# does you gsd like cats?



## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

we have 4 indoor cats and when we adopted sam this was a big worry. how would he get along with them? he has been great thus far. he was a little shy of them at first and of course they were kinda scared of him. now the cats show no fear and act as they do when sam is outside while he is in. we have not left them inside alone for any length of time yet. if he is not bothering them while we are there do you think they would all be ok alone? so far sam seems very friendly with every animal and person he meets. he doesnt even bother the wifes guinea pig but does perk his ears when it squeals but shows no signs that he would bother it.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

how long have the dog and cats been together?
if you're feeling uneasy when you're away from home
keep them seperated during that time. 

only you know when it's time for them to be
together when you're not home.

my dog is fine with cats. there were cats
in his puppy class. 



misplacedsooner said:


> we have 4 indoor cats and when we adopted sam this was a big worry. how would he get along with them? he has been great thus far. he was a little shy of them at first and of course they were kinda scared of him. now the cats show no fear and act as they do when sam is outside while he is in. we have not left them inside alone for any length of time yet. if he is not bothering them while we are there do you think they would all be ok alone? so far sam seems very friendly with every animal and person he meets. he doesnt even bother the wifes guinea pig but does perk his ears when it squeals but shows no signs that he would bother it.


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## IllinoisNative (Feb 2, 2010)

I was blessed with a wonderful temperament...with my dog. What, you thought it was me?

I adopted a cat when my shep/rottie mix was 18 months old. My dog was scared of the cat. My dog doesn't like to share food with other dogs but, when the cat stood in front of his food, he whined to me because he couldn't get it. It was hysterical. The cat I adopted was very dog savy. The dog didn't intimidate him at all...but the dog was scared. I knew they would be fine.

Because of my dog's reaction and the cat's, I never had to leave gates up or get them used to each other. By the end of the week, they were sleeping together. My cat is a snuggler and my dog was too scared to move...lololololol.

It helps that my dog didn't have a kill instinct. He had moderate prey drive but his pack drive was higher. When I took him to the dog park, he would chase the ducks in the water. He would swim out to them...but he would turn around if he got too far from me.

As for your situation, it seems like you are on the right path. At this point, I would probably still supervise for a while longer before leaving them alone together...since it is a rescue dog just to be on the safe side. Good luck!


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## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

not long at all. sam when we got him was an outdoor dog who got to come in at times. since we have had him..3 months approx. he has been great inside. he has made no messes, torn nothing up, gotten into anything other than the cat food,lol.
we really want to make him into an indoor dog as he has the separation issues when we both leave and digs out of the yard then just hangs out in front or goes over to our friends across the street and sits on their porch as thats where he found us before. i am in the process of buying a crate for him on ebay as i dont want him trashing the house or god forbid killing the cats if he gets stressed when we leave. 
thinking about it he did have 20 minutes or so yesteday with being in the house with the cats alone. i was gone to the store and the wife was in the back yard working and she had to have the gate open so she just let him in. all went well but he could see and hear her too. i just dont want to make a mistake here.


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

my dog wants to kill my cat literally. He got in to our garage where my cat lives and chased her around my step dad's antique car at first I thought he was herding her then i realized he wants to kill her. we tried to introduce the two of them twice but each time he's almost bitten her head off. When we walk him and there's cats walking around he goes ballistic and wants to go after them with way too much intensity for my taste. I feel bad about having my cat in the garage 24/7 because before we had dogs she was inside all the time. She doesn't have a a problem with my Border Collies just my GSD. We have to put Dodger outside just to go out to the garage to do laundry or take out the trash it's annoying. I don't care if the cat and the dog don't get along I would just like to be able to go out to my garage without having to put the dog outside every time.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have a GSD and 3 cats. My GSD wants to play with all 3 of them but 2 of them cannot stand him. None of them are afraid of him but the 2 cats that I had before I got my GSD dont find him very amusing. They ignore him and slap him when he gets pushy. My 14 week old kitten and my GSD are the best of friends though. They get along great. He is very gentle with her and she likes it when he licks her. They are so adorable together.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

no, but I am trying to get Jake not to chase her....I hope someday they can be in the same room...


