Suja wrote:

I just found out that my SIL is adding THREE kittens to their menagerie.

Wow. That's a *lot* of kitteny goodness.

Annabelle Lee:
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6361664

Poe: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6361672

Lady Luck: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=7156262

I like the first name, *love* the second, and will not comment on
the third.

They're not worried about Gatsby (hairy black dog), who is pretty gentle,
but Shazzy (Boston Terror) is definitely going to get her nose out of joint.
Wee widdle princess does not like competition.

I hope they have a dog free space for the cats.

Anyhow, I am wondering how to introduce my beasts to the cats when the time
comes, most likely when we're visiting them. I am especially concerned with
Lady, since she's got neurological issues, coordination problems and is
apparently a little slow on the intake. Pan, I think should be okay; after
all she's lived with cats and ferrets before. Khan OTOH will chase cats
that run, although he apparently just wants to stick his nose in them and
inhale deeply, but I'm concerned that a weird acting cat might cause a
different reaction.

I'd keep them on leash to start with. You can observe them with the
cats, and see how they react to each other. I'd take my cue
partially from the cats themselves. Are they skittish around the
dogs? Do they *act* like prey? You may find that, after the
initial encounter, they aren't all that interested in each other.
Worst case scenario, temporarily segregating the cats in a dog free
area is a good idea.

--
Shelly (Warning: see label for details)
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

Hoping to change the subject and cause certain threads to die. Why yes, I'm
ambitious

I just found out that my SIL is adding THREE kittens to their menagerie. I
am in no way responsible for their names.

Annabelle Lee:
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6361664

Poe: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=6361672

Lady Luck: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=7156262

They're not worried about Gatsby (hairy black dog), who is pretty gentle,
but Shazzy (Boston Terror) is definitely going to get her nose out of joint.
Wee widdle princess does not like competition.

Anyhow, I am wondering how to introduce my beasts to the cats when the time
comes, most likely when we're visiting them. I am especially concerned with
Lady, since she's got neurological issues, coordination problems and is
apparently a little slow on the intake. Pan, I think should be okay; after
all she's lived with cats and ferrets before. Khan OTOH will chase cats
that run, although he apparently just wants to stick his nose in them and
inhale deeply, but I'm concerned that a weird acting cat might cause a
different reaction.

Advice?

Suja

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:00:04 -0400, "Suja" ,
clicked their heels and said:

Khan OTOH will chase cats
that run, although he apparently just wants to stick his nose in them and
inhale deeply, but I'm concerned that a weird acting cat might cause a
different reaction.

Advice?

Keep a leash on him and if he knows the command "easy", piece of cake.
If he doesn't, start teaching it over anything you can think of that
he wants to get at.


--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"shelly" wrote in message:

Wow. That's a *lot* of kitteny goodness.

I suppose a novice cat owner adding 3 kittens at once is different from a
novice dog owner adding 3 dogs, and less likely to be a disaster. Two of
the kitties (the first two) are coming home this weekend. The last one is
not due to arrive for two weeks, on account of how she is not litter trained
yet.

I like the first name, *love* the second, and will not comment on
the third.

Which is just as well.

I hope they have a dog free space for the cats.

They bought a house recently, and I think that there should be enough room
for the cats to have a dog free space. I don't know how their dogs will
react to the cats, though. Shazzy doesn't chase stuff, but Gatsby does,
although he is the more compliant of the two, and Shazzy does a pretty good
simulation of a terrier, considering how she's a bug-eyed alien critter and
all.

I'd keep them on leash to start with.

I'll definitely do that, and I think I will introduce the dogs to the cats
one at a time. While Pan ignores cats (and pretty much any other critter),
she's a total follower and will act in whatever manner Khan (or any other
dog) is acting.

You can observe them with the
cats, and see how they react to each other.

The pet store where I get the dogs' food from has a house cat and the vet's
office does too. Pan doesn't even seem to notice them. Khan gets very,
very, very excited. Even about the cats that are in carriers at the vet's
reception. He's "met" indoor cats before. The one at the vet and the two
at two different friends' house that sat still and acted all superior, he
poked his nose into and snuffled. The two that ran, he chased; one smacked
him on his nose and he backed down, but the one that decided to hide caused
him to try to get under the couch hisself.

I'd take my cue
partially from the cats themselves. Are they skittish around the
dogs? Do they *act* like prey? You may find that, after the
initial encounter, they aren't all that interested in each other.

Probably so. After all, both of them have lived with cats before.

Worst case scenario, temporarily segregating the cats in a dog free
area is a good idea.

If it came to that, I'd rather find a hotel or something to stay in. SIL
won't be happy to have to lock up the cats on our account, and I won't be
happy to lock up my dogs on their account.

