Introducing My Cat To My Roommate's Dog Seems Impossible.

[naturaGodhead]

Hi everyone,

I live with two roommates, for some background. Both have dogs, one being a german shepard/husky mix, and the other being a border collie. The border collie is very well trained and behaved. Has been neutered and lived with cats before. The shepsky however is extremely excitable, isn't very well trained at all, and hasn't been neutered. I've been keeping my cat Bojack, a 3 year old neutered male in my room for the first few weeks I've been living here, coming up on a month. We've been crating the shepsky to allow Bojack to come downstairs to explore, and we've got a second litter box, water bowl, the works. It's definitely comforting to not have him locked up in my room all day, and yesterday he seemed to really be opening up. Playing, drinking and eating, using the litter box. I was really happy and thought that it wouldn't be long before he could be allowed to roam full time. The shepsky is mostly quiet in his crate, but sometimes starts to bark or whine at the cat. His attention never leaves the cat though. Anyway, we have a very tall sturdy baby gate that we secured at the bottom of the steps, and decided to try letting the cat roam with my room's door open and allowing the shepsky to be out downstairs, figuring they couldn't get to one another. As soon as my roommate let him out however, he rushed the gate and knocked it down, chasing Bojack into my room. Luckily he couldn't get to him under my bed but it scared my cat bad enough that he peed on himself. This is going on the second week of having the cat downstairs while the shepsky is crated and it seems like we're making no progress because of my roommate not having trained his dog very well and not making any effort to work with him now. I'm just worried that this situation isn't going to improve, and I'll be forced to either find a new place to live, or keep Bojack cooped up all day every day. It makes me very sad and very angry that I can't spend quality time with my pet without isolating myself from the rest of the house, and I'd like to see him happier with a larger area to roam. Can anyone offer some advice? I've read the articles here and others online. My other roommate suggested obedience classes, but I'm not sure the shepsky's owner can afford it.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi

The shepsky is mostly quiet in his crate, but sometimes starts to bark or whine at the cat. His attention never leaves the cat though.

As soon as my roommate let him out however, he rushed the gate and knocked it down, chasing Bojack into my room.

I could ask what the GSD/H's owner has to say about this, but I'm pretty sure it is NOT going to be anything on the lines of "my dog is much too fixated on your cat and I need to/am going to do something about it", because what I'm "hearing" is your concern and your other room-mate's concern, but nothing from the dog's owner except to crate it (which by the way as you know by now isn't even remotely a solution AT ALL, and in addition is unfair to the dog).

Your cat is at risk in this house with this dog. That's pretty much where it stands and it isn't going to get better unless possibly you yourself were to pay for obedience classes.

And what in the meantime, especially if the classes take a while regarding both attendance as well as getting the lessons into that doggy head?

Your cat is still at risk.

Granted, I understand that pet-accepting rents aren't exactly easy to find. Good luck!!

 

[naturaGodhead]

Hi




I could ask what the GSD/H's owner has to say about this, but I'm pretty sure it is NOT going to be anything on the lines of "my dog is much too fixated on your cat and I need to/am going to do something about it", because what I'm "hearing" is your concern and your other room-mate's concern, but nothing from the dog's owner except to crate it (which by the way as you know by now isn't even remotely a solution AT ALL, and in addition is unfair to the dog).

Your cat is at risk in this house with this dog. That's pretty much where it stands and it isn't going to get better unless possibly you yourself were to pay for obedience classes.

And what in the meantime, especially if the classes take a while regarding both attendance as well as getting the lessons into that doggy head?

Your cat is still at risk.

Granted, I understand that pet-accepting rents aren't exactly easy to find. Good luck!!

Well the unfortunate part is that I know the border collie's owner personally, and the shepsky's owner just sort of came along as a third wheel in our situation because they're friends with the border collie's owner. They had said before we moved in that the shepsky was friendly with cats. The shepsky's owner only apologizes, but obviously that isn't worth much when my cat could get injured or worse. It seemed like a good situation money wise as that can be very tight for me due to a number of reasons. Can you explain what you mean by "I could ask what the GSD/H's owner has to say about this"?

 

[Furballsmom]

Can you explain what you mean by "I could ask what the GSD/H's owner has to say about this"?

I was thinking exactly what you're saying here below.

The shepsky's owner only apologizes, but obviously that isn't worth much when my cat could get injured or worse.

I'm sorry this turned out like this - how frustrating for everybody.
Is there any way the collies owner could gently suggest to the GSD/H owner to see about getting some training? iffy at best, but maybe something, and in the meanwhile keep crating and separate room situations going. Your cat will be ok in the short term with cat trees, toys, play time with you, maybe some nature youtube videos for cats of birds and squirrels, or nature dvds.

 

[danteshuman]

I would recommend watching the show cat versus dog, from the animal planet network (I'm on my phone so you will need to google it.) it has a cat behaviorlist (Galaxy) and a dog behaviorlist deal with problems in homes with both cats and dogs.

I would strongly suggest neutering the dog (there are many low cost clinics, there is no excuse.) I'm sorry to say this but based on the lack of neutering I'm guessing that owner isn't very responsible. So until you get a new place I would keep them seperate and work on you training the dog. All the training couldn't hurt. If after months of training (and neutering him) you are feeling secure enough you could try introductions with the dog on a leash (and muzzle if need be.) it is a process that will take months. If you will have a new place in 6 months I wouldn't bother trying to get the cat and German shepherd mix together.

Good luck whichever way you go.