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## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

i guess im so lucky with this. the cats loved our siberians but we fostered a golden retriever for awhile before we got sam and he was great natured but the cats didnt like him at all, our tabby would stalk him.


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## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

I've had Mac for over 2 months and I have kept the cats separated from him from the beginning. At first it was to protect Mac because all 3 cats hissed and clawed at him. He's literally doubled in size and now he barks at them. Is it too late to socialize them? Any ideas on how to start w/o putting the cats in danger?


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## JudynRich (Apr 16, 2010)

Both dogs are good with our two cats...they were both puppies when introduced. My breeder tried to rescue a cat though and it just didn't work since they were adults. The cats at my house are aloof w/ the dogs and tolerate the excesive sniffing.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Jax likes her cats. She also likes the cats at the pet store and will let them rub all over her. Any cat outside, except hers, is fair game to be chased. She doesn't harm them if she catches them...just likes the game.


I think if you put Mac on a leash and make sure he knows his boundaries with the cats that you will be fine. I used Leave It over and over and over and over.... But my cat inside is declawed so he can't defend himself. I think if you let the cats handle part of it he'll learn quite quickly.


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## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

we have a himilayan and siamese that are declawed, the himi is old and stays in our room most of the time. the siamese ran at first but now just goes about his business. our newest cat is a silver persian, he can be meaner than a nest of hornets if he doesnt like something, people are scared of him when they come over after they try to pet his back...only likes his head and neck scratched. at first he ran then turned and hissed at sam, then when he saw sam meant no harm and had no interest in him he chilled and now sam steps right over him with no reaction. that leaves patches, our beloved tabby and by far most outgoing, think alvin of alvin and the chipmonks,lol. he will lay on the back of the chair and play games with sam, lightly batting him as he walks by then just comes down and makes sure he knows what sam is doing at all times and where he is. we feel so lucky that sam is so good natured for an adopted 2 year old that hasnt been nuetered..yet.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Mine is a himi also. It's a good thing he is declawed. I told my Mom "If that cat you gave me gets killed I want you to know he asked for it", as I watched him jump on our youngest Boxer's back and swat the heck out of her.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

My Max HATES cats, just look!!

YouTube - Savannah Cat and his German Shepherd Dog


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## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

what a great vid!!!! yeah, he sure can stand cats huh>>?


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## Basil2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

The cat hates Basil ....Basil loves the cat...dumb cat


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

jakeandrenee said:


> no, but I am trying to get Jake not to chase her....I hope someday they can be in the same room...


I didn't realize that you have a cat. I've always had cats with all of the dogs in my life. I can tell you, the very best chance that they will get along is to let them interact (yes, let Jake chase him!). Even though there is quite a bit of barking and what appears to be too rough stuff happening, they actually work things out generally very nicely with each other. The most important 2 things are; 1, don't interfere!!! Let the mayhem happen, that's how they figure the whole thing out, seriously. It can take several weeks, but almost always works. 2, Do it as soon as possible! Needs to happen while the dog is still very young, like Jake is. 

The worst thing to do is to separate them all the time (interference) as the dog will just get more and more ugly about the cat over time. Then you have a really bad situation that requires constant vigilance and makes for a frustrated dog and petrified cat. I swear, nature takes care of the relationship, you just have to let go and let it happen.

Btw, I would never advocate that with an older or already super prey driven dog!! Jake is at a good age still.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

misplacedsooner said:


> what a great vid!!!! yeah, he sure can stand cats huh>>?


Thanks. That is the result of over six weeks of allowing them to bark and hiss at each other, chase, general mayhem. They get along because Max is young and really just wants to play. Also, because the cat never became an unattainable "lure" for him. I've always used the same "non technique" and have always eventually had harmony in the house.


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## Basil2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

I wish and it's been 3 months but the cat is not liking this at all sleep with the old dog...Cosmo is 13 years and the cat is about 6 years ....sometimes they are all the way...


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Nope. Neither like cats. Molly & Tanner think it is something they chase. Our nieghbor's cat likes to sit on the brick wall and tease all the dogs.


