7 replies to this topic

[KJewett]

_{Hello. This is my first post ever and I just got my first Cairn Terrier a few days ago. I just wanted to know if anyone has some good tips about socializing a 6 month old Cairn (who has never met cats) and my 2 cats. The problem I'm having is that our cats are now refusing to come downstairs and meet the puppy. Our older cat attempted to come downstairs but when Scooby (our Cairn) saw him he started to bark and tried to chase him. Scooby has met a few of our local SPCA cats at one of our pet stores and they got along great, but when it comes to our cats at home he just wants chase. I know we just got him and these things do take time, but I just want to know if there is anyway I can make this go smoothly. I really don't want Scooby to chase the cats and I don't want the cats to be afraid to come downstairs.}

[Idaho Cairns]

Time. Let things take their natural course and make "not chasing the cats" part of the Cairn training regimen. The cats and the Cairn will work it out with your guidance.

[oscar's mom]

My cat was 5 years old when Oscar came home at 8 weeks old. The cat spent the next 6 months hanging out in higher ground for the most part, but when he wanted to come down he would to play tag or chase with Oscar. The cat definitily told Oscar who the boss was, but never once used his claws on the dog. It's been five years and the cat still will tag Oscar to play chase. It's great.

[Rohnda]

We had two cats when our 11 week old Cairn came home with us. One immediately decided she was going to be the "mother." Luigi (our Cairn) could bark, chase, wrestle with this cat all he wanted to. When that cat moved back to his permanent home (my adult son's house) that left us with our original cat, Cedar. Cedar never wanted anything to do with Luigi. If Luigi happened to walk past him, Cedar would strike out and whack him on the head. He never used open claws but did use lots of hissing and growling sounds. After awhile, Cedar realized that his only companion was going to be a dog so he better start being nice to him. Now they run and chase each other and sleep together on the couch. When Cedar (the cat) won't play with Luigi, Luigi will begin grooowwwling and rrrrrrrrring (cairn talk) to try and get the cat up and about. It never works but he is persistent in his efforts. Your cats and dog will adjust just fine.

[lindasue]

We also have 2 cats and Pegi, our cairn. The cats are older; one is 16 and the other is 8 (we think, she found us as a stray), and Pegi is 2 1/2. The older one (male) is not the slightest afraid of Pegi - in fact he kind of tortures her (this includes drinking her water, chasing her, swiping at her (no claws) and once even jumped on her back and rode her around the house! The other cat wants nothing to do w/Pegi - will sleep on my daughter's bed and just hiss when Pegi looks up to see if she's there (of course Pegi can't jump up on those short legs). The cats will get used to Scooby! And welcome!

[Napi'smom]

we have 4 cats each has his own personality, 3 boys and 1 girl, the girl is Napoleon's best friend and tolerates both dogs better than she tolerates the other cats...

The other 3, 1 is not afraid at all , but then he is not afraid of anything, he is a big guy, then we have a stray who is an old guy and swings and hisses at both dogs for no reason and the youngest is petrified of the dogs, they all come down but have different levels of tolerance with each dog, mind you that everyone knows who the boss ! as most have said, time will be the only one that will tell how long and the cats personality also.

[Meggie]

We do cat rescue (luckily my cairn is submissive to cats) but while you work on your cairn's training regarding felines, I would provide the cats with as much vertical space as possible to be able get up and away from the puppy (a new cat 'tree' perhaps?). Height equals power/escape for a cat.

I would also baby-gate the puppy in a room (or divide the house in a hall etc etc) so the cats can have free reign of the house an even amount of time as the dog, so they can roam with out fear of the dog bothering them.

With my own cats and when visiting my Mother's (which included a 19 yr old cat until he was put down recently, who had NEVER met a dog and none too fond of the pup), we basically function in pet-shifts to accommodate the far less flexible temperaments and needs of cats. Build the cats' confidence while training the dog to respect them.

Edited by Meggie, 30 January 2012 - 04:23 PM.

[Zekey's Mom]

I've got 2 older cats and 2 Cairns. Both dogs were adopted as adults. My one cat gets along with everybody -- all three pets will sit nicely on the sofa with me. But for some reason, Zekey's got it in for my cat Lucy! it's a sad thing, in that I can't be as close to Lucy as I used to be. This is still unresolved. When I first introduced them, I did try the "mutual treat" trick, so that they would associate each other with something yummy. But it might just be a personality thing that will never change.

My solution so far has been to designate the dining room as the cat room. They're fed there, behind a closed door (or else Zekey would scarf down the cat food), and Lucy sleeps on the dining room table, out of Zekey's reach.

Like others have said, time will help a lot.