I don't know where to post this but here goes. I'm thinking about getting a dog but have a cat. My cat doesn't run away from my neighbors dog. He just hisses at the dog while the dog just walks by. My dad HAS to know how our cat will react to a puppy.
I was thinking abou askign the SPCA to let me bring a dog home to see if my cat is ok with it (I will pay them for doing this). One problem, I think the dog is going to think "Cool! I have a new home yipee!" and then my cat won't get used to the dog and we will have to give it back. Plus, i think my dad is going to say no to this idea.
The other option is this: If you had a cat before you got a dog, how did the cat react to the new member? Did it go well or was it a total disaster?
Sorry if this is in the wrong place,
Leo411

my cat 2 hisses at my dog if he tries to play with it but most of the time the 3 of us lay napping on the couch and they dont pay ne attention to each other as long as they both get attention from you

I read that when you want to introduce a puppy to the cat that already lives in the home to put the cat in a carrier crate and allow the puppy to sniff at the cat that way. Since the cat can't run away there is no game for the puppy to chase the cat and the relationship will go a little smoother. I would expect some clashes but dogs and cats in the home usually learn to tolerate each other within time.

[Olympia]

If you are getting a puppy it should be fine the, cat will put the puppy in it's place, and in turn the puppy will learn to leave your cat alone, I've introduced kittens into my house with dogs, and I've also introduced puppies in with adult cats, I have siberian huskies, and I have never had a problem. How old is the cat, and what breed puppy are you planning on getting? Just wanted to know size wise on the dog, small, medium or large breed?

i have two adult cats and i just got a large breed puppy 2 weeks ago..

what ive learned: the reaction will depend on what your cat is like!

One of the cats, amber, will go near the puppy, Dakota, while she's sleeping, buit will otherwise avoid her or hiss at her if she gets to close.

Shadow, my other cat, only meows and backs away when she gets close to Dakota.

I did that crate idea once before (only they were all at the vets and the cats were in a pet carrier) and Amber hissed and batted the carrier, but Shadow just backed off and didnt say anything...

Also, Dakota sort of mild when it comes to the cats, she wont attack them...but she will chase them a little...it seems like she just wants to be friends lol

Good Luck!!

I was having 4 cats when I brought a puppy to my place. The now she is quite grown up. It was a very intresting relationship which I observed over time. Firstly the cats were in majority; but then they also realised that the size of the dog even when she was a puppy was greater then their size so they did go into safe mode. Ocassional quarrels had to be resolved by taking both parties away. But then later they both started understanding each other.
Their domination is region specific and they behave accordingly, meaning that the cats would be aggressive in the kitchen but behave rather peevishly in the hall and vice versa.
At present they live harmoniously. I wouldnt say that they mingle with each other that much. But they atleast dont quarrel without reason or provocation. So its much easier to manage it.

As far as your case is concerned I would suggest that you dont have to be so skeptical. Generally its seen that dogs are more understanding and adapt to the atmosphere and would even balance the atmosphere even if the cat reacts aggressively.
Just that I would recommend that you choose a little sober dog who is quite and not very aggressive.

I have had cats and dogs living together for years, my cats have always slept with my staffies, at the moment I have 4 cats, a boxer and 2 sraffies and they all live very happily together...

Originally Posted by puppyluva235

what ive learned: the reaction will depend on what your cat is like!

That's my experience. We brought a labrador puppy into a house with two adult cats. One cat left home for several days before venturing home, then would not come into the same room as the dog. The other just watched warily and the pup did get a couple of warning swipes on the nose when she went too close. After about a week the three of them had worked it out and coexisted perfectly happily.

When I first got my dog as a puppy, we also got a kitten a couple of days later, and they were best friends. They would run up and down the house, playing tag all day long. The never once fought for real, it was all play. They even slept together at night, like they were brothers. Sadly, the cat ran away after about a year, and left my buddy wondering what happened to him....

It will probably be tough for awhile but I'm sure they would eventually get use to each other. I had a cat and my friend had an oversized Chihuahua. At first, they did not get along. My cat would actually chase the dog, but after spending a few days together, they became friends and started to play. But that's a small dog. I'm not sure if the outcome would be the same if you had a pitbull or a German Shepperd.

I’ve got a medium-sized dog and a cat who aren’t getting along that well. They’ve been around each other for about a month and a half, but my cat still spits and hisses when the dog gets too close. I’ve tried placing the cat in a pet carrier as well, but it’s still the same. I’m about to resign myself to the fact that they won’t ever get along the way I want them to.

I’ve got a medium-sized dog and a cat who aren’t getting along that well. They’ve been around each other for about a month and a half, but my cat still spits and hisses when the dog gets too close. I’ve tried placing the cat in a pet carrier as well, but it’s still the same. I’m about to resign myself to the fact that they won’t ever get along the way I want them to.

I’ve got a medium-sized dog and a cat who aren’t getting along that well. They’ve been around each other for about a month and a half, but my cat still spits and hisses when the dog gets too close. I’ve tried placing the cat in a pet carrier as well, but it’s still the same. I’m about to resign myself to the fact that they won’t ever get along the way I want them to.

I’ve got a medium-sized dog and a cat who aren’t getting along that well. They’ve been around each other for about a month and a half, but my cat still spits and hisses when the dog gets too close. I’ve tried placing the cat in a pet carrier as well, but it’s still the same. I’m about to resign myself to the fact that they won’t ever get along the way I want them to.

I’ve got a medium-sized dog and a cat who aren’t getting along that well. They’ve been around each other for about a month and a half, but my cat still spits and hisses when the dog gets too close. I’ve tried placing the cat in a pet carrier as well, but it’s still the same. I’m about to resign myself to the fact that they won’t ever get along the way I want them to.

I’ve got a medium-sized dog and a cat who aren’t getting along that well. They’ve been around each other for about a month and a half, but my cat still spits and hisses when the dog gets too close. I’ve tried placing the cat in a pet carrier as well, but it’s still the same. I’m about to resign myself to the fact that they won’t ever get along the way I want them to.

One thing you could try would be to bring a dog in your home, if you have a friend or relative who has one. With the understanding that your cat WOULD take time to get used to a dog, anyway, you could see the basic reaction. Does it just run away and never come out, at all, or does it just watch from afar? Does it get really mad, hissing, growling and not letting you hold it, etc. If you bring a dog or puppy in that you are hoping to keep, try putting the DOG OR PUPPY in a cage, so that the cat feels that its domain is not totally threatened. Then let it out, and supervise the two, keeping the dog on a leash if that seems necessary. If the cat does not think the dog will follow it everywhere it goes, at first, it may feel more comfortable than if the dog has complete run of the house. Often, the rescue leagues will allow you to try a dog or pup out because they want it to be a good fit. If you need to bring it back, they often will comply. Just as first.