so they can avoid hounds' area, if desired. Years later, a couple of hounds still try to (playfully) chase the cats, and could not be fully trusted alone. Dogs are smart like children; they learn to wait until mom/dad's back is turned to push their limits. If ever a serious chase, Greyhounds win. Some people who don't use crates (or secured ex-pens) do muzzle their hound/s but cats can still be harmed by a large dog's legs/paws pouncing on them. If a hound is highly driven, they can bite through a muzzle. Adding an elevated baby-gate is very helpful. Officially, some adoption groups suggest to not to leave hounds alone with small animals. Many people do without problems, but it is their risk. Each hound is different. It sounds like your girl is doing great ignoring your indoor kitties, and hopefully will continue to adjust smoothly. I agree with you that 16 weeks with a newly retired Greyhound is too soon. Your girl may not have had enough time to blossom into her blissfully playful personality. Have fun with your fur babies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Thanks, all. Your responses have been really helpful. It's clearly an issue of one's personal comfort threshold and of risk analysis/tolerance. Yup, I think you've summed it up perfectly. I'm another one who prefers to err on the side of caution, and all my dogs are crated and the cats in separate rooms with the doors closed when I'm not home. This way, I can be sure that there won't be any trouble or unexpected surprises when I come home. They are animals, and you never know what might make someone upset. And cats can sometimes have a tendency to tease dogs and push their boundaries. LOL And I'll say that my dogs are about as close to 100% cat safe as you can get. They are even ok with my cat outside (something many 'cat-safe' greyhounds are not) and show no interest in chasing when she runs across the yard. But they are only allowed outside with supervision, and I choose not to take any risks when I'm not there to monitor. Here are a few recent photos. Here's a video of an interaction between one of my greyhounds and my younger cat (who's not allowed outside as I'm afraid I'd never see him again). It's very cute, but be prepared for a snark at the very end when Wiki finally loses patience with Indy. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Adding an elevated baby-gate is very helpful. This is something I've been thinking about. We have a somewhat challenging floorplan (very open) and the animals all seem to prefer the same room (our bedroom), but it's an option I'll likely explore down the road. I also have stairs, which I can probably use to my advantage, since I know the cats are faster on those even with the stair treads we've added for Sweep. All good food for thought, thanks. Here's a video of an interaction between one of my greyhounds and my younger cat (who's not allowed outside as I'm afraid I'd never see him again). It's very cute, but be prepared for a snark at the very end when Wiki finally loses patience with Indy. Love it! Indy needs to work on reading those calming signals. (Boy, wouldn't that make life easier for everyone?) Quote Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig. Missing gentlemen kitties Mud, Henry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly Sweep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Oh, one more thing! I love these gates. They have a little cat door! http://www.amazon.com/Carlson-0930PW-Extra-Wide-Walk-Thru-White/dp/B000JJDI0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365094465&sr=8-1&keywords=aspca+gate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ShanYu Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Oh, one more thing! I love these gates. They have a little cat door! http://www.amazon.com/Carlson-0930PW-Extra-Wide-Walk-Thru-White/dp/B000JJDI0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365094465&sr=8-1&keywords=aspca+gate I have this one - really to stop Nike from eating the cat food - it works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 I have this one - really to stop Nike from eating the cat food - it works well. We have several... otherwise, they'd eat not only the cat food, but also the cat turds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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