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

Jessiewessie99 said:


> Nope. Neither like cats. Molly & Tanner think it is something they chase. Our nieghbor's cat likes to sit on the brick wall and tease all the dogs.


omg there's two cats that do that when I walk Dodger and he goes NUTS!!!. This black and white cat just sits there in the middle of the street and stares Dodge down and Dodge wants to kill it, if I let him off leash he'd chase it down and more than likely kill it


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## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

we ran across that on our walk last night. a big ol yellow cat was laying on a generator by the library with a mess with me..i dare you look. sam just looked at him and walked by without a hesitation.


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

misplacedsooner said:


> we ran across that on our walk last night. a big ol yellow cat was laying on a generator by the library with a mess with me..i dare you look. sam just looked at him and walked by without a hesitation.


we kinda got him to the point that after he sees the cat after a while he'll ignore it so hopefully he's understanding that chasing the cats is not an option and we can introduce my cat and him. He also likes to chase squirrels.


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## Michael Jones (Jun 2, 2010)

Baron loves our three cats. We have a blind Bengal(5yrs) that we pamper and spoil and Baron is very protective of her. Whenever Baron thinks that Lola, our Bengal, is getting the bad side of a play session with our Maine **** (12yrs), he jumps right in to break it up. The MC just starts slapping on Baron and he plays right back. None of our cats have been de-clawed and it isn't uncommon to see little slashes on Baron's nose. The other cat is a feral rescue Leo (2yrs) that weighs about 18 pounds. The way he brawls reminds me of Relayer's video!! He will let Baron cover his head with his mouth. Actually Baron is so gentle with his mouth that all three have played with him in the same fashion.


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## HandsomeSamson (Jun 7, 2010)

My girlfriend rescued Bella, our female tabby, about five years ago before we were together. We moved in together about two years ago and she grew on me tremendously(the cat that is). When I brought Samson home for the first time I was worried about how she would react. At first, it was horrible. She would hiss and growl at him all the time and even at us when we would try to consule her. As time went on and Samson got bigger and bigger, she got more and more friendly to the point where they play with each other everyday. I guess the point is that in my case, the cat was first and the dog grew up around her...which made for a great relationship. I'm not sure how it would be if it was the other way aruond though.


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## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

very nice pics, i love to see that.


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## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

shilo loves the cats they just dont love her


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Bianca gets along wonderfully with my cats. She lets them walk all over her (almost literally!) Sometimes they land on her by mistake when jumping for a toy and she doesn't care.
They almost treat her like furniture most of the time. If she's lying in the narrow hallway and they decide to play chase, they'll run up and just jump over her-- sometimes landing right in front of her nose. She doesn't even blink.






















(That's Harlequin, she loves to lick!)


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## misplacedsooner (Jun 5, 2010)

wow, just got home from work and the wife had to run somewhere before i got home, i open the door and there is sam greeting me. he had never been left in alone before and immediately im counting cats,lol. all were where they normally would be chilling out...whew!!! then i go looking for a mess of one kind or another and find all is in good order. good boy!!


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Relayer said:


> My Max HATES cats, just look!!
> 
> YouTube - Savannah Cat and his German Shepherd Dog


 
VERY Cute!


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## goatdude (Mar 3, 2009)

My dog likes cats
My last dog liked cats too!
So did the ones before her.

See............. I aint kiddin'


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

HandsomeSamson said:


> My girlfriend rescued Bella, our female tabby, about five years ago before we were together. We moved in together about two years ago and she grew on me tremendously(the cat that is). When I brought Samson home for the first time I was worried about how she would react. At first, it was horrible. She would hiss and growl at him all the time and even at us when we would try to consule her. As time went on and Samson got bigger and bigger, she got more and more friendly to the point where they play with each other everyday. I guess the point is that in my case, the cat was first and the dog grew up around her...which made for a great relationship. I'm not sure how it would be if it was the other way aruond though.


That's so sweet! I love to see cats and dogs as best buds.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Hondo loves cats. He thinks they taste like chicken. Although he's never eaten one.....:wild:


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## jeng0304 (May 1, 2010)

My dog (110lbs) is ruled by my cat (8lbs)

The cat will literally run up to my dog bite him in the feet and run away. Or he will rub up on him for a while and then all of a sudden bite him and run. It is quite comical. The dog just sits there and whines.

