Stray Cats

[sipsi]

How should I meet Latte to cats? She is very curious about them. She has never met a cat yet. Well, I let her approach them in a safe distance but she has never got to smell one yet and she goes crazy for it. I don't want her to be willing to chase cats but she is a baby and curious about everything including cats. Not sure what is best to do. And I don't know any cat owners.

[POPTOP]

Stray cats may not be the best for Latte to meet. In my mind I'm thinking feral cats and they can carry all sorts of problems including fleas. DD had a horrible time one year with fleas on her GSD with the feral cats going through the yard. Also, feral cats are quick to defend themselves. I would be more prone to work on leave it, let Latte see them but leave them alone.

[doubledip1]

I agree with Fran! Luna has lived with our cat for a year and a half and she still pesters her every chance she gets. Work on "leave it" like crazy!

[barry581]

We had a 16 year old kitty when Sophie arrived. Being a typical Lab pup, Sophie had way to much fun wanting to chase the kitty. What she didn't know or understand was that the kitty had lived through 5 previous Labs and had no fear what so ever of dogs. So the kitty would stand her ground and womp Sophie all over the face with her paws, while never putting a claw out. Sadly the kitty passed when Sophie was about 8 months old.

We adopted my DD's cat last year, as the cost to ship him to the UK was very high, and I felt bad for her, so I volunteered to keep the kitty. He's a big cat, and has a great personality. Now Sophie could care less about Clarence (the kitty). On the other hand, Bruce thinks chasing him, and playing with him are just too much fun!

This was this past Friday night.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v...type=3&theater

[sparky]

I agree with Fran! Luna has lived with our cat for a year and a half and she still pesters her every chance she gets. Work on "leave it" like crazy!

I agree with Fran and doubledip. Mocha and our cat to a T.

[SunDance]

I'd use "leave it" for all of the stray kitties. Latte doesn't need to meet cats...she needs to leave them alone. If you were going to be getting a cat, she'd need to meet that one and get along.

We'd always had cats and dogs...the cats were "alpha" in our house and all dogs learned respect. If the cats decided they wanted more than that, they'd let the dogs know.

Sunnie tested "cat neutral" at the shelter (important since we already had two cats in the house) and was fine with our two cats from day one. Danny grew up with those cats. Never an issue. Outside cats....hah....that's a different story. Sunnie wants to kill (I can tell) and even Danny looks interested. Really interested. That's the reaction that raccoons and foxes get...a lot more interested than with mere rabbits and squirrels. I'm amazed that Sunnie was so well behaved around the cat at the shelter and with our two right from the first (maybe because she was pregnant at the time)...but our two were the only ones who counted.

[sipsi]

Latte doesn't need to meet cats...she needs to leave them alone.

This is what I wanted to know. I've already been keeping her away from cats by "Leave it". I'm not going to be getting a cat so I'll keep on practicing then. Thank you all.

[Berna]

I agree on avoiding the stray cats. Especially since most of them are not friendly at all and Latte may end in scratches.

[Tanya]

x100 on not letting her meet them at all. Stray cats can be dangerous and know how to defend thesmselves.

I wantd to note - a dog will react very different to random strange cats outside differently than indoor cats. Rocky will chase outdoor cats (and to my embarrasement DID chase my neighbours cat when she came over one day) but he is perfectly fine with cats indoors. I know you don't plan to get a cat but ever you did, having met outdoor cats won't generally impact the process to meet an indoor cat.

[sipsi]

I know you don't plan to get a cat but ever you did, having met outdoor cats won't generally impact the process to meet an indoor cat.

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Hmmm. Thanks Tanya. That made it pretty clear