# Our cats all hate the dog



## GermanPrinceHero (Feb 13, 2010)

Had 2 cats, one for 11 years, the other for 8 years before we got Prince a year and a half ago. Prince does not try to hurt or bite them. He just likes to chase them and sniff them if he catches them, but they can't stand the sight of him. Our older cat (Franny) hides under the bed all day and comes out at night when Prince is in his crate. The younger cat (Molly) stayed between the downstairs basement, garage are and outside until recently when we took on a 3rd cat. My 17 yo daughter moved in a couple months ago and brought her cat Jasper. Jasper is a more aggressive male cat, so Molly got pushed out of her space. I don't think Jasper was aggressive with her, she was more of the aggressor, but she likes her space and no longer had it without having to share. She was hanging around outside and would come in once in a while when she thought it was clear. 
We left for the lake for a couple days last weekend, came back on Sunday and we have not seen her since (3 days) I'm afraid she's gone for good. This was her home, raised from a tiny kitten to 9 years old. I hope she comes back, but I'm afraid she won't. She has never been gone for more than a few hours. If she does come back, any suggestions on how to handle the territory issues to make her feel like this is still her home?


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## GermanPrinceHero (Feb 13, 2010)

Didn't hear from anyone. Doesn't matter, she came back. For a few minutes anyway. The neighbor (who loves her) say's she has been around there a lot lately. We are puting food outside for her now. I hope she comes around to being back in the house again. I guess she is shunning us for getting another cat. I imagine that Prince will calm down enough to where he just ingnores the cats some day. Hopefully everything will go back to normal and the cats can have run of the house again with no territory issues.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

since Jasper is the intruder so to speak, can't you confine him to your daughter's room? 

Molly was there first, sounds like she's being chased out of her own home I would also set up a room just for the cats, use a baby gate leaving space under it so the cats can have a safe place to escape from the dog pestering them..

Outside cats, don't have much of a chance, they are good game for coyotes/fishers and other wild animals..Hope you can come up with a resolution.


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## heatherr (Jun 5, 2010)

Poor Miss Molly!

If she is going outside I certainly hope she is spayed. I also agree, and would keep Jasper in your daughter's room.

My cats were in the house first and sleep with my every night. My new pup does not go into the basement with their boxes and doesn't go upstairs unless it is time for a bath. They are all getting along better, and I hope that one day I'll be able to have all three in my room at night, but until then crate in the living room...


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Molly sounds a bit like my Misty. She's 10, she was a ferrel kitten, only about 7 weeks old when we adopted her, all she did was hiss & spit at me. She warmed up over the years, but she's still very skitish. As long as she doesn't run from Lakota (6months old) they can get close, rub noses and such. But the second she runs, Lakota chases her, and she'll go behind the couch. I try to correct the pup and distract her. Well as if having to deal with the puppy wasn't bad enough, we had the a/c on for about 2 weeks straight. She won't come in the house when the a/c is on. Finally she started coming in to eat, but would sit infront of the door meowing to get out as soon as she ate. I felt really bad for her. We turned off the a/c a few days ago and now she's much happier and she's sleeping in the house. There was a time she did a disappearing act for a few days, but she came back. My older cat is about 17 now, he's trained enough puppies in his life and he doesn't run so I don't have a problem with him.


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## GermanPrinceHero (Feb 13, 2010)

Yes, she is spayed. We do have a gate up that keeps Prince from coming downstairs (finished basement and garage area) There is plenty of room there for the cats down there, but Molly does not want to come in because of the other cat. Both of them (Molly and Jasper) are indoor/outdoor cats and both have always had the freedom to come and go. Molly was pushed out of the upstair (by her choice) from the dog and now completely out of the house because of the new cat. Bottom line is, she just needs to adjust and learn how to share space. I am thinking of bringing her in the house for a couple weeks and taking away her outside option, forcing her to get used to being around the other animals. We have to do something before winter. Or maybe winter will force her to live with it on her own?


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## GermanPrinceHero (Feb 13, 2010)

The problem with keeping Jasper in my daughters room is that is where the exit is for them both to come in and out. I don't know what to do yet. The garage does have a regular door. Maybe I'll install a kitty door on it too?


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## Shadow's mum (Mar 13, 2010)

Can you put in an outdoor cat run? Maybe then you could rotate the cats, they could each take turns either in the house or in the run. That way they are all safe.


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## lucyindaski (Aug 10, 2008)

*Cats and GSD*

Similar situation here, with a geriatric cat and two active BIG German Shepherds. Hate/love is not the issue, safety is. My vet told me that a cat can live happily in a small area, where dogs can't. My solution is a gate that confines the cat and keeps the dogs out. Early on, if they got too interested in the cat area, I would spray their nose with water from a sprayer bottle. That made the cat area a lot less interesting. They could easily jump over the gate but don't. Cat is fine. Cats outside are at the mercy of other animals and illnesses. They deserve a safe environment--and other cats seem to be putting the stress level over the top. Good luck.


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## GermanPrinceHero (Feb 13, 2010)

I'm not going to argue about the cat outside issue that so many have brought up except that on a case by case basis, situations and condition vary and I feel that some people should refrain from passing judgement before facts are known. Such as, we have a fenced in yard with a 6' tall wood fence that the cats have for refuge if any danger does come and we live in a quiet, safe suburban neighborhood where we have had FIXED cats (alive and deceased) that have roamed safely without incident for over 12 years.
As far as Molly goes. She decided that this was her home and found a way to adjust. She is now occupying the upstairs. I guess she decided it is better to live with the dog, rather than deal with the new cat in the house that occupies the downstairs. She has been home and in the house steady for a week now without a desire to go outside in the heat. This is a good chance for Prince to be around cats and learn to ignore them instead of chasing them, which seems to be working out well


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I'm glad that Molly is back in the house with you. I had a similar situation and had to rehome the new cat because my resident cat couldn't adjust to having another cat in the house and ended up getting very ill from the stress. She has adjusted to all of my dogs but there have been dogs who have spent time crated during the day/evening so that I could spend quality time with the cat. I also work hard to train my dogs not to to chase the cat even if that means the dogs spends a lot of time on leash in the house.


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## jsherry (Nov 19, 2004)

I have a 6 yr old GSD. The cat is fine provided he does not run because Panzer wants to play chase w/him. He wouldn't hurt the cat, however, from the cat's perspective a 100lb dog running after him is pretty scary. If only I could convince the cat not to run. That would be like calling the cat and having him come everytime


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