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**Mugflefusysef** · 08-02-2012, 07:48 PM

I have two 10-year old cats and adopted a 1 year old pit mix. We've had a few issues but generally it's gone smoothly.

I know you're not worried about the dog hurting the cat, but you should train the dog now that the cats are off limits and not playmates. When I brought the dog home, I kept her on a leash for the first couple days and when she so much as looked at a cat wrong, I snapped the leash and she understood VERY quickly that the cats were off limits. I also taught her "leave it" immediately so I could tell her to leave the cats alone instead of having to use the leash.

The bigger problem I've had is with my meaner of the two cats. He likes to block the stairs and swat at the dog trying to pass. It scares the dog and she'll come running back down, but I'm worried that one day she'll just get sick of it and snap at the cat. The cat hisses a lot at the dog too, but generally keeps his distance. I did start using a spray bottle on the cat if he was blocking the stairs and not letting the dog pass - that's just a showdown waiting to happen. The other cat is a lot friendlier and doesn't mind sitting next to the dog, but the dog occasionally decides the cat needs a slurpy lick from a dog, and the look of abject horror on the cat's face is just hilarious.

It's interesting you say that, because it seems that a lot of people on this forum prefer to train their dog not to go after the cats, instead of training the cats not to go after the dog (or training both). My father in law has 2 pits and 2 cats and 1 of the cats swipes at the pits all the time. And thats when the Pit goes after the cat. Maybe im just biased but Cats seem like such antagonizing bastards.

08-02-2012, 07:48 PM	#10
Mugflefusysef Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 540 Senior Member	I have two 10-year old cats and adopted a 1 year old pit mix. We've had a few issues but generally it's gone smoothly. I know you're not worried about the dog hurting the cat, but you should train the dog now that the cats are off limits and not playmates. When I brought the dog home, I kept her on a leash for the first couple days and when she so much as looked at a cat wrong, I snapped the leash and she understood VERY quickly that the cats were off limits. I also taught her "leave it" immediately so I could tell her to leave the cats alone instead of having to use the leash. The bigger problem I've had is with my meaner of the two cats. He likes to block the stairs and swat at the dog trying to pass. It scares the dog and she'll come running back down, but I'm worried that one day she'll just get sick of it and snap at the cat. The cat hisses a lot at the dog too, but generally keeps his distance. I did start using a spray bottle on the cat if he was blocking the stairs and not letting the dog pass - that's just a showdown waiting to happen. The other cat is a lot friendlier and doesn't mind sitting next to the dog, but the dog occasionally decides the cat needs a slurpy lick from a dog, and the look of abject horror on the cat's face is just hilarious. It's interesting you say that, because it seems that a lot of people on this forum prefer to train their dog not to go after the cats, instead of training the cats not to go after the dog (or training both). My father in law has 2 pits and 2 cats and 1 of the cats swipes at the pits all the time. And thats when the Pit goes after the cat. Maybe im just biased but Cats seem like such antagonizing bastards.
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