# Cat aggression help needed



## YNPNan (Nov 15, 2013)

I'm new to this board so forgive me if I do something wrong...
I have 2 wonderful GSDs, a 2 1/2 yr spayed female, Madison and 4 1/2 year old neutured male, Hayden. Both love the cat and are very gentle with him. 

Now we have a 6 month old intact male, Jackson. He was rescued off the street in an industrial area by my husband. He is super sweet, knows his basic commands, and aside from being thin he is in excellent health. All 3 dogs get along wonderfully.

Enter the cat.... he is 5 1/2, only lives indoors, and is declawed. He was also a rescue but we've had him since he was a Kitten. Jackson has a total freak out when he sees him and will chase him down. I am so afraid that he will really hurt my cat. I've had 4 GSDs and none of them have reacted to a cat the way he does.:help:

I do not want to give him up but I don't know how to get him to tolerate the cat and leave him alone. 

Help!


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## Harry and Lola (Oct 26, 2013)

Jackson being only 6 months and goodness knows what he went through on the streets. Sounds like his prey drive is really high and the cat is just too much for him. Probably good for Jackson that the cat is de-clawed but not good for your cat. The only advice I can think of is to put Jackson on lead when he is around the cat or if that is not going to work then to allow the cat his own room where he can sleep safely and give Jackson some training in that room for about 5 or 10 minutes a day, on lead and with treats as a reward.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Redirection and lots of it. Midnite was about 9 months old when I got him and he never seen a cat. I have several cats and even to this day there is one that hisses/growls and it doesn't sit well with Midnite. He would be fine with that cat otherwise. He will chase them if they are already in motion and moving quickly. I tell him to get his ball and he leaves them alone. I come home and find them sleeping together all the time.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Please keep Jackson on a leash until you can train him to behave around the cat. And please keep them separate while you are away from home. There are people on this board whose dogs have killed their cats. I myself have a dog and two cats but my current dog is not cat aggressive. My dog Kai was not good with my cat Cleo and I kept the two separated or Kai leashed when they were in the room together.


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## YNPNan (Nov 15, 2013)

I've been keeping them separate all the time with only short time with Jackson in his kennel and Kitty loose. Never, ever together. Sucks because I would like to see my cat again! Keep the suggestions coming!


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

Make sure the cat always ALWAYS has a place he can escape to where Jackson cannot follow. Since Jackson is young, I'd work on his obedience when the cat isn't around, and then slowly allow the cat to be in sight while you continue to work him. Very slowly, over time, allow the cat to be closer as you work. Once your pup has some more control over his impulsiveness, he'll probably be able to refrain from chasing kitty.


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## Segeine (Jan 30, 2013)

I have a similar issue - Lexus is nearly a year old, and when there is a cat nearby, he just wants to sniff, chase and sort of paw at/ step on it. He seems to have NO thought of hurting the cat, as he's had a few opportunities at the door. 
On one of the cat's part, she torments him so!! she sits on the other side of the gate, either on the floor or on the piano that is RIGHT THERE, next to the gate and she just stares right at Lexus, who whines and trembles, but does nothing. She will get on the top of the gate and just stand there while he pesters her, until she gets tired of it and dashes across the room or jumps up on the counter (ugh!). She will eat his food and look at him while she does it, and he lets her.
It wouldn't be so much of an issue, except when she decides to run and jump on something, stuff goes crashing to the floor, what with the fleeing cat and the overexcited GSD trying to follow her.
Any ideas?


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

I feel sorry for ca declawed cat living with 3 gsds??? anyone else kinda think this could be stressful on a cat with no claws? How is the cat going to get away from them? Usually cats use their claws to make a point.

ALso your other gsd's dont correct the pup for going after the cat? when i baby sat a pup a long time ago my female did not let the pup near the cat, she baby sat him and made sure he stayed away from the cat.



She didnt think it would be a good mix.


But if your cat is declawed I dont see how its going to defend itself. Its going to get picked on when your not looking. Then it will crap all over your house.


When they have their claws they will hide under bed and behind things and claw the crap out of a bad dog. Or they jump up on high objects and will wack the dogs face. They dont play fair which gives them a good advantage over dogs. If the wack feels soft and not painful the dog may think its a chew toy.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I have no problem with declawed cats....many times it is a choice between the shelter and declawing due to the destructiveness of the cat! I remember when a farmers wife brought in a barn cat to spay...it had been dumped, had a couple of litters and the wife really really liked the cat and did not want to have kittens overrunning the farm....the cat had been there at least 2 years, living in a barn, hunting and killing mice and rates. The cat was declawed. They adapt, and they survive declawing. 

