Pregnant cat VERY stressed by puppy

zookeeper

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Our Bichon puppy is only 10 months old (exactly 10 lbs), and loves cats. He is great friends with our 10 wk old kitten, and still I keep the pregnant cat we took in in the bathroom with the door closed. She gets very upset when the dog is around, and hissed at our kitten and swatted at her, even tried to chase her once. This was after they seemed to be getting along well. Our kitten would slowly come to try and be friends with this cat sniffing it and trying to sit nearby, and the cat would ignore our kitten until she got tired of it being around and would hiss or growl at the kitten, showing no interest in her. So now this cat stays by itself in our bathroom, and is only about 1.5 wks from having the kittens. She seems unable to be around our other pets at all.
What concerns me is when I'm in the bathroom, sometimes our puppy will come to the door and whine or whimper because he wants to be with us at all times. As soon as the cat in the bathroom hears him anywhere nearby, she hisses and growls and goes crazy. Now she is peeing and pooping out of fear. I'm worried the stress could cause her to give birth too early, not properly care for her kittens, or even kill them because the scent of the dog is everywhere in the house and may find its way onto the kittens.
This cat was unbelievably friendly at first with us, and would purr a bit when we pet her. Then she would be purring and suddenly hiss at me and run away, sort of to say she wants to be left alone. Now it has reached the point where whenever I'm in the bathroom and the dog makes a noise, she gets upset. She even growled at me for the first time yesterday, and pooped and peed again on herself.
What can I possibly do to make sure this cat knows that the dog can't come into the bathroom to bother her (or her kittens once she has them)?

Finally one more question. She doesn't clean herself and after the peeing and pooping on herself she really stinks. I gave her a bath last night, but she went on herself again today and I'm worried that bathing her too much could stress her out too much. Any suggestions?

If this thread belongs in the multi-animal forum, please move it. I wasn't sure which forum is more fitted for this type of question.
 

momof3rugratz

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No need to give her a bath get the baby wipes out and pretend to pet but clean and it might keep her calm.. As for the puppy situation... She has to feel like the dog wont harm her kits.. There was another member here who's mom cat lost her kittens to the friendly family dog (didnt ment to kill them) so when the sister gave birth week later she killed them out of fear..., but the 3rd sister gave birth a few days later and no trouble and she nurses the only surviver from the last litter. Try to see if there is a way to make her feel more safer... Block a part of the house off to the dog and part to the cat
Sorry I have no good tips...
 

jessienkitty

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i would just try to keep the dog as far away from the area of the house that the mama cat is in. like if your bathroom is down a hallway put a baby gate or a block of some sort. that is what i did so that just in case my dog got upstairs he couldent get to the kittens.
 

missymotus

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I agree, do whatever you can to keep the dog away from your cat.
 
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zookeeper

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Originally Posted by PrincessTiffany

YES! Please keep the puppy away from the kitties...He wont mean to do it, but chances are he'll end up killing them...My cat lost two that way....
I'm sure he wouldn't kill them. He has never harmed our kitten that was only about 6 weeks when we got her. I'm more worried about this cat killing her kittens out of fear, but the dog can't even get into the same room as her. That's why I'm surprised she gets THAT upset when the dog doesn't even get into that room anymore since we got this cat.
 

lilmisszarah

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It would probably be a good idea of you put the baby gate at the end of the hallway. Then he can't get anywhere near the door. That was a good suggestion.

(I live with zookeeper btw)

HI HONEY!
 
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