Do you have a cat?

Ask: I have a collie called Mouse. I don't have a cat quite yet, but I'm probably going to get this cute cat called Tina from the Shelter. She doesn't like dogs, but Mouse doesn't bark, growl, and she does not bite at all, so, we'll see how it turns out to be. I cannot wait! Do you have a cat, or are you getting one? If you are or if you do, tell in the comments below!
 

Update 1: Oh, and, also, can you tell me all the pets you have, too?
I have:
. A collie dog called Mouse.
. A white horse called Grayson.
. A mini tiny horse called Disney.
. A little turtle called Tilla.
And we'll be getting Tina the Calico Cat soon, and we will POSSIBLY get another horse.

 

Update 2: Well, J C, my family loves cats, and Mouse is really nice, and they don't have any other cats at the Shelter, too. And we don't know if we really are getting Tina. If we don't adopt her, at least we can still visit her at the Shelter.

 

Answer

 

Jammie:

I've had cats all the way through my life (I'm 53 now). Each cat has a different personality and, these personalities can vary massively depending on what happens in their formative years. 

 

For example, a cat that you have kept from birth and has always been with you from being a kitten to an adult will behave completely differently to a cat that has been brought up badly or shoved from pillar to post (as might be the case with a cat you get from a shelter), It wold be impossible to predict whether your adoptive cat would get on well with your dog (no matter how docile the dog appears to you, a human). I think that cats by their very nature do not mix well with dogs, unless they have been brought up alongside a dog . 

 

Jack:

If you have a dog, why are you getting a cat that is known not to like dogs? You are setting everyone up to fail, and will end up returning the cat to the shelter. They have other cats I am sure that would be fine with a dog.

 

Prank:

How do you know Tina does not like dogs? Most commonly, if the cat is young, it can get used to a dog. We have a Border Collie mix who is great with our cats. All of our dogs, actually, have been fine with our cats as well as with rescue cats who have come into the house, but we have "trained" our dogs to be good with them.

Additionally, a formarly feral cat who we tamed in our house, is just perfect with the dogs but she was terrified of both people and of dogs.

Most often, if you introduce them properly AND if you train your dogs to be "polite and respectful" of cats, it may work out. But, of course, not a certainty.

To help in this you should:

-Put Tina in the bathroom for a couple weeks until she gets used to the scents of your house, and so she is not intimidated immediately, by the dogs. You can also put her in a bedroom, but she will be more willing to come out of a smaller room such as a bathroom, rather than simply utilizing it as a permanent hiding spot. 

-Train your dogs to sit in the presence of the cats. This means putting a leash on the dog during this training and when the cat is near. When the dog is within about 6 feet of the cat, you must tell her to "sit", pull back on the leash and then praise her. Do this EVERY time she is near the cat. 

-Correct Mouse if she accidentally wants to chase the cat, by using a sharp, "No" command, and then making her sit. Once she is sitting, you also must praise her. Dogs need praise for a command to settle into their brains. 

-If Tina continues to chase the cat despite consisent training, you can utilize a dog cage in order to help her calm down. No scolding, but this also allows Tina time to roam the house, without being worried that Mouse may come bounding around the corner at any time. This also helps Mouse to feel the house at least in part, belongs to her, too.  

 

If you take this slowly, it will probably work out fine. But, remember that little steps are much better than total immersion. Cats and dogs take time to get used to new things, and it takes creativity and consistency on your part.

Good luck and it sounds like you really care.

BTW: To answer your query, we have some cats and have had rescues. ALL of them got used to the dogs, BUT the dogs know what we expect, which makes it much easier for each kitty.

Oh, regarding pets and horses: My daughter who has a horse, made a Christmas card with her kitty sitting on her horse; kitty had a Santa hat on; horse had bells around his neck!