Freethought & Rationalism Archive

ex-xian · 07-23-2003, 06:19 AM

I've got a 5 month old mini-dachshund at home. Had him since he was 7 weeks. While I was at the vet buying him food, I saw the cutest black fuzzy cat that was being given away.My heart melted and I took the cat home.

Was it a bad Idea? How can I help them get along? Should I return the cat?

HELP! The cat's 2 months, BTW.

topane · 07-23-2003, 06:51 AM

They should be fine together. We brought a puppy into a house with a 6-year-old cat. The cat wasn't too pleased, but he got over it

. With two animals so young they should get used to each other without a problem.

NYCparalegal · 07-23-2003, 06:52 AM

Have the two met already? It is natural that both may show some apprehension about each other. However, there is hope. My sister lives with two dachshunds and a cat. The cat and the doxies get along fabulously (they even sleep together) and the doxies and cat did not grow up together (the cat belongs to my sister's new hubby and she had one doxie, then they ended up adopting the other doxie). Just use patience and they will get along. You may want to declaw the cat, though.

contracycle · 07-23-2003, 06:52 AM

I have seen cats and daschunds co-habit. Actually I've seen a lot of cats and dogs cohabit; ideally they will develop an accomodation after the cat inflicts some grievious bodily harm. In self defence. Allegedly.

You sghouldn't have too many problems in that the dashund probably can't kill the cat by accident. But if they don;t hit it off, you might need to rehome one. It can happen.

wildernesse · 07-23-2003, 07:06 AM

Our dogs and cats always got along well with each other. My parents' last dog would carry kittens around in his mouth. We'd look out the door and see a little kitty, dazed and covered in dog slobber, meowing and stumbling around in random places. The poor mother cat had such a hard time keeping up with them! The dog never hurt them, just covered them in spit. I guess that's what you get with a retriever.

--tibac

Viti · 07-23-2003, 09:42 AM

Congrats on your new fur kid! I have a houseful and puppies and kittens can get along famously...however this is more of a lounge topic so I am moving it.

07-23-2003, 09:59 AM

Since they are both so young, I don't think you will have a big problem. It won't all be plain sailing to start with, but they will sort out a pecking order and what each can get away with. In my experience, cats usually end up on top because they can jump up to places that dogs can't reach. I currently have a four-year-old dog, an old moggy and two two-year-old Burmese. The old cat mostly ignores the dog and the other cats but goes for any of them if they annoy him. One Burmese has known the dog since he was a kitten, and obviously quite likes him. The other Burmese is relatively new to the household and is terrified by the dog, so she will attack him in extremis. The dog thinks that all cats ought to be playmates and can't cope with the new Burmese.

There can be big difficulties if you put them together when at least one is already adult and has a record of trouble with the other species. A lot of dogs naturally chase cats. Some will even do this when outside to cats they happily cohabit with inside. I have known the odd cat who has been unremittingly hostile to dogs. I knew one Siamese tom who used to sit on top of a high wall that ran along an alley and drop on the heads of unsuspecting dogs as they walked along.

pariah · 07-23-2003, 04:32 PM

I don't see why you can't keep the two...animosity towards cats/dogs seems to be a myth really.

I don't know if they have seen each other yet, but I had a siamese kitten and it beat the shit out of my dog the first time it saw it, they have been best friends ever since. KInd of like being in prison I guess.

dont declaw it though...sometimes that can really mess up a cats mind. and it depends on where u live...for the cats own saftey u might not want to declaw it.

Julie · 07-23-2003, 05:15 PM

Just make sure you never leave them alone togeather. You dog was bred to hunt badgers and still has strong hunting instincts and well cats are small and run away. Always give the cat a safe place from the dog. Even if they become the "best of friends" dont ever leave them alone. Its not unheard of for people to come home to find their cat dead and their hunting type dog looking smug.

mongrel · 07-23-2003, 09:22 PM

Speaking of hunting dogs, my dog(a Rhodesian ridgeback cross) loves to chase cats, and even caught one once- easy, since it didn't even try to run. He had no idea what to do after that, though, so he just stood over it barking.

I'm reminded of a mate's big, rough, tough rottweiler- seeing it cuddling up to a tiny little kitten is something I'll never forget.