My parents have 4 cats- 2 like dogs, the other 2 run. The dog will chase the 2 that run, but has no interest in the two that don't care....


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## goatdude (Mar 3, 2009)

That dog in the pic above in my last post that dog, Randy, was very protective of her food and water. One of our bolder cats would come by and try to steal food. Randy would growl and bare teeth chasing the cat away. Cat tries again and the aggressive display runs a little longer with the cat leaving. This goes on over several months. Eventually the cat figures out this dog is all bark and no bite and from that time on eats the dogs food at will. Randy just sat there seemingly helpless to do anything about it.


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

No - my two GSD's would probably seriously damage a cat if they could get close enough. Both have very high prey drive.
_______________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge


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## SylvieUS (Oct 15, 2009)

Oh dear. Such a timely post thread.

My husky loves the kitters, they love him (2, big orange tomcat from the humane society, tortie runt female siamese, teeny tiny, maybe 6lbs) They all cuddle.

Getting a new and/or rescue-foster GSD on Sunday (depending on how things work out) that has never been exposed to other dogs...or cats. This should be "fun"!


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

Sigurd prey drive is through the roof, I think he would seriously harm or kill a cat if he could. A stray cat comes through our yard once and a while and it's sort of scary. Sigurd freaks the heck out and tries to catch it. It climbed up a tree once and Sigurd sat at the tree barking continuously until I went down to him and brought him in the house.


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## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

Our 3 are fine with our cat, as well as our ducks, chickens, geese, guinea fowl, horses...


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

oh the barking and chasing!!!!!!!!!


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## Kamahi (Feb 27, 2010)

The cat and dogs get along just fine.  The horses don't really appreciate the dogs in "_their_" field though, :laugh:

Tosca thinks the cat is just a big moving toy, and she gets sooo excited when she sees him. I think it's too cute the way she wiggles her whole body and gives him puppy kisses :wub:


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## RubySlippers (Apr 19, 2007)

Ruby likes our cats but mostly she just liked breathing all over them and herding them. Cats dont like it. Ruby you can tell would like to play with them, she boys and stomps her feet at them, but they arent into playing with her. I have no idea how she would do with a stray cat though. I think she might hurt a stray.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

jakeandrenee said:


> oh the barking and chasing!!!!!!!!!


Man... let it rip!!! They'll be best buds!!!! I swear!!!!!!!!! Very cool, if un-nerving at first!


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Molly will act like a ninja sometimes and run up and jump on the wall. Molly has the best reflexes I have seen on a dog.lol


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## Equus5O (Apr 27, 2010)

We brought Axl home from a farm, where there were all sorts of animals including cats. We thought he'd be okay with the house cats and the chickens. He barks at the cats and chases the chickens. I can deal with the cats, and am working on the chicken thing.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Chicagocanine said:


> Bianca gets along wonderfully with my cats. She lets them walk all over her (almost literally!) Sometimes they land on her by mistake when jumping for a toy and she doesn't care.
> They almost treat her like furniture most of the time. If she's lying in the narrow hallway and they decide to play chase, they'll run up and just jump over her-- sometimes landing right in front of her nose. She doesn't even blink.
> 
> 
> ...


That is soooo sweet! Love seeing that.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Equus5O said:


> We brought Axl home from a farm, where there were all sorts of animals including cats. We thought he'd be okay with the house cats and the chickens. He barks at the cats and chases the chickens. I can deal with the cats, and am working on the chicken thing.


Our Max came from a farm... 6 children, a horse, cows, goats... general mayhem!! I'm positive that's why he's such a great little guy. Good stuff!!


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## Brighthorizondogs (May 31, 2010)

Define like....
My mom's giant schnoodle likes cats, he thinks they are tasty. He sees one, he wags his whip of a tail like crazy and tries to go after it. If he is unable to breakfree he will not be able to focus on anything else, even steak. He thinks wild bunnies are tasty too. We caught him once preparing to eat his prey, poor bunny. 

