Guest CatsandGreys Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Well this is a conundrum. My new (and first) grey does not like his kennel at all. I could deal with the whining, barking and howling, but then he started digging and biting at the bars and I couldn't let him stay in there. His foster mom kept him in a crate while she was working, but towards the end, he broke of of it. I don't mind him sleeping with me or outside of his crate in general, but in worried about my cats. I have two and one of them gets really loud and stressed when he can't sleep in my room. I'm sure he'll adjust eventually, butI feel bad, like I'm playing favorites. My door is shut at night, and I can't currently trust my cats with Aiden. They're not dog lovers, and my oldest if known to swipe at New dogs like crazy until he gets used to them. And I can't trust Aiden with them either (just to be safe). So for tonight, Aiden is sleeping with me and by cats are sleeping outside by room.So how should I proceed? How did you guys know when you could trust your animals with each other? What did you do to ease the transition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PipDG Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 If a crate doesn't work could you perhaps try a baby gate instead? He'll have the freedom of one room or one part of the house while you're training him around your cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradymom Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I used baby gates with Brady and Ms India. Quote The handsome boy Brady, mid-morning nap. The sun, the sun feels so, so, so good. I can't keep my eyes open ... ... Retirement agrees ... ... and the Diva Ms India, 2001 - 10/16/2009 .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Baby gate and muzzle for extra reassurance. A hound can hurt a cat wearing a muzzle, but that with an x-pen or baby gate might be a solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CatsandGreys Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Baby gate and muzzle for extra reassurance. A hound can hurt a cat wearing a muzzle, but that with an x-pen or baby gate might be a solution. I'm not really worried about him hurting them. He's pretty shy and doesn't really stick his head in their faces on purpose. He's just so tall and makes such wide turns that he usually presents part of himself to their faces and they swipe at him. He was walking around earlier this morning with a muzzle and he got swiped at twice. How much should I worry about them hurting him when he's wearing a muzzle? I don't want his poor face all scratched up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobesmom Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I really wouldn't worry about the dog getting hurt. If the cats swipe at him - he'll learn not to get too close. I'd give up the crate. Let him sleep anywhere that works. Heck - let him try the bedroom with the cats. If they get into a scuffle - and nobody gets hurt - that's a GOOD thing. They will just all figuring it out. There may be some hissing and barking - but if they can sort it out - let them. If it gets violent - of course you should intervene. But - it sounds like - you could let the animals sort this out amongst themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Like you, I have two cats and my older one is, um, rather set in his ways and gets feisty when Sweep gets too close. She's been here almost two years though, and he's never drawn blood or even aimed for her face. It's more of a spit/hiss/warning swipe from the couch as she's passing by. She might bark back at him when he does that (he gets her on the butt and I think it surprises her), but nothing's ever escalated beyond that. So I wouldn't worry too much about that aspect of it, though of course that's easy for me to say now! It took us a year and a half before we left Sweep loose in the house with the cats when we weren't here. (We were lucky in that she has always crated well.) That said, we did leave her loose overnight much sooner. The cats are on the bed with us, and Sweep's bed is in the bedroom but not in the traffic path where they'd have to pass her to get to food/litter. We have never had any overnight incidents (knock on wood). If you have the room for such a setup, I'd try leaving Aiden out on his own bed in the bedroom with his muzzle on and also let your cats have their normal routine as much as possible. By the way, I think that's a good rule of thumb re: dog bed placement in general: keep it somewhere where Aiden can observe the goings-on but isn't "trapped" in a corner, and likewise somewhere out of the human and feline traffic flow. Should help keep the peace. 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 CatsandGreys Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Thank you all for your answers and support! It's great hearing your stories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I would confine the cats when you're not there. Set up a spare bedroom, if you have one, with all of their stuff. That's what I do when I have a new dog. A cat scratch can get badly infected. Clearly one of your cats is afraid of the dog. He or she will be much happier in a place the dog cannot get to when you're not there to supervise. I have two cats and one hound as well! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KickReturn Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 To what others have stated I will just add my usual: please do not crate a Grey that fights to get out of the crate. Teeth can be permanently damaged or destroyed and other serious injuries can result. For some Greys being in a crate alone is an absolute horror. Another solution must be found. Also many Greys also must be able to sleep where they can see you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3greytjoys Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I'm curious where the crate is located? Greyhounds do have an easier time adjusting in a new home when sleeping in the same room with their owner at night. Many Greyhounds sleep very well inside their crate if the crate is located inside the owner's bedroom so the hound can see human/s sleeping. That is very different from him being left home all alone in a crate. (Greyhounds are used to sleeping with their dog "pack" in kennels.) If Aiden could sleep (calmly) inside his crate in your bedroom, the cats could still sleep with you, and both species would become more conditioned to one another while still feeling safe. I agree with keeping the cats in any safe room with a securely closed solid door when you're not home to supervise. Then try baby-gating Aiden in your most used daytime room. Dog-proof thoroughly and get an extra-tall baby gate. Aiden should be muzzled whenever there is potential for interaction with cats. Every dog is different but err on the side of caution when it comes to your cats' safety. As Aiden relaxes into his new home, he could become more brave. Greyhounds are faster than cats or humans. We install baby-gates about 5"- 6" above floor level so cats have an easy, wide escape route. (Some cats jump over baby-gates to get into a room, even if a dog is inside.) If left unsupervised, new hounds (or fosters) here are kept safely separated from cats for many months or longer. Please keep cat bowls and litter boxes out of Greyhound's reach now, and in the future. (BTW, I would not risk an open-top exercise-pen (aka: ex-pen) for this dog with cats in the home. Ex-pens can collapse onto the dog if a dog tries to push the gate open, or jump out the top.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CatsandGreys Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 The crate is in my room facing where I sleep. I live with my family still, so all rooms are taken. The cats get the room during the day, and Aiden gets it at night. And they get supervised interaction time (Aiden laying in the couch mostly, and the cats watching him and slinking around.) It seems to work well so far. My mom stays at home during the day, so she supervised the dogs in the main living area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3greytjoys Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 Glad your arrangement seems to be working well, and that your mom is able to help during the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CatsandGreys Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Glad your arrangement seems to be working well, and that your mom is able to help during the day. I'm happy too! Aiden is on my couch, laying half on top of me right now sleeping (without a muzzle) and my cats are laying on his dog bed they do fine together when they're sleeping lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.