Guest Merlinda Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Good morning! My dreams have finally come true, and 4 weeks ago, I had the good fortune of adopting a Greyhound. Not only do dreams come true, but dreams can be exceeded in that I do believe Raylan is probably the best Greyhound EVER! He is such a good boy, and I have been forunate enough to not have any of the challenges that can come with a Greyhound. (knock on wood) My question to you though is this. I have a cat, and the adoption agency said that they would never take the chance (no matter what) of leaving the Greyhound and the cat alone together. Raylan has done exceptionally well with alone training, and we've just graduated to him being allowed out of his crate while I am gone. This means the cat gets locked up in the garage (it's warm and while the garage door exists it has been made into a room). Raylan has only taken chase once, and that was only after the cat showed significant interest in his breakfast. He growled and nipped, the cat ran, he ran, and then naturally, I ran. Other than that there has been no interest. Do you also recommend never allowing them to be alone together? I'm not saying tommorow, they be allowed to hang, but never?? Experiences appreciated. I do love them both dearly! Merlinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time4ANap Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Lots of greyhounds co-exist just fine with cats. It depends on the prey drive of the hound. There are numerous people here who have both with no problems. We even have a few hounds here who have their own cats. I'm sure you will get plenty of responses with training suggestions to make the situation work. Welcome to GT! Quote Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan. Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket, Allie Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I wouldn't trust them early on, but certainly there are hounds that can live at home alone with cats. When we have foster cats I leave them loose with Summit. Kili is crated because of her propensity to get into trouble, and she wouldn't be safe to leave alone with cats... not because she'd try to eat them, but because she'd try to play with them. Until you know your hound better I would separate them when not supervised. You definitely want to prevent any running/chasing episodes too. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Merlinda Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 (edited) Thank you for the warm welcome. I'm so glad to be here! So glad to be a new mom. I've been bitten by the love bug for sure. Yes, he has low prey drive again with no interest outside the one event. The agency just said even so, they would recommend I should NEVER take the chance of leaving them alone. I suppose what I'm asking is have there been incidences where after a significant amount of time has passed has a greyhound has hurt a cat after showing no interest and having low prey drive? No chasing, running, playing allowed. It's not hard to prevent. But another question, when is a greyhound no longer considered new? I know he's new now, but are they new at 6 months? Edited December 22, 2014 by Merlinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 That was a rather uninformed thing your adoption group said! There are many, many cats and Greyhounds that live peacefully together, including mine. I'm on my second Greyhound, and in my Greyhound owning life have been through an assortment of approximately 5 different cats, all of whom were left on a daily basis with the dog. Not a whisker was ever harmed! Here is one example! I've had this dog since August. The cat is a very, very pesty one. This was a peaceful moment. As long as the cat behaves, my dogs have both been absolute gentlehounds around my cats. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scouts_mom Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 (edited) Recently a friend's grey, who had been in the home about 3 weeks and was considered cat-safe, attacked and injured their cat. What set it off they will never know. Previously the dog had been doing great with the cat. Did the cat run and spark the dog's prey instinct? Did the dog think it was playing with the cat? Who knows. They made the hard decision to return the dog as they felt they would never be able to trust it again. I guess the moral of this story is to go slowly with letting your dog and cat spend time together. Keeping them apart when you are not there is probably wise. However, after a reasonable time (only you can judge this) let them be together. Just be sure to provide high places or safe corners where the cat can get away from the dog if it needs to. PS For the past 15 years or so, my household has consisted of 2 greys and 2 cats. The actual individuals have changed over time, but after an introductory period they have all lived together just fine, whether I am home or not. Edited December 22, 2014 by Scouts_mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 (edited) Congrats on your new family member, and welcome! I suspect the adoption group was just covering itself because there can never be an absolute 100% guarantee of safety (and that goes for the hounds too--cats can also do damage to them!). You just have to observe them together and evaluate your own risk tolerance. I am the paranoid type, so we waited more than a year before leaving our greyhound and two cats loose together when we weren't home. They are not cuddly like Buck and Mister B in the above photo, but they mostly ignore each other and now I don't worry about them in the house at all. We had a recent incident where the cat darted out the door when Sweep and I were coming in from the backyard and Sweep gave chase, but thankfully no damage done except a good scare for the cat and me. Outdoors, as you probably know, all bets are off. Before you start leaving them totally loose together, you can use baby gates mounted 6 inches or so off the floor so the cat has an escape route if need be. Some people also pull