Cat advice!

[mythos]

Dear All,

Sharni, our greyhound has been with us since early November. On the whole - things are going incredibly well - she now runs off lead (and doesn't run off - just in circles around us, which is SO amazing to watch ;D), she has settled in to the household routine and plays fabuously with Scruff, our Westie - bless!

The problem we are having is with our 9 yr old cat. I must admit over Christmas, we were a bit lax with getting them together but since New Year we have spent every evening (and other times in between when we are home) trying to 'socialise' them. We get our cat in from the conservatory (where he has set up home since Sharni arrived), put a slip lead on Sharni and with one pet each, OH and I spend time fussing the cat, and distracting Sharni, rewarding her with tidbits when she ignores him. She started off doing well, and it was very positive, the cat was happy coming in, and had started coming in on his own, but over the last 10 days or so, Sharni has become more agitated, attacking the conservatory doors (despite there being net curtains), and growling and whining when the cat is in the room. Consequently, Giz doesn't want to be in the room - FULL STOP - and just fights to get away whenever we try to bring him in .

Oh how I wish there was a magic pill I could give them both (and me for that matter) that would sort this out, but realistically know we have a very long road ahead of us. Having read xaraworlds experience/advice on here, I can't see it working, simply because I can't get Giz to join us in the house.

Anyone got a magic pill/wand to wave?!!!

Thanks in anticipation!

[dominique]

Talk to Lisa, is my best advice, I'm sure that she'll be able to point you in the right direction. Good luck.

[ampersand]

Others will have more practical advice and experience - we have only had Tolly since last September, but the one thing I can say with certainty is give it TIME, by which I mean months (and then maybe some more)!
Our cats initially ran away, Tolly wanted to play with them. We were able to keep them in the utility room where their catflap is, but kept (still keep) Tolly out with a raised stair gate so they can come and go as they pleased but they can all see one another. At first I was in despair because they were really frightened of him and of course when they ran he chased them. We gave up on organised introductions.
Five months on and they can often pass each other without batting an eyelid. One cat even approaches Tolly when he is sleeping in the evening and has a good look at him in his bed! This is the one who has finally learnt to growl at him and try to scratch him when he becomes too playful. They stand together and sniff noses too which is really sweet.
We don't feed them together, but Tolly often sees us give the cats their breakfast first while he has to wait - no idea if that really makes a difference, but I thought it might help him see that they have a position in the house too!
Left to their own devices they have worked it out for themselves. We are still vigilant and always will be, and we never leave them alone in a room that the cats cannot get out of if they need to - but now I believe that one day I just might catch them curled up together ...

Alice

[Lisa]

dominique said:

Talk to Lisa, is my best advice, I'm sure that she'll be able to point you in the right direction. Good luck.

To be honest im not always the best one to ask about cat training simply because its not something that Gap has ever had to worry about on a major level before our dogs go into a home with cats the work has already been put in via introductions at the kennels then experienced foster homes. The fact I get to meet the dogs first means I can gauge their intentions with cats so can then speak with the foster carer how best to handle. Dogs like Dash for instance totally ignored cats so when he went to foster the foster carer didnt have too much worries, Flora we knew was interested but not that interested so I could advise Hilary to use a crate for a week to let her watch them moving around then introduce them out of the crate gradually.

Should we then have problems when they head onto a home which to be honest is rare and is usually more the cats than the dogs Myself and the foster carers know the dogs intentions ie play etc like in ampersands case with Tolly so can advise accordingly. Weve never had a cat dog situation to the degree Mythos is describing.

Ive copied below what ive placed on DP and then over there you asked me a couple of other questions and I will add a bit more in bold.

On DP I put....

You say that when the cat is in the room and you have Sharni on leash that you are rewarding and praising with titbits when she is distracted. How are you dealing with it when she attacks at the conservatory windows etc?

When she starts this behaviour you need to head over place her on the leash and distract her again, if she responds reward. As she is now on leash if she is still interested in getting at the doors the minute she pitches up with a whine before she lunges forward implement a FIRM spoken NO then LEAVE there is no need to shout it just mean it. If you have children you will understand what I mean you say no twice they take no notice then you shout NO and they take no notice then you give them *that* no which is very firm but almost gentle and they then really do understand you mean it Look for a key signal that the behaviour is about to start if you watch you will soon learn even if its just a change in stance, prick of the ears etc. You need to stop it before it starts basically. If you can then distract her reward and treat. Dont allow her to do it the more she does do it the more frustrated she will become the minute it starts remove her even if into another room for five minutes time out, when you let her back in if she goes straight back over again remove her from the room. She will soon start to equate her behaviour with being given time away from you.

Another thing that you may have to consider some dogs in general and greyhounds in particular are usually happy co existing with the cat inside but outside is a different matter. As the conservatory is *off bounds* to the dogs, this almost brings in an element of frustration meaning the dog can see the cat but isnt allowed into the area so will differentiate between inside and being a group and whilst in other areas (almost like watching a cat from the livingroom window outside type scenario). You need to try and avoid this element of frustration building and if that is the cats safe haven stop her from having access to the immediate area .

Can you add some voile or net curtains to the conservatory door windows so that she cant see in?

I would imagine the reason she is growling now when the cat is in the room and wasnt before is borne from the frustration of the situation being created watching the cat *outside* although in effect its just the conservatory area.

You asked me then whether I could work out what may have changed. I think the fact you admitted that you had been a little complacent with the situation over Christmas and New Year is a big factor teemed with the fact Sharni has been with you longer now and is gaining in confidence. Its very hard for me to advise to much in a situation like this as I dont know the dog so having not assessed her with cats myself arnt sure of her intentions.

Have you spoken to the people you adopted her from? What you dont say is on what basis did they assess her cat safety? Did they just walk her through a cattery? Most apart from the really keen pay little interest if they arnt moving, did they have her around cats up close and allow them to interact or was she living in a foster home with cats before coming to you? If so how was she with the cats then? I cringe often when I see groups with greyhounds in kennels advertise them for homing as *non chasers*. Non chasers can mean a variety of things from they have no interest in chasing on the track to they come out of the traps on trials and are more interested in interfering or playing with the other dogs. From experience of bringing in greyhounds that havent done anything other than trialling labelled non chasers to me it doesnt guarantee their cat status. Some of the non chasers arnt as conditioned and cause mayhem intefering on the track because they arnt as focussed and can take more training etc etc.

Have you spoken to your adoption group recently and asked them for help and support? They should be giving you all the help you need through this situation even if it means visiting or sending someone around to visit. These are the people that are meant to know Sharni and have built a relationship up with her so should know how best to focus her and help you through.

[mythos]

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for that - I've replied on DP.

Thanks

Clare

[silvermoon]

Just to say it took months of work before our cat and greyhound were relaxed around each other, as initially the GH was fairly keen, and therefor the cat was (not surprisingly) very tense. It did pay off and they are fine together now, but if I go out, or at night time I always seperate them with a closed door.

[smurf]

Finn's been with me for 7 months and though i never trust him with my cat (she always has a safe escape route) they are begining to tolerate each other though he will still have a go if he thinks he can get away with it. He is fine with my friends 2 outside cats which were brought up with Fox hound puppies so learnt to stand up for them selves. Even so I used a water pistol on him initially which gives a harmless shock appparentlty coming from the Cats Very effective harmless training aid which i have used occassionally on my trainee guide dogs depending on there sensitvities and the situation.

[Charley]

There is quite a useful article here about cat detraining
www.greyhounds4u.co.uk/catdetraining.html