07-23-2003, 06:19 AM	#1
ex-xian Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: :noitacoL Posts: 4,679	Kitten! Puppy! Help! Quick! I've got a 5 month old mini-dachshund at home. Had him since he was 7 weeks. While I was at the vet buying him food, I saw the cutest black fuzzy cat that was being given away.My heart melted and I took the cat home. Was it a bad Idea? How can I help them get along? Should I return the cat? HELP! The cat's 2 months, BTW.

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07-23-2003, 06:51 AM	#2
topane Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: SE Pennsylvania Posts: 193	They should be fine together. We brought a puppy into a house with a 6-year-old cat. The cat wasn't too pleased, but he got over it . With two animals so young they should get used to each other without a problem.

07-23-2003, 06:52 AM	#3
NYCparalegal Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Manhattan, NYC Posts: 183	Have the two met already? It is natural that both may show some apprehension about each other. However, there is hope. My sister lives with two dachshunds and a cat. The cat and the doxies get along fabulously (they even sleep together) and the doxies and cat did not grow up together (the cat belongs to my sister's new hubby and she had one doxie, then they ended up adopting the other doxie). Just use patience and they will get along. You may want to declaw the cat, though.

07-23-2003, 06:52 AM	#4
contracycle Banned Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: London Posts: 1,425	I have seen cats and daschunds co-habit. Actually I've seen a lot of cats and dogs cohabit; ideally they will develop an accomodation after the cat inflicts some grievious bodily harm. In self defence. Allegedly. You sghouldn't have too many problems in that the dashund probably can't kill the cat by accident. But if they don;t hit it off, you might need to rehome one. It can happen.

07-23-2003, 07:06 AM	#5
wildernesse Veteran Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,578	Our dogs and cats always got along well with each other. My parents' last dog would carry kittens around in his mouth. We'd look out the door and see a little kitty, dazed and covered in dog slobber, meowing and stumbling around in random places. The poor mother cat had such a hard time keeping up with them! The dog never hurt them, just covered them in spit. I guess that's what you get with a retriever. --tibac

07-23-2003, 09:42 AM	#6
Viti Contributor Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Down South Posts: 12,879	Congrats on your new fur kid! I have a houseful and puppies and kittens can get along famously...however this is more of a lounge topic so I am moving it.

07-23-2003, 09:59 AM	#7
DMB Guest Posts: n/a	Since they are both so young, I don't think you will have a big problem. It won't all be plain sailing to start with, but they will sort out a pecking order and what each can get away with. In my experience, cats usually end up on top because they can jump up to places that dogs can't reach. I currently have a four-year-old dog, an old moggy and two two-year-old Burmese. The old cat mostly ignores the dog and the other cats but goes for any of them if they annoy him. One Burmese has known the dog since he was a kitten, and obviously quite likes him. The other Burmese is relatively new to the household and is terrified by the dog, so she will attack him in extremis. The dog thinks that all cats ought to be playmates and can't cope with the new Burmese. There can be big difficulties if you put them together when at least one is already adult and has a record of trouble with the other species. A lot of dogs naturally chase cats. Some will even do this when outside to cats they happily cohabit with inside. I have known the odd cat who has been unremittingly hostile to dogs. I knew one Siamese tom who used to sit on top of a high wall that ran along an alley and drop on the heads of unsuspecting dogs as they walked along.

07-23-2003, 04:32 PM	#8
pariah Banned Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: الرياض Posts: 6,456	I don't see why you can't keep the two...animosity towards cats/dogs seems to be a myth really. I don't know if they have seen each other yet, but I had a siamese kitten and it beat the shit out of my dog the first time it saw it, they have been best friends ever since. KInd of like being in prison I guess. dont declaw it though...sometimes that can really mess up a cats mind. and it depends on where u live...for the cats own saftey u might not want to declaw it.

07-23-2003, 05:15 PM	#9
Julie Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: I'm not telling Posts: 473	Just make sure you never leave them alone togeather. You dog was bred to hunt badgers and still has strong hunting instincts and well cats are small and run away. Always give the cat a safe place from the dog. Even if they become the "best of friends" dont ever leave them alone. Its not unheard of for people to come home to find their cat dead and their hunting type dog looking smug.

07-23-2003, 09:22 PM	#10
mongrel Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: North of the South Pole Posts: 5,177	Speaking of hunting dogs, my dog(a Rhodesian ridgeback cross) loves to chase cats, and even caught one once- easy, since it didn't even try to run. He had no idea what to do after that, though, so he just stood over it barking. I'm reminded of a mate's big, rough, tough rottweiler- seeing it cuddling up to a tiny little kitten is something I'll never forget.

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