Cats versus dogs

[Emilieu]

We have recently (10 days ago) added a new rescue cat to our family. We also have another cat and a Chihuahua, who are the best of pals. We have slowly introduced the new cat and he has settled well with our original cat but not so well with the dog. The dog, bless him, showed no aggression towards the cat at all, but never the less the cat seems wary of him. Totally understandable - it is conceivable that he has never met a dog before.
The problem is that twice, when our backs have been turned, the cat has done 'something' that results in the dog yelping and running away to hide. It is obviously nothing too violent, as the dog is physically unscathed, but he is left quivering with fear poor wee soul.
I know that some negotiation of power is to be expected but we really don't want our dog not to feel safe in his own home. Am I being unfair to the dog keeping the cat? We have been lucky in the past and our animals have all lived in harmony so I have no experience of this and might be over reacting. How worried would you be and would you expect things to get worse or better over time?
Currently we are keeping them separate unless under close supervision. Our current cat and dog are always separated when we are not in the house as they can play quite roughly and we don't want any accidents so they would never be left alone for any length of time anyway.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Antw23uk]

I think you just need to suck it up and let them get on with it. The more you interfere now the long it is going to take for everyone to find their place and settle. We have two cats and a dog. The five year old cat and the two year old dog are thick as thieves together and just love each other. Ollie the older cat (I think he must be eight now!) only really tolerate the dog .. well he only really tolerates all of us really!

Unless the fur is really flying we tend not to interfere!

 

[Honey08]

We had very similar with our old cat and dog. The cat would swipe the dog for no reason, and the dog got quite upset. Then suddenly the cat decided it loved the dog, and cuddled up to it at every opportunity. They slept in the same basket and did everything together. But it was preceded by at least six months of battling!

 

[Esmae]

Do be careful with your chihuahua. Years ago I knew a woman who looked after her neighbours chihuahua. The woman had 2 siamese cats. She left them that night in the kitchen and came down in the morning to the cats and small pile of bones! She was devastated of course. How she ever explained things to her neighbour when they returned from holiday I never knew. Might be best to pen one or the other when you aren't around until everyone is settled and happy together. Good luck.

 

[Abi90]

Do be careful with your chihuahua. Years ago I knew a woman who looked after her neighbours chihuahua. The woman had 2 siamese cats. She left them that night in the kitchen and came down in the morning to the cats and small pile of bones! She was devastated of course. How she ever explained things to her neighbour when they returned from holiday I never knew. Might be best to pen one or the other when you aren't around until everyone is settled and happy together. Good luck.

Have I read this right? The cats ate the chihuahua?! That is the most horrible thing I've heard all day!

 

[Emilieu]

Have I read this right? The cats ate the chihuahua?! That is the most horrible thing I've heard all day!

I have heard that one before ☺️ Thought it was an urban myth though... I'm worried about him being scratched or frightened, very much doubt he would let himself be eaten without making a sound as, as i said, we are never far away

Things are slowly improving. The dog is learning not to annoy the cat and the cat is learning that the dog is less annoying than previously thought. Baby steps

 

[Esmae]

Have I read this right? The cats ate the chihuahua?! That is the most horrible thing I've heard all day!

Truly not a myth. We had this directly from the woman herself. She was absolutely devastated.

 

[Emilieu]

Gosh. When i first heard it i thought it was unlikely- my experience of cats is that they bring their catch home in varying stages of consumption but rarely stripped to the bones. Those cats must have been starving!
Poor woman. That would be terribly distressing. Although maybe not the best idea to leave them all alone in the kitchen if they didn't know each other. Hindsight...

 

[MagicMelon]

I think you just need to suck it up and let them get on with it. The more you interfere now the long it is going to take for everyone to find their place and settle. We have two cats and a dog. The five year old cat and the two year old dog are thick as thieves together and just love each other. Ollie the older cat (I think he must be eight now!) only really tolerate the dog .. well he only really tolerates all of us really!

Unless the fur is really flying we tend not to interfere!

This. When I brought a dog into our home with my 2 cats, they were terrified to begin with having never seen a dog. My grey remained scared for some time (rushing past dog etc. even though the dog does absolutely nothing) and then my other decided she liked the dog and they'd play. 3 years later and weirdly the grey has a total love relationship with the dog (literally she will get up from one end of the room, wonder straight over to the dog with her tail up mewing at the dog then rubbing her head all over her!), and the other one has decided she is very much top of the tree and will occassionally go for the dog Doesn't hurt her but scares the dog enough to yelp sometimes. But hey ho, I'd rather it was that way than the dog going for her...