Want to adopt a kitty from the shelter.

[gbate]

I have picked him out already - he's a one year old male tabby.

The only concern I have is about my dog. In the past, she has found great sport in chasing a cat we used to have. This was 6 years ago and our dog (also a rescue) was not socialized well at the time. She is not aggressive, but tends to dislike other female dogs.

Any tips on how to socialize these two. I plan to pay the adoption fee to have him neutered and pick him up on Saturday.

[Inchworm]

1. I want a cat too and have the same concerns with my dogs

I ask on a weekly basis and it is practically a running gag at the local humane society.

They say to keep them separate at first for a week or so until you feel safe. The dogs and the cat will get used to each other via the scents through the door.

Both my dogs have chased cats. The Dauchund freezes when the cat stands ground, and the Akita will stop pursuit if I holler. I still havent worked up the courage to test all these worries with a real live and breathing cat.

Good luck :)

:hi:

[Orsino]

2. A pet/baby gate between the two...

...should allow them to get acquainted at their own pace(s). With one in each room, and each able to be out of sight of the other, their curiosity will eventually overcome fear and hostility. Give 'em lots of rewards for peaceful interaction.

[rubberducky]

4. I have not found this to work.

My doggies stil hate kitty.Every now and then kitty decides to shake up the status quo by hopping over the gate. This is a stray kitty that wormed her way into my house and heart. My poodles seem outraged that I would allow another animal in "thier" house. Very cute little kitty, but cannot seem to reconcile kitty to doggies.Kitty sits on "her" side of gate with her "nanny, nanny,poo, poo" smile, while I try to convince the doggies that she is a friend. I have not idea where this will end, but I`m pretty sure that we`re all going to stay here together.

[grasswire]

3. don't forget a kitty has claws and a horrible hiss

With some dogs, nature just takes its course and after an encounter with a ferocious feline, they gain some respect for it.

[alphafemale]

5. Depends a lot on the cat. Start with a cat used to dogs and you are halfway there.

My fur friend Isis never ran from a dog that I know of.

It was sometimes funny to watch a dog put on the skids when he realized she wasn't "doing what was expected."

Some would even bark right in her face. She'd just get this wrinkled nose look with her paws tucked up under her furry chest.

Here she is. Isis RIP Jan 2008

[DS1]

6. mine looks the same, and also never backs down

once the dog gets to the cat, it doesn't know what to do. There's supposed to be a fun chase, instead there's a staredown.

[alphafemale]

7. It was nearly always a funny thing to watch.

Dogs are adorable when they are trying to "puzzle" things out.

[applegrove]

8. Try keeping them in separate parts of the house until they are used to each other. Never leave

them unsupervised in the first while obviously.

[Critters2]

9. I had this situation, and this is the advice I got from the Humane Society behaviorist:

The trick is for your dog to think of the cat as higher in the pack order than her. YOu need to do this in two ways.

First, make the dog understand that she is dependent on you-YOU are the alpha. Make the dog realize that she is dependent on you by making her earn her food. My dog, to this day, has to do a "down" before I set her food dish down in front of her. She must obey some kind of command before getting any treats. She gets food by doing what I want her to do.

The next thing is making the dog see the cat as higher in the pack order. I was told to put my dog's crate in an area where I was likely to play with or pet my cat. I made the dog go in her crate, and then would pet the cat cuddle with him, play with him, while giving the dog no attention. I could later give the dog attention, but it needed to be in the form of obedience-type training, earning treats and attention.

This seemed kind of cruel, but it worked, and that dog and cat became great buds. I've done the same things with the animals I have now, and they get along great, too. Well, with one exception--one of the cats thinks he's the alpha, and the dog is scared of him. BUt no one gets hurt.

So, this is what worked for us. Good luck! Dogs and cats can learn to really love each other!

[youthere]

10. Not a clue, but good luck with your new furkid!