Yorkshire Terriers and Munchkins?

My sister is interested in getting a munchkin cat and being the cat relative has asked me for advice. I'm not sure whether to encourage her or not as she has a a 10 month old Yorkshire Terrier, I asked my vet previously about whether cats (I did not mention Munchkins) would get along with YTs (as I know that some breeds of dogs should never be paired with cats such as the JRT) but he seemed to think that with the proper introduction they should be fine.

Could some one let me know?

How old is the dog and how "aggresive" is it? Has the dog ever had contact with cats?

I don't see too many problems as long as she introduces them the right way. Yorkies are almost cat-like anyway.

We have a labrador who is great with the cats - tho she likes chasing the outside barn cats...

he is ten-months old and his sole pleasure in life is licking you on the mouth (fiance called him Lickshark!) and sitting in your lap! He is quite barky though when he is excited. He is the sweetest dog I have ever met (I more a cat person).

Originally Posted by Sims2fan

he is ten-months old and his sole pleasure in life is licking you on the mouth (fiance called him Lickshark!) and sitting in your lap! He is quite barky though when he is excited. He is the sweetest dog I have ever met (I more a cat person).

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Has this dog ever been exposed to cats?? Some dogs can be incredibly sweet to humans...but they are completely different around a cat. Case in point, we have the sweetest Foxhound at our rescue right now....loves nothing more than licking and loving all over people. This weekend we did a cat test with him and although he wasn't acting like he wanted the cat as a snack...he was definately too interested in it (to the point he wouldn't leave it alone) even when the cat hissed at him.

Katie

I wouldnt reccomend a munchkin as they have shorter limbs and are not able to leap out of a dogs way they same way in which an average cat could.

Ask if the dog has been around cats... I have a yorkie who is a large one 10-13 lbs and she is wonderful with cats and strangely enough small kids, yet she hates small to medium dogs..

I would suggest testing the dog with cats first. As has been said, some dogs who are wonderful with people will attack a cat or anything else they perceive as prey.

Yorkies are big dogs in small packages and generally fearless and could be injured by a cat as well.

Every dog is different and although terriers are generally not recommended with small animals, your sister's might be fine!

Thanks for the advice. Halo hasn't been around a cat before but he doesn't bother the birds when he is in the garden. I'll tell my sister to try and find out how he reacts to cats.

Just a heads up. My parents have a ten year old yorkshire terrier that I grew up with. When he was younger I have rescued many a baby kitten from his teeth. Several did not make it. He litterally goes after them like prey. It is his drive though since yorkies were bred to be rat catchers. He wasnt ever introduced to cats except for outside but Yorkies in general are dogs of routine and they put up a pretty good fuss when their routine is broken. But since you said this fella is only 10 months old he may still be willing to adapt. Make sure she socializes the pup to the idea of a cat first because I wouldnt want her to have to pry her new baby from her pups teeth. Dont get me wrong from this post YT are lovable little puppers... I just dont know if I would have one at the same time as a cat. IMO

Some dogs think 'their' inside cat is different then the cats they chase outside. But I would be very careful with the introduction & don't leave them unsupervized.

I would be hesitant about introducing a cat to a dog who has been unsocialized to cats in the critical period, but moreso, I wouldn't think of pairing a terrier that has been bred throughout history to be a ratter or to hunt small mammals, which is what the Yorkie is! It can likely be done but would take much effort and too much risk for my liking especially if you have the flexibility of choosing other breeds. All dogs have different personalities but similiar breed characteristics within their own breed or breed group.
Its really a gamble IMO, especially a breed with shorter limbs than usual!...

Aren't Yorkies pretty small? I mean, I would think your average cat could easily defend itself if a Yorkie tried to go after it. I think any small dog can be introduced to a cat. It might take some time, but that's not so different from introducing a new cat into a home with other cats. My new Bengal is having a very hard time adjusting to my cats, and the primary reason she's having this hard time is because of my other Bengal, Simba.

yorkies were used for ratting as well as hunting foxes and badgers and are known to be viscious towards other dogs and animals (though i have met some very nice ones too!) so wouldnt reccomend it with a cat.

My parents have a terrier, and while she chases cats, she knows better than to chase Patches and Princess. They both let her know who was boss as soon as she came home!

Plus, you can always be surprised. My grandma's dog is a pit bull/terrier mix, and he actually LIKES cats! As long as a cat isn't scared of him, he'll let them chew on his ears and tail, and he'll play fight VERY gentley. She had one cat who was best friends with him

I would suggest that, if she's going to get a cat, she should do it now while the dog is still young. Also, I agree, a munchkin may not be able to tell the dog to back off. I would suggest an adult cat (not a kitten), preferably one who either likes dogs or knows how to deal with them. Adopting from a shelter would be a good idea, that way she can even bring the dog to the shelter and see how the cat acts. That gives her the best chance of a peaceful home.