My cat hates my new puppy!
By AngelNicki
@AngelNicki (412)
United States
January 26, 2008 11:19pm CST
Here's the scenario. When I was a kid I had a dog named Chopper. When I moved out of my parents' house, I eventually got a kitten named Sammy-Joe. Then I moved back in with my parents after a few years, bringing Sammy-Joe with me. At first Sammy-Joe was scared of Chopper, but they quickly grew to tolerate each other, and then they became friends! They were always hanging out together, and they loved to play and wrestle.
In October Chopper, who was thirteen, passed away from lymphoma. I was heart-broken, but it also seemed like my cat was heart-broken too! He seemed so lonely without his doggie friend to play with!
We weren't going to get another dog, but then we "fostered" a 9-month-old puppy for a few days, and ended up deciding to keep her. I thought Sammy-Joe would get used to my new puppy Trixie right away because Trixie is a pretty small dog, very calm, and loves all other animals.
But now its been two weeks and Sammy-Joe seems to hate Trixie! Sammy-Joe actually scares Trixie to death! Trixie will go into a room where Sammy-Joe is and try to be friends... she's actually very submissive to Sammy, and will lay down in front of him snd put her head down on her paws. But always, Sammy puffs up to a mutant-like size and hisses and spits at Trixie! Sometimes he runs straight at her, hissing, and it scares her so much she starts yelping!
Trixie and Sammy-Joe are both here to stay. I want them to at least learn to tolerate each other. Now I have to always keep them separated, by using a baby gate to cut my house in half. At night Sammy-Joe is with me on one side of the house, and in the day time Trixie is with me on the other side! It makes me feel sorry for both of them.
Does anyone have any tips on getting two animals to be friends? Especially when one of them is a giant cat with anger issues?
2 people like this
3 responses
@lightningd (1039)
• United States
27 Jan 08
Let them go at it. They will work out something. I got a pup last May. Now, we have one house cat left (I had to put my two older ones to sleep last year, and he hates all dogs. Funny thing is, I had my one dog when I got him, but he wasn't a house dog, and when he was a pup, I had a 22 pound house cat, and he was in the house when he was little. Well he is, to this very day, afraid of the house cats, but funny part is, he's not afraid of the barn cats, and he'll chase them. Now the new pup, he plays with the one huge barn cat that thinks he is actually a dog. So when pup is in the house, he wants to play with house cat... House cat gets mad....
I let them work it out,, because if the house cat is in a playfull mood, he'll sneak up on the pup when he's sleeping and pop him on the head.
Give them the space and time, they'll figure it out.
1 person likes this
@AngelNicki (412)
• United States
28 Jan 08
Thanks for the note! They are already starting to get along better now... at least, they will both sleep in the same room together and my cat doesn't go ballistic as much!
@youless (112103)
• Guangzhou, China
28 Jan 08
I think it is very normal. Cats are very jealous animals. They always want the masters love them only. But when time goes by, I think it will change. You will find perhaps your cat and dog will become good friends. Cats just need some time to adjust to it.
@AngelNicki (412)
• United States
28 Jan 08
Thanks for the note! Sammy-Joe is definitely a jealous kitty. I've been trying to make sure I spend a lot of time alone with him and let him know he is still my best buddy! It seems to be helping. He's getting more tolerant of the dog now.