Suja

Keep a leash on him and if he knows the command "easy", piece of cake.
If he doesn't, start teaching it over anything you can think of that
he wants to get at. --
Janet Boss

As per usual, I agree with shelly and Janet.
When we brought our first 8 week old kitten into the home, last summer,
Hannah Bean, she pretty much sized up the dogs, with me closely watching
only Zack, as Ceilidh and Rudy both had been around cats. All was fine.
Zack grumbled, like an old man, but never a snarl nor a snap. It's in his
personality, 5 years younger than Rudy but by the way he groans and moans
around here you'd expect him to be at least 98 yr, (human wise.)
If/whenever Hannah felt they got too close she swiped at them, having been
raised in a house full of dogs. So, by the time our neighbor pawned off
Piper Bean, (who has since become my fave kittens ever!!), they were pretty
much indoctrinated. Tho IzzyBean is so sweet natured, Piper hates everyone
but me. heh), the dogs knew that the kittens had their own 'weapons'; not
that they were ever scratched, but hissed nastily enough in the face, that
seemed to do the trick.
Little Isabella Bean (aka IzzyBizzyBee---flies like the wind thru the
house), was very 'confident' that she could hold her own with the other
dogs, but she'd been out on her own for a weeks or more, by they way she
looked.

The only teeny problem, is whenever Hannah wants to go out, not only does
she sit by the door, hanging off of the door knob g, most of the time,
meowling *constantly*, but she has now taken up 'fighting' with LittleBit,
IzzyBean.
(I know, I know......all my animals have way too many names, but you know
what it's like, you can't come up with the *sticker* until they've been
around, and even then, we, or *I* call them anything at any given time, and
they all come runnin. Heh.)

I'd leash the dogs, and let the cats approach, you'd be surprised at just
how very clearly those 'kitties' can get their 'message' across! Just as the
others have said make sure there is some 'safe room' or place where the
kittens can get to get away from the dogs, just in case.

Have fun!,
MaryBeth
Rudy, Ceilidh, and Zack
HannahBean, PiperBean, and IsabellaBeanie

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:44:29 -0400, "Suja" wrote:

I suppose a novice cat owner adding 3 kittens at once is different from a
novice dog owner adding 3 dogs, and less likely to be a disaster.

I don't expect it'll be a disaster, but it's not something I would do. I
value what's left of my sanity!

They bought a house recently, and I think that there should be enough room
for the cats to have a dog free space. I don't know how their dogs will
react to the cats, though. Shazzy doesn't chase stuff, but Gatsby does,
although he is the more compliant of the two, and Shazzy does a pretty good
simulation of a terrier, considering how she's a bug-eyed alien critter and
all.

I imagine it'll be pretty exciting for a few days. I get the feeling
that Shazzy might be the bigger problem, long-term, but frankly, I'd be
more worried about her little bug eyes than the cats.

I'll definitely do that, and I think I will introduce the dogs to the cats
one at a time. While Pan ignores cats (and pretty much any other critter),
she's a total follower and will act in whatever manner Khan (or any other
dog) is acting.

Very good idea.

If the cats aren't freaked out, I bet Pan will not get overly excited by
them. Khan might be more difficult, but if, as they said, he was once
good with cats, then he should figure out pretty quickly that they are
not for chasing.

I always had to give Elliott a reminder, when he met new cats, that he
needed to leave them alone. Once he had time for his prey drive to
disengage and his brain to re-engage, he was fine with them. Fine
meaning, he pretended to ignore them as long as they didn't act like
prey. I still had to keep an eye on him around non-pack cats, though,
because cats have an unfortunate habit of acting like prey.

The two that ran, he chased; one smacked
him on his nose and he backed down, but the one that decided to hide caused
him to try to get under the couch hisself.

I'd be concerned and careful, but it doesn't sound hopeless.

If it came to that, I'd rather find a hotel or something to stay in. SIL
won't be happy to have to lock up the cats on our account, and I won't be
happy to lock up my dogs on their account.

I don't blame you. That might be less frustrating for everyone, though
probably not as fun. It'd be nice if the critters would all get along.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

Words, like glass, obscure when they do not aid vision.
-- Joseph Joubert

"Janet B" wrote in message:

Keep a leash on him and if he knows the command "easy", piece of cake.

He knows 'easy', but in a different context. I use it when we're going down
steep-ish inclines, where he can walk at his normal pace but I would get
myself killed if I maintained it. It tells him to take itty-bitty baby
steps.

If he doesn't, start teaching it over anything you can think of that
he wants to get at.

He does know to 'Leave It'. Which he does with cats (and four legged prey
critters), but he is very, very excited about the presence of cats, and
while the other four legged ones would be thanking their lucky stars and
hoofing it, the cats won't be going anywhere. I went back to his write-up
from the shelter and it says "He has spent time in the office of Whitney
Mason, Executive Director, where he has gently nuzzled the many kittens that
share the space". Maybe he is getting all amped up because he just wants to
gently nuzzle the kitty, and I won't let him (considering how they aren't my
kitties, and I don't want to take any chances).

Suja