# How to introduce a GSD to a cat?



## sprzybyl (May 15, 2008)

I do not own a cat, but most of my sisters do... besides about 9 months living with my sister (and her kitten) in an apt and family visits, I really don't have much experience with cats in general. However, my niece just rescued a 1 year old cat that she is excited to take home.

Riley is almost 11 months old and has very little experience with cats... I'm wondering how to go about introducing her to the new cat since I take her almost everywhere and I am sure the introductions will happen sooner than later.

Riley's had experiences with two cats (sort of): One when she was 4 months old and met my sister Emily's moody cat. The cat hissed at her from behind the couch cushion and Riley was convinced it was the cushion! She never even met the cat (that's fine because that cat can be mean)

She's been over this niece's house who also owns an older cat, but he stayed away from her so I don't know if she even realized he was there. (He's old so we didn't want to bother him with the crazy puppy).

That being said, I don't even know if she has ever really seen one. I know first action will be to take her for a long walk so she is tired. The cat is well adjusted to dogs and other animals in general (goats, birds, other cats, etc) and has a fantastic personality... Riley will usually try to initate play with anything that has feet (lol)


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

You introduce them very carefully!!

Kidding aside it can be a challenge - it's one of those "it depends" issues. There are dogs that are true cat killers. And there are some VERY nasty cats. We have always had a combination of cats & GSDs. We have never had what I would call a cat aggressive GSD. By the same token we have not had an aggressive cat. 

HOWEVER! That only goes so far. When our crew are all in the house they get along fairly well, sometimes even sleeping together. Outdoors is a different story. Prey drive kicks in and the cats become fair game. The dogs have never hurt the cats but they often catch them and pin them down only to let them go. IMHO I think our dogs are very capable of doing great harm to the cats but because of their temperaments there is a peaceful co-existence.

Hope that was a little helpful.














(snowing like mad here today)


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I usually start by having the cats in a separate room. If the dog is too interested I stay at that point for a while until the dog loses interest. The next thing I do is have the dog on leash and let them meet the cat with the cat on the other side of a baby gate. If that goes well and the dog is not overly focused on the cat, I move up to having the dog on a leash with the cat on the other side of the room, and so on.


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## sprzybyl (May 15, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: EJQYou introduce them very carefully!!
> 
> Kidding aside it can be a challenge - it's one of those "it depends" issues. There are dogs that are true cat killers. And there are some VERY nasty cats. We have always had a combination of cats & GSDs. We have never had what I would call a cat aggressive GSD. By the same token we have not had an aggressive cat.
> 
> ...


LOL so many unknowns... good to hear your experience. My niece's older cat lives with a Vizla but that dog is just a lump of loving and wouldn't harm a fly (except if it were dead already he might eat it...) so he's no help! 

I would like to think there wouldn't be a problem and that Riley is an angel... but I know better to assume!


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## sprzybyl (May 15, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: ChicagocanineI usually start by having the cats in a separate room. If the dog is too interested I stay at that point for a while until the dog loses interest. The next thing I do is have the dog on leash and let them meet the cat with the cat on the other side of a baby gate. If that goes well and the dog is not overly focused on the cat, I move up to having the dog on a leash with the cat on the other side of the room, and so on.


THANKS!!! very helpful. My sisters have introduced cats in a similar way, now that I think about it... started by having them in separate rooms and pawing at eachother under the door... then a baby gate, etc. 

PS My niece's older cat is a 13 year old Black Norwegian Forrest Cat/ Maine ****. (We call him a "puppy cat" since he's so huge!)


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## Karin (Jan 4, 2008)

Just make sure that the first cat you introduce him to is a nice, mellow cat. We introduced Heidi to my sister's cat and she came up to the cat wagging her tail (obviously, she had never met a cat before). Well, the cat hissed at, batted at, and charged Heidi, so ever since then Heidi hates all cats. I could kick myself for ever trying to get the two of them together. I didn't realize that the cat would act that way towards Heidi--she's very nice with people.

Good luck!


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## weber1b (Nov 30, 2008)

We are introducing our newest GSD to the cats. The challenge is is that he is interested in them from a puppy play standpoint, but he is large as he is a year old. He won't take the clawless slap as a no, so the cats have retreated. He held them in his view while he was in the crate so that he got the idea they were part of our pack too so the danger aspect was removed. Now it's just gradually getting him less interested and them to understand he won't hurt them. We are at it now for two weeks and we are getting closer each day. We make sure everytime he goes out for a walk or is in the crate that the cats are brought down from the refuge of the second floor to get food water and use the box. He has gone nose to nose with one of them each of the last two days and the cat has not run and he has not pushed it. The cat growled and held it's ground. Max then turned away. I think in about two more weeks we should have complete equilibrium. It is just a gradual process sometimes.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: sprzybyl
> 
> 
> Chicagocanine said:
> ...


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