# Cat in the family!



## GabbyBond (Dec 1, 2006)

We added a cat to our family! Welcome Archimedes (Archie for short)

Sorry if this is long, but I just wanted to share as Bond has always chased cats in a very high drive prey mode. Bond came from a rescue and we were told he was cat aggressive because he barked at his foster homes cats. We've had Bond for almost 2 years now and have worked hard on obedience and leadership (us of course!).. We worked very hard to make this work and it turned out beautifully...

My bf and I are both mathematicians, hence the name, and Bond name is after a mathematician too who taught (and has a Hall named after him) at our alma mater, Western Washington Univerisity. 

It took us 3 weeks to get Bond to accept Archie as part of our family...

Week one Bond was in his kennel and we let Archie out of the temporary cat room into the room with Bond. If Bond barked or made noise, the cat was ushered out...he quickly understood that if he was quiet and behaved, he could see the cat! 

We also taught him "Cat" to mean look at us and ye shall be rewarded with a tasty hot dog treat! We were afraid he would infer that cats taste like hot dogs, but instead he would just start drooling if we said the word cat. This was only used if and when he looked or became too interested in the cat.

My BF Matt stands by with hotdogs!(ignore the cats timely pose)










Archie is not scared of dogs (he was the test cat at the humane society!) And he spent much of his time laying next to the kennel, or on top of it innocently reaching his paws in and batting at 
Bond. 










You should have seen the look on Bonds face as the cat touched him and he knew he wasn't supposed to react! Too funny!!!










At night, we would swap the cat and dog blanket so that they each slept with one anothers scent at night.

After about 10 days, we let Bond out of the kennel, on leash with a muzzle. It was apparent he was more focused on the muzzle than the cat, so after 2 days, it was no more muzzle! Bond was so happy, he was allowed to sniff the cat, but not obsess or track it.

Week 3 we let Bond drag his leash around the house and play with the cat, he did so great! Even when the cat would attack his legs or tail Bond would just look at us like "What's his problem!??"

Needless to say, we finally gave him normal access to the house and cat. They are fast friends. They play like any normal dog and cat would, and so far Bond has not taken it too far as far as roughness....if anything it's always Archie we're reprimanding! 

We do lock the cat up in a room if we leave them both at home, but when we are home they do not need constant supervision. We just call Bond if something sounds amiss and he comes trotting in the room. Bond just thinks Archie is the greatest thing ever and is respectful of his space, Bond runs to find the cat everytime we come home. If Archie is in his cat tower, Bond will stare up and whimper, we just bring Archie down to Bond's level, Bond gives a big ol lick, and we put the now perturbed and slobbered cat back up top. Bond then goes about his business and waits for Archie to come down and play!

And this picture was not posed, Bond is not under any command (ie lay, stay etc)!


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## kularing (Aug 24, 2006)

What a riot!!!
Beautiful kitty!! I love the last picture!!


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Congratulations! I think it is wonderful that you took the time and effort to make the relationship between Bond and Archie work...and thank you for rescuing an adult cat too! It looks like he is happy in his new home and they are really good together!

Lee


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## tankgirl (Jul 26, 2007)

Mods, Could this somehow be made a permanent link in training and behavior. I see alot of questions about cat aggressive dogs, this might be the perfect way to explain what to do. Love the pictures too!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Yes, this is excellent information! Best cat-dog intro thread in awhile. Good work on getting Bond and Archie to accept each other! Just for reference, do you know what is Bond's level of prey drive?


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

Oh how sweet! I love that last pic, they look happy together.


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## The Stig (Oct 11, 2007)

Oh I love the name!!! Sword in the Stone was one of my favourite all-time cartoons!!!

Definitely digging the last picture. I can see they will be FAST friend!


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

Nice work!!! Nice result!!! Glad you have a happy family!


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Great story and great picture of them sleeping together. I love it when cats can get along with dogs.


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## caview (Jun 30, 2008)

Thank you for being so loving and supportive!

Also, greatly appreciated the detailed information as we will be using it soon with our puppy!

They are both just adorable!

Tanya


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## GabbyBond (Dec 1, 2006)

Bonds prey drive is high. He chases everything and if he is off leash (outside) he does not respond to commands (we are working on this!). He has chased a neighbors cat when he escaped from the front door one day. I have no doubt in my mind he would have hurt it if the cat hadn't gotten away.

When he first met Archie, Bond had a very intense focus on the cat, he was too intent so we would redirect. At the beginning of each phase of the process (kennel, leash+muzzle then leash and off leash) he would show this same focus...until he learned it was ok to be another way around the cat.

It might sound cliche, but each time, it was like a light went off in his head. The intensity just left, he relaxed and it was visible. It was as if a switch turned in his head, from ON (prey drive) to OFF. Sometimes now we can see him starting to escalate, or we just sense that it might get to that point which is when we call to him and get him redirected.

Also, after week one, we were worried it was not going to work and were wondering what we had done! It was a long hard 3 weeks for sure, but we kept at it!


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

Good for you!!!! Looks like a successful match. 

Contrary to belief dogs and cats are not natural enemies. The prey/hunt drive in dogs caouses them to chase stuff. Outside Bond may never be reliable with strange cats. My older guy Max, is a cat lover but he will attempt to chase the neighborhood cats if he is allowed to.


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