The dog needs some tough love, he needs to understand very very very clearly the cat is OFF LIMITS. He may need some physical correction - a prong or an e collar....I think that often redirection is NOT clear enough when a dog is in a high state of drive....I had one dog who would NOT let the cats alone...he fussed, he paced, he whined - crated or loose...the cats have a whole room that the dogs cannot get to and he spent over a year obsessing about the cats. Nothing deterred him or broke through that drive, it got worse as he got older. I ended up selling him after a year and a half of this....I hated keeping him kenneled and crated and and this was the issue that sealed that decision. Other dogs will chase moving cats - I saw a cat run by and through an open Komet mouth this morning! Open....and the same cat will lie beside him and sleep. 

It has to be black and white. Verbal correction with physical reinforcement if that is not clear enough.

Lee


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/aggression-good-bad-ugly/170990-nipped-kitty.html
I had a real hard time convincing Kiya not to kill the kitty in the story above. It took about 6 months to work out. I found having her on leash made her more aggressive toward the cat. Unfortunately a declawed cat can't teach a dog to back off with no claws. Hopefully you can get some ideas from my previous post.


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## janr (Sep 10, 2013)

*Cat aggression*

I know this is an older post but just wanted to put my two cents in. Yesterday our two dogs mauled and killed our cat while were were gone. This was very unexpected as we've had had the cat with the dogs for over 6 years with little problem other than the cat being skittish around the dogs but yesterday the cat slipped into the house while we were leaving. It was a gruesome scene and now most of the family is concerned that the dogs are now agressive and will attack children as well. 

Please, if the cats are uncomfortable around the dog or the dog looks at the cat as prey then take precautions. In my experience I would never truely trust the dog around cats without supervision


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## Daisy (Jan 4, 2009)

Same problem here, I hope you find a solution. We were recently given an older WL GSD and I don't know if it is because he doesn't know what cats are or is thrown into prey drive when he sees them, but he goes ape and his bark becomes vicious. They cannot come out of their safe space when he is out. I kennel him periodically so they can move around the entire house. Small house, so causes lots of stress.

Usually after a cat puts a dog in its place, they settle together and can become friends. When this dog was hissed at during an introduction, he went into defense mode and wanted to kill the cat. His look even changes when he locks in on them. My other GSD has no issues with my cats.


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## TheJakel (May 2, 2013)

Would a "dominant" dog / slip collar be a good use here? I don't have a cat I'm just tired of my dog going nuts every time one walks past the screen door. Should I use his prong ? Or the above mentioned? I feel the prong will increase his drive.
Redirection isn't an option here with out the prong


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## bob_barker (Dec 31, 2013)

I'm having the same issue with Bob (6.5 months).
I've had Bob since 8 weeks of age. He gets along amazing with my one cat, they play and sleep together all the time. My other cat and him on the other hand ..yikes... What a headache!!! 
Bruce (cat), does not like Bob, and will antagonize him, but sauntering in front of him, so Bob goes up to play with him and of course Bruce runs and hisses and growls. Bob would never do anything, when he catches up to him he just stands and stares. 
But it drives me INSANE!!! The constant chasing! And if he's not chasing he is obsessed with watching him! 

All these tips are so helpful! Glad to hear I'm not alone on this one! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Maybe it's just me but I'd straight up punish prey aggression. IF it is indeed prey aggression. Need a video to be sure. If so put an e collar on him and when he goes for the cat blast him without saying anything. He will learn the cat has magical powers and is not to be trifled with. When he is not where you can watch him or directly supervise him he needs to be in a crate.


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## TwoBigEars (May 11, 2013)

I agree with Baillif. Not everyone likes e-collars, personally I have no problem with them. And especially given the choice between e-collar and dead cat, well. Shouldn't take long for the dog to learn to leave the cat alone. Check out Lou Castle's crittering protocol.

I have two GSDs and a cat and have never had issues. The only time they get interested in the cat is when she's in one of those "crazy cat running around the house" moods, and it's easy to redirect them away from her.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Already been stated but you control the dog not the cat. You should be able to tell the dog down and stay! The cat should be free to move about the room freely. If the dog moves you correct him hard! He needs to no "chasing" the cat is no acceptable,ever, period end of story!

I have lived with up to 15 cats and three dogs for over ten years! And in all that time no dog has ever chased a single cat! Here's a thread:


http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/132410-introducing-shepherd-cats-fliNo a

No affiliation but I like the photo, my dogs will do this!
About Us Puppy Dog Training Professional Animal Dog Behaviorist Trainer


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