As for my GSD lets call it a love hate relationship. I don't have any cats but she encounters them regularly. She tends to be afraid of them, especially if floofed and hissing, but likes to bark at them and if they run, it is an invitation to chase. At the vet she suddenly realized there was a cat on the bench next to the counter in front of her and she jumped back and started barking. She was startled in that instance. At the pet store she wants to sniff the 2 resident cats that dislike dogs but leaves them alone when told.


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## Brighthorizondogs (May 31, 2010)

Relayer said:


> My Max HATES cats, just look!!
> 
> YouTube - Savannah Cat and his German Shepherd Dog


That's a beautiful kitty. Is it a bengal? I want a bengal some day.


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## Brighthorizondogs (May 31, 2010)

Relayer said:


> I didn't realize that you have a cat. I've always had cats with all of the dogs in my life. I can tell you, the very best chance that they will get along is to let them interact (yes, let Jake chase him!). Even though there is quite a bit of barking and what appears to be too rough stuff happening, they actually work things out generally very nicely with each other. The most important 2 things are; 1, don't interfere!!! Let the mayhem happen, that's how they figure the whole thing out, seriously. It can take several weeks, but almost always works. 2, Do it as soon as possible! Needs to happen while the dog is still very young, like Jake is.
> 
> The worst thing to do is to separate them all the time (interference) as the dog will just get more and more ugly about the cat over time. Then you have a really bad situation that requires constant vigilance and makes for a frustrated dog and petrified cat. I swear, nature takes care of the relationship, you just have to let go and let it happen.
> 
> Btw, I would never advocate that with an older or already super prey driven dog!! Jake is at a good age still.


If you are going to try it with introducing them I'd suggest teaching the dog to wear a muzzle for the kitty's safety. If the dog gets claws then it is their own fault for trying to kill the kitty. He doesn't need to defend himself. Usually a well placed scratch teaches them to be careful in the future, kitties are pricky. Warning be prepared, noses bleed considerably when scratched. I wonder if dipping the kitty's paws in sanitizer would kill and bacteria on there so infection wouldn't be as much of a concern as it sounds like the cat might get him good. You might want to keep him on a leash when attempting this too. You also may get scratched. A water bottle it a good tool too. usually neither the cat or dog like being sprayed in the face.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Brighthorizondogs said:


> That's a beautiful kitty. Is it a bengal? I want a bengal some day.


Not a bengal, he's a savannah.


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## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

Brighthorizondogs said:


> If you are going to try it with introducing them I'd suggest teaching the dog to wear a muzzle for the kitty's safety. If the dog gets claws then it is their own fault for trying to kill the kitty. He doesn't need to defend himself. Usually a well placed scratch teaches them to be careful in the future, kitties are pricky. Warning be prepared, noses bleed considerably when scratched. I wonder if dipping the kitty's paws in sanitizer would kill and bacteria on there so infection wouldn't be as much of a concern as it sounds like the cat might get him good. You might want to keep him on a leash when attempting this too. You also may get scratched. A water bottle it a good tool too. usually neither the cat or dog like being sprayed in the face.


They've been introduced for a couple of months and the cat doesn't have front claws. Also the dog is still a very young pup. I really don't think that any extraordinary precautions are needed in this case. My cat has his claws, but almost never uses them. He just bats the dog with the pads of his paws, but he'll give him a firm little nip (bite), if he gets out of line. The cat has trained the pup nearly perfectly and naturally.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Molly likes Texas (Tabby) and Texas tolerates her until she gets a lil bit too puppyish and silly then the claws come out. Paris hates Molly with a passion and will run. I think she likes being chased so that way Molly will get in trouble...evil cat! This is the one and only time all 3 were close. Molly was about 3 months then .....


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Chicagocanine said:


> Bianca gets along wonderfully with my cats. She lets them walk all over her (almost literally!) Sometimes they land on her by mistake when jumping for a toy and she doesn't care.
> They almost treat her like furniture most of the time. If she's lying in the narrow hallway and they decide to play chase, they'll run up and just jump over her-- sometimes landing right in front of her nose. She doesn't even blink.
> 
> 
> ...


