Cat terrorizing dog

[woodsy]

Well, no more cat pooping out of the litter box but my 2 cats are use to my "elder" springer spaniels. We recently acquired "tyler" who is part west highland terrier and beagle. Tyler is an energizer bunny , on the go constantly. My one cat "mickey" who is 2 HATES this dog and constantly stalks him and goes after him and "smacks" him. Well tonight, tyler who has been around cats and never bothered them went after mickey with a vengence, then Sammy my older cat who does not challenge tyler walked past him and tyler went after him with a vengence and scared the crap out of sammy. Tyler is 3. Any suggestions on how to stop this and have them be "friends" or am I dreaming?

[Lucky Rescue]

You probably are dreaming if you want them to be friends, but they can learn to coexist in relative peace.

You must never let the dog chase or bother the cats and teach him to leave the cats alone. Put him on a leash, and if he makes any move to chase or lunge at the cats, correct him and firmly say "NO CAT". He will probably turn and look at you, and the second he does, praise him and give him a treat.

From this he will learn "Ignore cats = praise and treats"
"Chase the cats = correction".

You must keep at this,and never give Tyler a chance to bother the cats.

If the one cat is stalking the dog, remove the dog and give the cat a toy or some catnip to relax him. Things will settle down!

[woodsy]

Lucky Rescue

It is not the dog terrorizing the cat, it is the cat terrorizing the dog for NO reason. The cat lurks behind the kitchen table,doorways, etc and as soon as tyler walks past the cat attacks him, and I think he is just getting ticked off that he is doing nothing to instigate this and the cat keeps doing this!! And I think he is just reacting. Somebody told me to get a spray bottle and spray him if he chases the cat after the cat goes after him and then do what you said. Maybe i should take the spray bottle to the cat so HE will stop it!

[Lucky Rescue]

Yeah, I understood that, and the reason I answered the way I did is because it's much easier to control a dog's behavior than a cat's.

When the cat attacks the dog, are there injuries or blood? Does the dog retaliate? Or is it mostly all a big display?

If there are injuries, you may have to separate them for now, and reintroduce them slowly.

[mona_b]

woodsy.I remember about the not pooping in the litter box in another board that you wrote.And I do remember you saying that Mickey had it out for Tyler.And tylor wasn't even bothering mickey.I guess I was right when I told you that tylor would put mickey in his place.But I didn't expect tylor to go after the other.And I told you my experience.I would try the spray bottle on Mickey.Some cats except new dogs.Some don't.Mine didn't.

[woodsy]

At first when the cat went after tyler he ignored the cat but the last couple of days he has gotten swiped pretty good and it hurt him but didn't draw blood. That is when he started going after the cat as he did nothing to instigate it and he is just fed up. When my other cat comes around him he automatically goes after him too, but I have been squiritng him with the squirt bottle and he is getting the message.