GSD and Cats - advice please

#1 01-11-11, 08:38 PM

Hi, I have just joined as I am thinking about getting a GSD. However, I have two cats - a 3 year old and a 14 year old (who can be very grumpy and terretorial). I just wondered what anyone's thoughts were with introducing a puppy into my home with two cats.

Are GSD's okay to live with cats?

Also, my husband said that the dog would have to have a large cage for it to have as its own "secure" area, ie bedtime and when we are out. What do members think of this? Is this okay to do? I'm asking because I have had labradors in the past only and never needed to do this but he says it's best as the cats need to know that they are in charge and this was their home first.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks so much everyone!

Caryll · #2 01-11-11, 08:48 PM

Hi & welcome to the forum.

I don't have cats, but I don't see why any breed can't be taught to get along with cats, especially if the cats were there first!

With the crate, you'll get different views here. Some are for them, some against. It depends how you use them, really. I used a crate when my boy was young because he's a serial chewer & would have made himself very sick indeed through trying to eat things he shouldn't. So he's be put into the crate overnight & when he was left on his own for short periods.

However, as soon as he was old enough to be trusted, the crate door was left open - at first just at night, but then also when we went out & left him for short periods. The door is never shut now, and he treats it as his personal 'den'.

Sylvieliz · #3 01-11-11, 08:49 PM

Crate a good idea for pups make a secure den for it with toys and blankets. Cats will get used to it then. Obviously can't keep pup in den all the time and always have an escape route for the cats. just watch them when together pup may be curious and want to play and cats won't should get used to each other though. I have always had dogs and cats. Child gates are a good idea to keep animals apart while they can see each other. Cat can jump over but pup can't. If they can't be friends they should at least tolerate each other.

DelsMum · #4 01-11-11, 08:54 PM

You'd be suprised what you can do if you persevere- I convinced a 5 year old cat hating GSD (Del) to live my mothers 17 year old moggy when she died and I 'inherited' him. If you want any more tips email the battersea dogs home behaviour dept and they will send you some stuff :-)

wrigley20 · #5 01-11-11, 09:02 PM

We have a 10 year old cat (see pic), and a 9 month GSD - Olli.

They get on fine, but I would not trust Olli alone with Simba our cat. Simba tolerates Olli, but when Simba heads for the stairs, Olli goes into prey drive and all hell breaks loose.

In general though they get on ok 80% of the time, just make sure your cat has a quick exit route available for when it does kick off

super D · #6 01-11-11, 09:09 PM

Cats learn to live with dogs and visa versa, im sure it will be fine.

Welcome to the forum by the way
xxx

Tedsmum · #7 01-11-11, 09:14 PM

When I brought my puppy home I had 4 cats, who were all totally horrified at what we had done.
In the beginning when they could get up on the sofa away from him they were ok, but as he grew and could reach them they had to learn to sort it out. I never allowed the pup to chase them and he had to be on a long line for a while in the house as he was determined to go after them.
After a few months everything was cool and they are now the best of mates. In fact my GSD and my youngest cat are at this moment having a game in the hallway which involves the cat sitting and swiping the dog while the dog stands and makes noises with his mouth open.
Incidentally, my dog is not good with any other cat. If he sees one in the street he will try to eat it.
We used a crate for the first few months but then found we no longer needed it. x

LindaM · #8 02-11-11, 06:44 AM

I think crates are good, they are a good safe place to leave a GSD puppy who even at a few months is tall and can reach everything in site.

I do sometime still have to lock him in his crate (it is the largest one and he has water and a soft bed which he can push to one side if he is hot).

On a night he sleeps in the kitchen with the crate door open and he goes in it more in the winter when it's colder.

We don't have any cats but the others think it can work but it sounds like you would have to work at it............ he he you have to work at it if you get a GSD anyway - I'm sort of assuming you haven't had one before but of course that may not be the case

Stuart · #9 02-11-11, 06:56 AM

Welcome to the forum,... cats and dogs normaly get on very well with each other, all our dogs were adult when they were introduced, we just sat the cat on our knee and let the dogs in, they see that the cat belongs, and is not a stranger.

To this day all the dogs love the cat, Sam gets his face washed most days by the cat, and he returns the favour, but if he catches sight of the cat outside its a different story its as if its a different cat, he will give chase and the cat has to flee for its life, it seems that some dogs see indoor cats and outdoor cats as somehow different animals

Jon · #10 02-11-11, 08:24 AM

I have a cat (KC) too, she stays upstairs most of the time, Jackson has shown little interest.

The cat is more scared of him that he is of her so she keeps mainly to going in and out of the upstairs windows. She will sit on the stairs beind the stair gate out of his reach and meow a lot.

9/10 times a cat will win, they are a lot more vicious than any dog, my last cat tigger was not scared of dogs at all... Infact he would approach them and promptly swipe their noses.. he lived to 18.

Where KC is not so dog savvy I'm taking the introductions more slowly. Although I would prefer them to hurry up.

DOG CRATES: I would reccommend them to anyone. We didn't for the first two dogs, but for Jackson, soon as he thinks I'm getting ready to go up, he will go to his crate. Especially good for pups to give them a place of their own.