Need advice re cats

[Graciefamily]

Hi we rescued a 4 y.o. female dane 4 weeks ago; she was very very sick and is just now coming around in the last week or so; the first 3 weeks, she laid on the couch, and just watched the cats go by (2 adults, 2 kittens) but didn't feel well enough to do much more then that. Now that she's feeling better she leaps off the couch, bounds after them and they go FLYING to the tops of the highest furniture. She's not being aggressive, she clearly is excited and thinks this is all great fun. What is the best way to discipline her when she goes after them. I assumed she'd get smacked by them a couple of times and that would take care of it but they don't stop long enough to turn around and swat.

Thanks
Susan
Castle Rock, CO

[alicat613]

RE: Need advice re cats

I just tell Parker no chase if he gets too excited. He would never actually hurt the kitties but I don't let him get too crazy over them.

[Victoria]

RE: Need advice re cats

If he doesn't listen when you tell him NO while he's chasing the cats, try squirting him with a water bottle while saying NO or NO CHASE very firmly... this works for training my pups. The water gets their attention when they are too excited to hear mom.... darn selective hearing! LOL

Bree's Photo Gallery ~ Updated 8/24/04 http://kritterkorner.com/piggyspad/i...miles/1072.gif
http://www.gdohosting.com/dolforum/s...=500&ppuser=19

See Bree and her family on Dogster!
http://www.dogster.com/?25701

[trainer]

RE: Need advice re cats

In my house, it's the cat's responsibility to avoid the dogs. He (the cat) has gotten real good at determining which mode the dogs are in. Sometime he lays on the floor on on the couch amongst them, sometimes he better be very high and he knows when each is called for. Even outside he can tell when Abby is in the "let's play with the cat" mode and when she is in the "let's kill the cat" mode.

ETA: Sometimes the cat is in the "let's kill a dog" mode. He will hide waiting for a chance to ambush a dog when she walks by. She will even hide under a car outside and when a dog walks by, will run out behind the, swipe their rear leg with sharp claws causing Abby to jump sky high. He then runs back under the car only to do it again in a few minutes. Sometimes when Abby chases him, he just turns over on his back and puts his sharp claws up and Abby will sniff and walk away.

Sorry, I didn't mean to get into all these stories. I'll shut up now.

Bill Carnes
www.skylarzack.com
www.k9goodbehavior.com

Feeding Raw Since October 2002

"Unnatural diets predispose animals to unnatural outcomes"
Dr. Tom Lonsdale

[sargesmom]

RE: Need advice re cats

Wow trainer, sounds like our house.......my cat seems to know when the dogs are playing and when they are to be avoided.....and he gets the upper hand on them sometimes too. He can chase layla all through the house with her yelping and screaming like shes being killed......its too funny.

[sitedprincess]

RE: Need advice re cats

Trainer...ooh my gosh...you just described our house...except with us it's the cat's under the bed swiping at the dogs.

In our house as well the cats have learned to avoid the dogs. Every once in awhile they get too hyper and we'll tell them "no cats", but for the most part it's up to the cats to judge what mood the pups are in. We also a few rooms gated off as kittie only rooms with their toys and couch to lay on.

Our 15# tomcat has taken to playing with the pups every so often though. He gets zoomies just like they do and he decides it's time to pick on the puppies (His name is Loki btw - god of mischief - big surprise there huh!). He knows how to get them in trouble because he comes sauntering through the living room, tail in the air twitching and right when he gets just past them (needless to say it's always when mommie has just gotten them settled down from major zoomies) he does his road runner impression and tears to the back of the house...dogs now in a cloud of legs and tails each trying to get to him first as he tears under the bed. Then it's time for attacking puppy feet and noses. The danes stick their noses under the bedskirt looking for the cat, as a wild paw, claws flaying comes swiping out from all directions. One pup ends up on the bed barking down at the evil kittie paw while the other dances around the bed try to escape the demon cat:-) Needless to say Loki also knows that a brief pause in the action makes things all the more fun...the sneak attack! This goes on usually until mommie can't stop laughing or the cat decides it's time to nap under the bed til the pups get tired again. I think they're all in cohoots to drive mommie insane personally:-)

Ugh...so as for cats and danes...if the danes aren't really out to harm the cats, give the cats an area that they can be dog-free in and they'll learn how to get around the pooches and all will be well. I have yet to see a dane out maneuver a cat when the cat has places to hide.

