# Difficulties with the cat



## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

I think you will have to separate them. He may be treaating the cat as prey. I take it you have tried to disipline him to leave the cat alone?
Eric


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I agree with Eric. I think they can spend time together if closely supervised and Bowie is able to play nice while you are there but I wouldn't leave them alone together if the cat is seen as prey.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Definitely they need to be supervised! (poor Kitty!) Also, have you provided 'shelves' that are high up, where the cat can escape to and the dog can't reach? Also gating off a room so only the cat has access might help.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

In our dog/cat household the dogs are taught from early on that they must leave the cats alone... and whatever the cats dish out the dogs must not retaliate. So, if the dog is on a down stay and the cat saunters by and smacks the dog... the dog must stay put and ignore the cat. It sounds kind of one sided, but we have Standards and they could very easily kill a cat. It is the way to keep peace in our house. In your case, I think you are going to have to put a complete stop to play sessions. It is easier to teach a dog to completely leave a cat alone than to try and make a new rule about being "gentle". Maybe someone else will have a more helpful suggestion.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

While this could still be play - dogs play rougn and cats have delicate skin - it is play that could be very dangerous for the cat and needs to stop. As others have said I would install baby gates so the cat can escape, have plenty of high places the cat can reach but the dog cannot, and make sure they are never left together - even for a few minutes - when I was not supervising closely. Then I would start teaching that the cat is out of bounds. The easiest way is probably combining Leave with Recall - have lots of caches of treats around the house nd whenever Bowie so much as looks at the cat call him to you for a treat and a quick game. If he approaches the cat, use Leave, and again call him for a game. The aim is to replace the fun and excitement of playing with the cat with the far greater fun and excitement of playing with you, but if they have been playing together for six months expect the training to take at least a month, and many, many repetitions.

One thing I have found helps my dogs to remember to be polite to the cats is taking turns for treats. The dogs learned it first, then Tilly-cat decided that if all it takes to get a treat is parking your bum on the floor, she would join the line up! Then Pippin joined in too. They all sit in a line, and get a treat when their name is called. Any barging, shoving or grabbing at another's treat means a missed turn. They all learned the rules remarkably quickly! And exercise - lots and lots of physical and intellectual exercise. A bored dog will look around for occupation, and a cat is going to be a huge temptation. A happily tired dog will prefer to view the cat as a pillow or hot water bottle...


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