Help! My cats gang up on the dog!

[chris t.]

Hi there. I hope someone has some good advice for my problem.

I have two cats, about 9 years old. They got a new brother (11 year old Springer Spaniel) when I got married. The dog has lived with cats before, and he's not aggressive. The cats haven't been around dogs before.

The first time we introduced them, the cats ganged up on the dog and attacked. It was very traumatic for everyone involved. The dog didn't defend himself. We kept the cats in their own room for a few months, and I've recently (over the past two months) started trying again to slowly introduce them to eachother. It was going great until last night, when we had another attempted attack. Here's the situation:

The door to the cats' room has been kept open a crack so they can go in and out (when we're home and contact can be supervised). The dog never tries to follow them in there, so they've got a refuge. Until recently, only one of the cats wanted to come out when the dog was around, and he & the dog mostly skirted around eachother (some hissing, but nothing worse) They've actually both sat together on the lounge chair with me with no problem. Recently the other cat started getting braver and coming out as well. When the dog got too close (nothing aggressive, just walking in his direction), the cat would run back into his room.

Last night, the two cats were sitting on my lap on the lounge chair. The dog ambled toward the chair (wanting some affection himself), and the cats decided it was showdown time. Rather than retreating, the cats ganged up and tried to attack again. I had to get in between the cats and the dog to protect the dog (and got well scratched up myself).

I'm not sure what to do about this situation. I'm afraid the dog is in danger whenever the two cats are around him together. One on one, things seem to be working ok. I don't want to keep the cats locked up in a room all the time. The attacks are more than just a bat in the face (last time they scratched the dog's cornea, and it didn't look like the attack was going to stop before we jumped in to pull the cats off the dog).

Does anyone have any advice for some peace and harmony in our home? I don't want to have to find a new home for anyone.

Thanks!
Chris

 

[debra myers]

cHRIS - What a problem you have there! You may want to read the thread aobut introducing one cat to another - perhaps it would help with the dog as well.

There is one trick that gets recommended often around here. That is to rub the scent of one animal on a towel or something like that and then give that to the other animal. Do vica versa as well. Perhaps this may help?
Let us know.....

 

[purrsita]

WOW! i sounds like maybe the kitties want you all to themselves and resent the new "rival"....
maybe a lot of extra attention for the cats will help them to know that you still love them and the dog is not going to misplace them?

my sisters cat is very jealous of any attention she gives her dog, but rather than attack the dog, she gets very demanding.

i wish i could think of a way to protect your pup! i never heard of cats doing this before, i know they are well equipped to protect themselves, but to actually attack a dog unprovoked, that is wild.
Blending pet families is tough, huh?

good luck, i will ask around and see if any of my pals have any ideas.

 

[anita parker]

I have the same issue, so I am thinking it's not  all that unusual.   I have a 6 month old puppy.  The puppy has chased the cats in the past not realizing that this was a bad behaviour.  Now, the cats hiss and scratch at her every opportunity they get.  Unfortunately, it is getting worse.  The cats are becoming extremely aggressive and they initiate the attacks.  I don't like to keep them cooped up in their own room as it doesn't seem fair.  I am perhaps one more attack away from giving up the cats.  If anyone has a more humane suggestion, I am open to trying it.

 

[fhicat]

 
I have the same issue, so I am thinking it's not  all that unusual.   I have a 6 month old puppy.  The puppy has chased the cats in the past not realizing that this was a bad behaviour.  Now, the cats hiss and scratch at her every opportunity they get.  Unfortunately, it is getting worse.  The cats are becoming extremely aggressive and they initiate the attacks.  I don't like to keep them cooped up in their own room as it doesn't seem fair.  I am perhaps one more attack away from giving up the cats.  If anyone has a more humane suggestion, I am open to trying it.

Welcome to TCS. This is a 12-year-old thread. In the future, you may get less confused responses if you start your own thread.

What kind of introductions have you done? When did the puppy come in? Or when did the cats come in? Your first step should be to isolate the cats (how many?) in their room with lots of toys, vertical space and attention from you. You will then need to restart the dog-to-cat introductions: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-dogs

 

[anita parker]

Oh my.. I didn't realize I was posting to such an old thread.  thank you for letting me know...