OMG they are just the sweetest pics! I love Bianca


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## srfd44-2 (May 20, 2004)

Kai has to..... he lives with 4


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## Clay (Apr 2, 2010)

Yes! He absolutely loves cats better than his Taste of the Wild dog food. Just kidding. He hasn't had an experience with a cat, yet.


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## Brighthorizondogs (May 31, 2010)

Relayer said:


> They've been introduced for a couple of months and the cat doesn't have front claws. Also the dog is still a very young pup. I really don't think that any extraordinary precautions are needed in this case. My cat has his claws, but almost never uses them. He just bats the dog with the pads of his paws, but he'll give him a firm little nip (bite), if he gets out of line. The cat has trained the pup nearly perfectly and naturally.


 Sorry I was getting your reply confused with being for the person with the garage kitty whose dog wants to kill it. If I had a cat and dog and the dog was a serious risk to the cat like that I would work hard to try to introduce but if it couldn't be done, one would find a new home in a more appropriate situation. I've had a border collie boarding with me for 6 months and I have been unable to introduce him to the other male dog in the house. He attacked the other too many times and now our friendly boy acts aggressively towards him, including fence fighting. So they must be 100% separate. He also tried to take on my friend's 89lbs GSD. They started fighting and she pulled her dog away and the little guy kept going at it. He's only 32lbs. It was tempting to let the GSD squish him like a bug. If he were mine, he would have found a new home a long time ago in a home with submissive males or females only. He is so unpredictable with male dogs that I walk him muzzled so he can't bite. He bit my mom's 80lbs schnoodle on the nose already so i'm not taking the chance. He was just neutered so hopefully that will help. I can't wait for him to be able to go home. Since we have to keep them separated when inside the border collie must stay in his crate most of the time and when out only has a small area with no contact with the other dog. We have a separate outside kennel that he goes in during the day. He misses out since he is the troublemaker and we don't want to take a risk that the other will get out and have a huge fight.


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## Hercules (Aug 1, 2010)

haha I was at petco the first time Zeus and Juno saw cats. Juno got into a play stance but Zeus let out the scariest growl I have ever heard coming from a dog (and I've been attacked by dogs before), started barking, and tried to drag me into the cat adoption area even with a prong collar on.


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## stephyjohnson4 (Dec 17, 2013)

My dog and cats actually get along. They would give each other stare downs once in a while, but not much barking. Maybe because they grew up around the same time in the house.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

she likes her cat KAT but i never see her interact on a personal level with other cats

SHE DOES NOT LIKE CATS IN THE YARD!!!! But its dark and she might not know what it is even could just be another **** mink or fox.


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## Tankin (Feb 7, 2012)

Tank and my cat get along just fine. Most of the time they rough house with each other, usually with the cat being the aggressor. Sometimes Tank will put cats head in his mouth, but never bites down. They've gotten to the point that the cat will clean out his ears when he's laying down. Cat was an adult when we got Tank, so he was a bit afraid of him at the beginning.


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## Mishka&Milo (Jan 4, 2014)

Our 8 week old girl loves our cat. They play together every day. 


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## LifeofRiley (Oct 20, 2011)

Yes, Riley loves the cat. They play together and sleep together. 

My experience with my last foster dog was an eye-opener to me in terms of how my dog feels about the cat. It turns out, that Riley sees the cat as his fellow pack member more than a foster dog. 

The cat was not very happy about the new foster dog, even though the foster dog was not acting at all aggressively toward the cat - in fact she was great in being very cautious with the cat. But, if the cat hissed at the foster dog, Riley (my dog) was right there to herd the foster dog away and body block the foster dog from coming too close to "his cat..." no matter how long he had to stand there.

While there might have been some resource guarding going on, I still did not correct Riley for his behavior of inserting himself between the cat and foster dog when the cat was uncomfortable.

I have to admit I found Riley's behavior interesting to observe as the foster dog was the first foster dog I have had since fostering and adopting my cat.


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## Tmurray (May 23, 2013)

Rylies and Isabella's morning ritual is playing on Mom and Dads bed. 



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## Tiffseagles (May 12, 2010)

My dog was not raised with cats. He thinks they smell funny but is not outright aggressive. 

