New Member Here - 9 week old chocolate meets 6 year old cat

Discussion in 'Labrador Puppies' started by jbarbac2, Mar 23, 2017.

  1. jbarbac2

    jbarbac2 Registered Users

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2017
    Messages:
    4
    Hi all!

    First off, I'd like to say that I'm so glad I stumbled upon this forum! My fiance and I have had our female chocolate lab, Charlie, for a week now, and we love her. We've had a great first week with her, and everyone's advice and comments on this forum played a large part in that week.

    Potty training is going well - we've only had a few accidents, and that's been because we've taken too long to get a treat ready to go to take her outside. Otherwise, she knows she gets treated outside as soon as she goes, and that's enough of a reward for her :) We've also started some simple commands and have mastered sit and shake. We're working on down, but that's been a little more challenging since it's not as natural of a position. She's a smart girl though, so I'm sure she'll have that one mastered in no time as well!

    Does anyone on here have a cat? If so, did you have an existing cat already when you brought your puppy into your home? They're getting along fairly well--will sniff each other a moment and then the cat will jump to higher ground. They both LOVE food, so we do have to separate them at feeding times to avoid Charlie eating the cat's food and vice versa. Sometimes, when Charlie approaches the cat quickly, the cat will bat her on the head a couple of times (the cat has no front claws--was declawed in the front when I adopted him 5+ years ago) and then the puppy will walk away. My fiance thinks Charlie thinks nothing of it, because she's just trying to play with the cat. But, I worry a little the cat and/or dog will start developing a negative relationship if the cat continues to bop the dog on the head. Any thoughts from anyone? The dog does try to chase the cat when she sees him, but only because she wants to play with him. She hasn't yet realized he's not a pup like her :)

    Thanks again to all of you members who post such great information on this thread! I've learned so much from reading from all of you!

    Thanks!
    Jessica
     
    Naya likes this.
  2. Jyssica

    Jyssica Registered Users

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2016
    Messages:
    693
    Location:
    Liverpool, UK
    Hi Jessica, I just wanted to say Hello & Welcome to the forum, Charlie looks adorable in your picture.
    Well done for the progress made so far, and do stick around as your pup will grow and you will soon have a croccapup on your hands.

    I dont have a cat. But im sure others will soon be along with some advice!

    Lots of love, Me & My 7 month old yellow boy Rolo.
     
  3. zrinka

    zrinka Registered Users

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2016
    Messages:
    212
    Location:
    Croatia
    Edgar was about 4 years old when Kona arrived. He was awful, mad and grumpy. She got hit in the head many times, even screeched, and not only if she came to close. We did a lot of petting and feeding treats together (yet at the safe distance). We couldn't leave them alone for a few months. As time passed by, he started to tolerate her better. Now they can be left together and will sleep together. She will chase him if he runs, and sometimes it is him who is initiating this weird game of trying to destroy the house :)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    MF, Samantha Jones, Snowshoe and 3 others like this.
  4. Harley Quinn

    Harley Quinn Registered Users

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2017
    Messages:
    1,173
    Hi Jessica, we are cat owners/people who thought it was a great idea to get a lab. :) We have two adult (6 and 7 yrs) Bengal neutered boys who have been our only pets since they came from their breeder at 12 weeks. The youngest one tries to pretend Harley doesn't exist. The older one has always been the boss and nothing has changed. He bops (he has all his claws, he just has the sharp tips snipped off) Harley on the head regularly. She really wants to play with them both but she takes no for an answer every time. And she backs off completely when she gets a bop or a hiss. I think it really helps that she arrived as a pup. She doesn't register that she was 3.3kgs when she arrived (they weight 7kgs and 7.3kgs) and she is now 21kgs. Also, I can honestly say that I have never seen a sign of aggression from her to them. She even had her food taken once by the oldest cat and she just watched. When she has been bopped, she never retaliates. She just backs off. They are really confident cats and I hope in future there will be a bit more interaction but for now we have peace and that is more than I expected. I just want to add the disclaimer that we didn't leave them unsupervised for ages, and that the cats have their own room with a barrier/baby gate type thing across the door so that they can run in but Harley can't. Also protects the litter box and stops her from getting to their food - it can be very dangerous for dogs to eat cat food. And it allows them to get a bit of a breather from the puppy love she wants to heap on them.
     
  5. Snowshoe

    Snowshoe Registered Users

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2015
    Messages:
    2,546
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I've always had dogs and cats both. The introductions have gone both ways, dog/puppy to cat, cat/kitten to dog. In most of my cases the cat to cat introductions were more worrisome. But I did have one introduction, our rescued ESS to my cat, that never worked and we had to keep them separated all their lives. Mostly the dogs and cats get along and some are even very good friends. Still, I make sure the cat has escape routes with a bouncy puppy. Holes cut in the gates that contain the puppy and high places the cat can get to that the dog can't reach. I cut the cat hooks short and supervise all early visits. With Oban I really worried about one cat who had been devoted to our previous Lab. She hid for a year. A year, but now they are friends. Not best friends but I can leave them alone together. I'm lucky, I have never had a dog that will eat cat poop but some do need to shut the litter box away so the dog can't get into it.
     
  6. jbarbac2

    jbarbac2 Registered Users

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2017
    Messages:
    4
    Thank you all for your replies! Charlie does a great job of backing off when the cat hisses or bops her on the head a couple of times; she really is a great dog already. She does like to chase the cat, but there have been a few times where it's obvious the cat is egging her on. It's almost as if the cat wants to see Charlie get in trouble.... ;) cats.... I tell ya....

    We haven't reached the full crocopup stage yet; it's definitely beginning though. I got my nose bit yesterday, but it's just so hard to get mad at that cute face. :)
     
  7. mandyb

    mandyb Registered Users

    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2013
    Messages:
    1,175
    Location:
    East Devon
    We have a cat, well kitten she's 7mths old. She was first introduced to Lucan our 7yr old Lab and they soon became best of friends. Since then Ash our new pup has arrived and they also get on like a house on fire, playing, chasing, and wrestling each other. They do play quite rough at times but never seem to hurt each other.
    Have to say though, the cat is far more trouble than both the dogs put together! LOL.
     
  8. Naya

    Naya Registered Users

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2013
    Messages:
    9,628
    Location:
    Bristol, UK
    Hi and welcome from me and 3 year old Harley. She looks very cute in your photo avatar.
    I don't have cats, but my dog walker does and Harley goes there for day care occasionally. She is absolutely fine with their 2 cats, but doesn't like any other cats! She will bark if they come too close to her.
     
  9. Harley Quinn

    Harley Quinn Registered Users

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2017
    Messages:
    1,173
    This is as good as it is at the moment, but it is getting better. They slept on either side of me this afternoon.
    [​IMG]
     
    Samantha Jones and drjs@5 like this.
  10. Jojo83

    Jojo83 Registered Users

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2017
    Messages:
    1,605
    Location:
    UK
    I have cats and dog (s) and always ensure that the cats have an escape route from puppies, that they can eat in peace and quiet away from the puppy and that the litter tray is removed to a safe quiet spot for them to use.

    I never, ever, allow the puppy to chase the cat(s) as you are building the foundations of a chase small, furry, creatures behaviour which can be dangerous for both you and the puppy in the future and one that is very hard to train out.
     

Share This Page