a piece of furniture out from the wall enough so the cat can get back there but the hound can't. Just try to set them up for success as much as possible. Please post pics of Raylan when you can (cat pics welcome too )! Edited December 22, 2014 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 normaandburrell Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Before you start leaving them totally loose together, you can use baby gates mounted 6 inches or so off the floor so the cat has an escape route if need be. A baby gate works well in a lot of situations. We used to babygate our grey when the grandchildren first came over, and recently when we had 20 people over for Thanksgiving. It kept our hound, who is a counter surfer, from helping himself to the buffet. Congratulations on your new grey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Merlinda Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 (edited) Well, I haven't figured the quote feature out yet (apparently can't quote on mobile) I do have a safe place the cat can get to that the dog cannot go. I'm more than willing to also use baby gates, which will do good at keeping Raylan away from the cat, but I'm just a little confused. Is the gate just an extra deterrent, because the gate won't stop the cat from joining Raylan and technically, he could stl catch her before she reached the gate. Although we have a small house. I don't think he has room to reached speeds of 40 mph. Shoot, I haven't figured pictures out either (not on mobile either - so pictures will be soon coming). Edited December 22, 2014 by Merlinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramonaghan Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Well, I haven't figured the quote feature out yet (apparently can't quote on mobile) I do have a safe place the cat can get to that the dog cannot go. I'm more than willing to also use baby gates, which will do good at keeping Raylan away from the cat, but I'm just a little confused. Is the gate just an extra deterrent, because the gate won't stop the cat from joining Raylan and technically, he could stl catch her before she reached the gate. Although we have a small house. I don't think he has room to reached speeds of 40 mph. Shoot, I haven't figured pictures out either (not on mobile either - so pictures will be soon coming). Exactly, just an extra deterrent. And you're right that Raylan is unlikely to get up to speed in the house; in my experience, the cats are faster and more nimble (since they can jump high and better navigate obstacles) inside the house. 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...
lukasmom Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I don't have a cat but I had a smaller terrier when I got my first two greyhounds. I always put the terrier in the crate when we went out just to be safe. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CleverJason Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Recently a friend's grey, who had been in the home about 3 weeks and was considered cat-safe, attacked and injured their cat. What set it off they will never know. Previously the dog had been doing great with the cat. Did the cat run and spark the dog's prey instinct? Did the dog think it was playing with the cat? Who knows. They made the hard decision to return the dog as they felt they would never be able to trust it again. I guess the moral of this story is to go slowly with letting your dog and cat spend time together. Keeping them apart when you are not there is probably wise. However, after a reasonable time (only you can judge this) let them be together. Just be sure to provide high places or safe corners where the cat can get away from the dog if it needs to. PS For the past 15 years or so, my household has consisted of 2 greys and 2 cats. The actual individuals have changed over time, but after an introductory period they have all lived together just fine, whether I am home or not. In his foster home, my grey was fine with the cat for months until suddenly, one day, he wasn't. Poor cat. At least muzzle him when you're away until you are absolutely certain he has adopted the cat into his pack. Some greys, like mine, are simply never going to be cat safe. That's why there's cat-allergy folks like me to adopt those poor pooches who are slaves to their prey drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MinigoldstarJ Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 I have had 3 greys previously and am on grey#4. My first 3 were not cat age though they were deemed cat safe before they came to me. One was ok but would join I the chase if the others took chase. I was neurotic with crates and baby gates. Did I ever leave them alone and all loose??? Nope! My last of the original threesome was the worst as a young dog but when it was just her and she got older I did trust her. Mind you she was 11-12 at that time. She had bone cancer in her leg wasn't as agile and I saw her run from the cats on several occasions. Never would I leave a dog I only have for a month alone with a cat. My new guy I have had for 3 months and shows no cat aggression. I won't leave them just yet. I need more time and he is just a pup! Only 19 months now. Good luck and enjoy your new pal! Sorry for the typos I'm on my phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 My cats have escapes and hidey holes. Barbie I have had for 5 years and I trust her absolutely with the cats. It took me a year to get there, though. Mouse has been with us just over a year and she will chase the cats just to stir them if she is wound up. The cats are savvy to her though and they know that she can't keep pace with them on the slippery tiled floors. I do leave them all in the house together alone, but the cats have their safe zone with a baby gate that has a bar missing in the laundry. It was 6 months before I took the hallway baby gate down which divided the house into the 'dog half' and the 'cat half'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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