I don't believe in leaving dogs and cats together unsupervised (I don't even like leaving dogs together unsupervised).


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

years ago, i had a gsd with his own cat. couldn't keep them separated. nothing like seeing a gsd growling at the door with his trusty side kick cat growling with him.


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## Ava_Shepsky (Aug 29, 2013)

She loves cats but still a little too playful for our cat and gets a smack every now and then.


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## FuzzButtMum (Mar 17, 2014)

I'm introducing our pup to our cats next week.....so I HOPE they get along

:help: :crazy:


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## LoveDogs (Feb 3, 2014)

My last GSD and cat were the best of friends. The cat would sleep on him, act like she was nursing on the back of his neck. It was a special relationship. When he was put down she was so lost. Now with our new puppy, initially the cat avoided the dog. Then she gradually came closer to him and would hiss at him then run away. Now they play together. Last night they were sleeping next to one another.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

these two over here need to get a room.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

DCluver33 said:


> my dog wants to kill my cat literally. He got in to our garage where my cat lives and chased her around my step dad's antique car at first I thought he was herding her then i realized he wants to kill her. we tried to introduce the two of them twice but each time he's almost bitten her head off. When we walk him and there's cats walking around he goes ballistic and wants to go after them with way too much intensity for my taste. I feel bad about having my cat in the garage 24/7 because before we had dogs she was inside all the time. She doesn't have a a problem with my Border Collies just my GSD. We have to put Dodger outside just to go out to the garage to do laundry or take out the trash it's annoying. I don't care if the cat and the dog don't get along I would just like to be able to go out to my garage without having to put the dog outside every time.


 Some good advise here:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/132410-introducing-shepherd-cats.html

You should be able to tell your dog to "stay" and if he moves toward the cat correct him hard. At this point that most likely won't work becasue you have shown your dog you can't control him and the cat knows the dog is "unstable" so the cat won't go near him!

I'm sure the guy that does "My Cat from ****" has some long drawn out procedure for reintroducing them.

Me if I ever let it get to this point, which would not happen. I'd fit the dog with an e collar and light his buttt up like a christmas tree if he made a move toward the cat! I don't play!

If you can't solve it manually find a qualified trainer or keep the cat in the garage.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

misplacedsooner said:


> we have 4 indoor cats and when we adopted sam this was a big worry. how would he get along with them? he has been great thus far. he was a little shy of them at first and of course they were kinda scared of him. now the cats show no fear and act as they do when sam is outside while he is in. we have not left them inside alone for any length of time yet. if he is not bothering them while we are there do you think they would all be ok alone? so far sam seems very friendly with every animal and person he meets. he doesnt even bother the wifes guinea pig but does perk his ears when it squeals but shows no signs that he would bother it.


It sounds like you have no need to worry. Just build up the time you leave him alone. It sounds like this dog mostly grew up around cats.

If you have a vet that has kitties in cages in the showroom, you can test him there, just take him in and see if he has any reaction to the cats at all?
Then you'll have your answer!


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

I'm sorry I usually say I'm not an expert but in cat dog intros apparently I am! Some of the advice in this thread is just flat "INSANE" no responsible person would ever advocate letting a cat and dog work out their issues!

My background is cat rescue also way before dogs, I have had to 16 cats and three dogs living together for more than 12 years. In all that time I have "never" had a single cat/dog encounter!

My guys know the rules cats are off limit period, end of story. My dogs and cats interact all the time they sleep together and the cats head butt and groom the dogs.

A properly cat conditioned dog does not even "perceive" cats in the environment. They don't see them on walks or sitting on fences, cats are a non entity. Right now I have a "strange'" cat coming into the yard to eat. He's seen Rocky on occasion and the only way I knew the cat was there was because "I" saw him!

This is in the link I posted but here it is again:
Leerburg | Introducing Dogs or Puppies into Homes with Cats

Just saying.


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## gavykat (May 6, 2014)

Khaleesi is actually a little scared of cats. Between my mom's two cats stalking her as a pup and my neighbor's tough guy taking ZERO BS from her, she has developed a healthy respect for felines.


