Help needed with dog / cat relationship

Mrs_PI

I need some help getting my dog to accept a cat

My dog is a 10 year old Border Collie ( very young at heart and races round like he's a puppy ) who hates cats on sight

I look after 4 strays and have built them a shed and its all done out with cat flap, bedding food etc and called Hotel Meow

3 of the cats are fine to live like this and have for 2 years now but one is a home girl and I take her in and shut the door in the bedroom, so the dog can't get her.

She is not bothered by him at all and just looks at him when they may pass outside whilst he is doing a great impression of a hell hound at the end of the lead barking and snarling etc

So how can I start to try to get him to accept her, as I would love to have her inside all the time

I do not know where to start and would welcome any help, tips anything really

Thanks

Claire_Bear

Are you sure all of the cats are strays? I'd take them to a vets if possible to check if they've been chipped as they might belong to someone who thinks they've gone missing. If there's a cat flap on the door of Hotel Meow they might be popping back home during the day. Sorry that I have no proper advice on what to do with regards to your dog, but if you're thinking of keeping a cat indoors all the time it's best just to check

Mrs_PI

Yes they are definatley strays, well I should say were as now they are mine, have gone to the vets and none were chipped and put posters up and made extensive enquiries where I live, found out that 2 had been left when someone moved ( ***** ) can't put what I would like to put at this point

Anyway I digress, they are mine and I just need a little advice

Claire_Bear

I'm definately with you on that point, my cat was left behind when her owners moved too, but it worked out well for me as now I have her and she's amazing But I'd like to give whoever left her to wander the streets in the cold a piece of my mind!

It's good of you to build them a place to stay though, just thought I'd mention the microchip things as some people wouldn't know about it.

sarabe

You need to pair anything that the dog finds rewarding, (with the exception of chasing the cat), with the presence of the cat.

To ensure that the reward you are offering is of higher value than the reward of chasing the cat you must make sure that the latter reward is unavailable and that you keep your dog below his threshold of needing to chase the cat.

I realise this may be difficult and it will take some working at to find this level but not impossible.

For example If he loves to play tug would he ignore the cat in favour of a game of tug if say the cat was asleep on the far side of a room and he was outside the room and able to see the cat but not get into the room(stairgate in doorway or dog on lead)?

If he is more interested in the cat than in what you have to offer then there is no point in trying to get his attention on the toy and you need to put more distance between him and the cat.

Once you are successful in getting him to focus on a toy, or food if he prefers it, then you will be able to gradually decrease the distance and increase the activity level of the cat until he is happy to check in with you for a reward when the cat appears. As with anything that you teach your dog eventually the rewards can be given randomly so that you don't have to play with the dog every time he sees the cat.

If you clicker train then you will be able to fast track this.

Keeping the dog below his threshold, in other words at a level where he is aware of the cat but not reactive you would click the dog for looking at the cat and then reward. This will then end up as a trick in the dog's repertoire of look at the cat and then look back to you.

You also need to make sure that your dog has an outlet for his need to chase and hunt by ensuring that he has adequate exercise and play. If he doesn't then you will struggle to overcome the cat problem.

The_Mighty_Gusset

If the dog is well enough trained and does as it's told there should be no problem.
With the cat already in the room, introduce the dog, giving it firm instructions to behave itself.
You need to be in charge though - if you are nervous or agitated the dog will sense this.
If the dog knows it has to behave then it will do, and will quickly get used to the cat being there.
If it gets to close the cat will soon warn it off.
However, be aware that just because it gets on with one cat, that won't stop your dog chasing every other cat on the planet.