| Cats vs Dogs |
| Dear Deborah: I have a cat that hunts and stalks my Maltese puppy. Does she think the pup is a mouse? What can I do to teach them to be nice to one another? The Hunted |
|
Dear Hunted: Yes, she probably does think your pup is a
mouse - or at least, a pretend mouse. She probably won't hurt him,
but until he is bigger and you are sure, supervise them always.
Put them in separate areas when you leave to avoid injury to both. Make sure your cat gets plenty of attention. A new pup can be heavy competition and sometimes that alone can cause resentment or rivalry. Keep special toys, games and rituals with your cat, so that not all free time becomes puppy time. When you catch the cat being too rough with the pup, intervene, and put your cat in a separate room, away from you. Allow her back in later to try again. Eventually, she'll catch on and learn where your tolerance for roughness lies. Cats play with each other and those they love by playing pretend hunting games. They do stalk, track and ambush each other without causing injury when they are close friends. Hopefully, some day soon, your pup and cat will play like close friends. Until then, you're the referee. Let the games begin. |
| For more tips, get Deborah's
book, Good Dog! from your local book store. Deborah also writes for the Family Dog Magazine. Available at Save-On Foods, London Drugs, and in Free boxes everywhere. Send your pet questions to: Fax 604-732-2088 |