Good Luck!
Leah

[Graciefamily]

RE: Need advice re cats

Thanks for the replies which confirm my original assumption--to let the cats take care of it. Guess I'll just have to put up with a little chaos til they figure it out!

Funny thing is, they are Bengals, which are usually TOTALLY fearless; i've seen our bengals go after a german shephard and even a horse, but I think they're just a bit stunned by Gracie's energy. LOL

[sitedprincess]

RE: Need advice re cats

Hah...that sounds about right. Loki had been around dogs before and even had fun wrestling with a few, but when he met our baby boy Obe as a puppy of 9 weeks...he about had a kittie heart attack I think...he still has episodes of freaking out when he runs into them and doesn't expect to...

We still put up with plenty of howling (on a ticked off kittie's part) when they are not in the mood for the pups.

If the cats aren't peeing on anything (aka - the universal kittie sign for I'm ticked off about something) - they'll eventually learn to live in harmony or happy chaos that is!

[tree]

RE: Need advice re cats

I would try the water bottle. It must be very intimidating to confront a zooming dane! My one cat has mildly swatted Turbo, so pup respects him pretty well. Turbo still gets hyper at times and kitty take refuge up on the dresser. I also tell turbo to settle down because one step on a tail could hurt badly, and also result in a serious scratch to pup's face. Now my other cat was adopted and had been declawed , and the poor guy knows he can't intimidate turbo. Becaause of this, my cat stays clear or turbo really goes after him. The poor cat swats and swats from under the bed, and Turbo clases his eyes and dips in! He seems to love the game, but kitty doesn't agree. I am working feverishly for turbo to stop this harrassing and respect kitty #two. I feel it is my job to make him live peacefully with both cats.

[trainer]

RE: Need advice re cats

>I am working feverishly
>for turbo to stop this harrassing and respect kitty #two. I
>feel it is my job to make him live peacefully with both
>cats.

Good luck.

Bill Carnes
www.skylarzack.com
www.k9goodbehavior.com

Feeding Raw Since October 2002

"Unnatural diets predispose animals to unnatural outcomes"
Dr. Tom Lonsdale

[nemeralin]

RE: Need advice re cats



Hun, I wish you the best of luck on figuring out a way to get your dane to leave the cats alone. I have tried everything under the sun to get Clark to leave my cat alone. Ever since I bought Merlyn (my over hyper cat) Clark has followed him everywhere. Under beds knocking over a fish tank, knocking off beds with me in them, jump from the couch to the sofa to the couch, repeat, pulled blinds down, etc. and the greatest problem is the cat enjoys every single minute of it. Merlyn will pick on my dogs and harass them whenever he gets a chance.

I have used time out, water in the face, a swat on the rump, pulling him away from Merlyn (only to have Merlyn attach him self to Clarks leg), try to put his attention elsewhere, isolation, etc. it has come to the point that I have to keep both of them separated at all times. I would love to know how to teach him and Merlyn to leave each other alone. But I guess somethings aren't ment to be.x(

[empm]

RE: Need advice re cats

I bought a squirt bottle just for when Frankie is after the cats. He had Wilma cornered so I grabbed it and gave it a shot. He moved and Wilma got blasted, so I guess that's out.

[nemeralin]

RE: Need advice re cats

>I bought a squirt bottle just for when Frankie is after the
>cats. He had Wilma cornered so I grabbed it and gave it a
>shot. He moved and Wilma got blasted, so I guess that's out.

Poor wilma! hmmm... That gives me an idea. Maybe I should start squriting Merlyn instead of Clark.

[BIGDOG]

RE: Need advice re cats

susan,

I'm sorry I'm not much help but I thought I would tell you a funny story...

Sierra our 8mo old female seems to like cats, we (Sierra & I) went to my sisters house where she has 2 cats who lay on the back off the couch. I sat on the couch & Sierra noticed the cats, she jumped up on the couch. I figured it was all over, either the cats (still clawed) will slice her muzzle open or they would run off.

Little to my surprise Sierra liccked their noses, and both cats licked and cleaned her muzzle, when Sierra was finished with her bath, she layed down on the couch, where the 2 cats instantly jumped down and tucked right under her front legs and went to sleep.

I have never seen anything like it.

Have a great day! Chip