adudle00 Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 About 6 weeks ago, my husband brought home a kitten. It was abandoned, on the verge of death and still needed bottle fed; no shelter or rescue would take it (May is "kitten month" apparently) b/c they were overcrowded. We decided to keep it at least until we could find a home to take it. Well, we still have it. The kitten itself isn't bad, but my pup is seriously terrified of it. When we first brought it home he was super interested in it, but over the weeks he's become very afraid of it. The only thing I can think of is that he did get yelled at once for attempting to "play" with the kitten and wanted to pick it up like a toy. Now, he will not even be in the same room as the kitten. He will hide and run away when he sees it. He's not even tempted to come near it if offered treats. I can tell he's stressing out and it makes me sad. If there's no way to warm him up to the kitten, then we will sadly have to take the kitten to a shelter/rescue. Does anybody have any experience with this or any advice to offer? If it matters, Mover is an almost 8 year old 90 lb. pup. The kitten is a female, 8 weeks old and about 2 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smurfette Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 Can you work with a crate? For the kitten - one of those plastic things with a door at the front? Your boy may feel safer to watch it when it's incarcerated. And than work with treats - super treats whenever he gets near the crate. It will take time and I would only start if I was sure I wanted to keep the kitten. Quote Sorry for butchering the english language. I try to keep the mistakes to a minimum. Nadine with Paddy (Zippy Mullane), Saoirse (Lizzie Be Nice), Abu (Cillowen Abu) and bridge angels Colin (Dessies Hero) and Andy (Riot Officer). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudiav Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 i'm so sorry Mover is so scared... I would hate to give up the kitten i rescued... i hope he gets over it in time... my pup has been afraid and hiding out in the bedroom for some time... i try to coax him out but he just doesn't want to come out... other times, he comes out and something in the living room will scare him and he goes back to the bedroom again... i don't know what's got him spooked... i am being patient and hoping he'll get back to his happy-go-lucky self... keeping the stress down... i hope Mover gets over his fear too... it's sad to watch and not be able to comfort them... Quote Image removed, not within Signature Guidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest xengab Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I'd try some massage to relax the dog, then bring in the kitten while its asleep. massage some more, give him a treat. So over time he sees the kitty, but he is knowing its a relaxing thing. Does he sit or go down on command? teach stay. I agree that kitten needs to be in a crate so your dog can come in and relax. You DONT want him super interested in the kitten, things can go wrong due to weight differences. Kittens at this age (and without another cat to socialise them) have issues retracting claws so your boy could get scratched up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Any change? I'd confine the kitten for now to a bedroom with her litter box, scratching post, etc. Let the dog have the chance to get used to the idea she is in the house. Keep her in there and visit her. Perhaps put up a secure gate and let the dog see her once a day for a while. He SHOULD get used to her. If your dog is really unhappy, the time to decide to part with the cat is now, when it's still cute and kittenish. Older cats don't get adopted easily from shelters (despite making awesome pets). I always say the pet I got FIRST is the one that I have to make happy in a situation like this. I had to give away a beautiful Siamese cat I bought because as soon as he was big enough, he started beating up my other cat. Although I would have preferred to keep him, that would not have been fair to her 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...
3greytjoys Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 If your dog is really unhappy, the time to decide to part with the cat is now. Agree. Kittens become more and more active as they grow, meaning they often become crazed... running around climbing up window coverings, jumping (flying) on/off high furniture, refrigerator, shelves, and often knocking even heavy items off shelves and tables, even if a Greyhound is resting below(!). This immature feline behavior often lasts for years. Our last kitten took about 5 years to begin to mature into a normal, well-behaved family member. Cats won't hesitate to do naughty things to demand attention, including threats to a dog since cats quickly learn what gets the greatest rise from their humans. It's a double whammy for Greyhounds having been bred to sight/chase/hunt small things that move. Active kittens taunt dogs by running, jumping on dogs, pushing things over on dogs, etc. which greatly increases dogs' stress (unable to rest peacefully). Animals' stress can build and affect their relationship, health, etc. If your Greyhound is already stressed living with an 8 week old kitten, re-homing the kitten is the most kind and responsible thing to do for all involved. Your early foster care is admirable, and was most important to improve kitty's health. Now, she's at a better age for adoption. (A friend fosters litters of kittens for shelters until they're old enough for adoption.) Good luck with whatever you decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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