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## Ellimaybel (Mar 16, 2014)

Gunther is kind of scared of Fuzzy but wants to play with him. Another great moment I missed was Fuzzy chasing him down the hall and Gunther hiding from him while Fuzzy stalked him. He LOVES Cleo. She acts like she doesn't feel it back but when it's bed time she cuddles up to him. It's so adorable when a storm hits. She's scared and Gunther tries to reassure her.


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## AnyaGSD (May 22, 2014)

Anya desperately wants to play with our 2 older cats. The cats don't seem to feel the same way. They are declawed, but hit her quite regularly and lots of hissing. Anya thinks its all play and not defense. We end up with lots of "leave it" shouts


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

As an appetizer ???

SuperG


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## jafo220 (Mar 16, 2013)

No.


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## Sarah~ (Apr 30, 2012)

SuperG said:


> As an appetizer ???


LOL I was going to say "as a snack!"


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I took a great time to introduce below and the kitty cat... Very much is supervised activity. Now he respects her they hang out together very well. Beau has always had a lot of prey drive for the ball. But I swear words to drive for small animals when he was a little puppy. I took him into a chicken coop and we hung out with chickens and he was not allowed to chase the chickens but I had to wait and we played with a toy and did all kinds of things like that. I kept him on leash around the cat until I was comfortable and that was probably two months

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

Sarah~ said:


> LOL I was going to say "as a snack!"


Grilled with bbq sauce  (THEIR preference, nothing at all to do with me  )


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## Wicked Seraphim (May 17, 2014)

I got very lucky with both of my GSD's, both were/are fantastic with my kitties.

My boy, who recently passed, was quietly accepting of them, and a little intimidated by the Savannahs (I have 5 of them and 2 Burmese). My girl loves all of the kitties, except my big F-2 but it's not for lack of trying. It's because Sarafina the sassy Savannah wants to and will try to beat up anything that isn't me. My vet always tells me she's gonna order a set of body armor special to wear just for when Sara visits 

When the cats head butt Pele (my girl GSD) or even roll over her face..or..and they do this all the time, weasal in on her food, she let's them. She cuddles with, puts a paw over them.. they're good friends. I never worry one bit she'd ever hurt any of them, even Sara when she is being rude.


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## A girl and her dog (Jan 25, 2014)

Nonny LOVES his cat, Phineas. So much so that he wants to play with him every time he sees him. I was okay with letting them work it out on their own b/c I know our cat's temperament and Nonny was just a little pup. That cat is a tough SOB that has a high tolerance for pain. He used to tackle my daughter when she would run through the house... and off they went running back and forth, tackling and giggling. I knew he wasn't hurting her. I also know how rough he can play; I had to quit playing ahnd-wresting games with him b/c he'd get too rough. So, I knew he'd let Nonny know what the boundaries are. 

A few yelps here and there out of Nonny (who was the aggressor in the games), and I knew all would be fine. The biggest problem is that Nonny won't leave him alone! He wants to play with Phin any time he sees him. Last night, I just let them be and didn't intervene, and eventually Phin just laid down on the floor all spread out and Nonny laid, alert and on his belly, right next to him still begging to play but not mauling him with kisses and excited paws. Another time, Phin was all puffed up at the neighbor's cat and Nonny spotted him and wanted to play. Phin tore him UP for that. Yelps were abundant and I did not stop it. He's got to learn what the boundaries are!

We do have a problem outside though. Cats are a trance-trigger for him and it takes a LOT for me to break his attention to them on walks. We're working on it though. 

My other dog is a Chi-mix and he also loves his cat, Phin. They were buddies before Nonny came into the picture. They would sleep next to each other and play together. 

The chicken is a whole other story! Nonny cannot leave the chicken alone and has ripped feathers and broken skin twice on her. That poor chicken has survived every single predator that has come in the yard, an attack from a pit-mix, and the brink of death from an illness this past winter. Even the Chi leaves the hen alone. Heck, the CAT doesn't even mess with the hen. Nonny just doesn't get it and sometimes doesn't know when to stop.


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## Steve K (Jun 18, 2014)

Legend likes all four of our cats but he and Max get along really well...


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