After initial introductions between our now 15 week old kitten and an 8 year old malamute, the kitten would still hiss if the dog got close, but didn't seem too bothered by her. Our other 3 year old cat has literally never had a problem with this dog. While the dog sometimes wanted to chase him if he ran, we managed to curb this behavior by putting her in time out when this happened. He doesn't run from the dog at all, and will walk right under her. The worst she does to him now is lick him thoroughly if he gets close enough.
The kitten does not have the same relationship with the dog. I definitely thought things were getting better since she was only hissing at the dog occasionally if the dog got close. Yesterday, the kitten ran at or by the dog (not entirely sure), which caused the dog to react. This escalated into dog barking and going after the kitten, while the kitten attacked the dog. Yelling "No" was enough to get both of them fleeing in opposite directions. Now the kitten is growling and hostile to the dog, while the dog seems to be intent on watching her, but not actively stalking her or attacking her.
I'm wondering if the kitten might be following in her mother's footsteps? The foster mom who had her litter and the mother cat was having lots of problems with the mother cat viciously attacking her dog when the dog would literally just lay on the floor doing nothing. When we were looking at the kittens all of them reacted to the dog by growling and running away from her.
How do I change this behavior? I just started giving the kitten full range of the house during the day and now I will have to separate the cats and the dog until I can get this behavior controlled again.
The kitten does not have the same relationship with the dog. I definitely thought things were getting better since she was only hissing at the dog occasionally if the dog got close. Yesterday, the kitten ran at or by the dog (not entirely sure), which caused the dog to react. This escalated into dog barking and going after the kitten, while the kitten attacked the dog. Yelling "No" was enough to get both of them fleeing in opposite directions. Now the kitten is growling and hostile to the dog, while the dog seems to be intent on watching her, but not actively stalking her or attacking her.
I'm wondering if the kitten might be following in her mother's footsteps? The foster mom who had her litter and the mother cat was having lots of problems with the mother cat viciously attacking her dog when the dog would literally just lay on the floor doing nothing. When we were looking at the kittens all of them reacted to the dog by growling and running away from her.
How do I change this behavior? I just started giving the kitten full range of the house during the day and now I will have to separate the cats and the dog until I can get this behavior controlled again.