Behavioral question

[DeVon]

Velcro is my foster cat (I keep telling myself the flophouse is full, but he will likely end up a permanent resident). Let me give you a little history on Velcro. He was an intact male, approximately one year old, when he showed up at my house. Most likely someone's outdoor kitty. He has now been fully vetted, including testing for FelV/FIV, vaccinated (just got his booster on the feline distemper/FelV), neuter, deworm, frontlined, and has recovered nicely from anemia brought on by a heavy flea infestation. Initially I set him up in my spare bedroom, segregated from my cats/dogs (I have 6 of each). I started allowing him to come out for brief periods of time into the rest of the house, my kitty Riley would literally shriek and leap at him. I ended up putting a towel in the doll crib where Velcro sleeps (it's my granddaughter's room and he adopted that as HIS bed), let his scent get on it, and then started putting it on my bed where Riley will lay. Although they are not pals yet, the banshee shrieking/leaping had ceased.

Now here is my problem. Velcro has a HUGE problem with my dog Skittle. If she so much as looks at him, he charges like a brahma bull at her and has scratched her on the snout. I have started putting her outside when he is roaming in the house. I get the distinct feeling that he has had a bad prior experience with a large white dog. How in the world do I get him past this? Since there is the distinct possibility he will be staying permanently, I want to be able to integrate everyone without him turning into the attack kitty from Haydes!

Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

[Traci]

I have a q....do you have any reason to believe that Skittle may have harassed Velcro unbeknownst to you? (sometime when you were gone perhaps). You know that dogs of course can behave like angels when you're around, but in the event Skittle was provoked somehow, there may have been an incident that Velcro associates her with.

I'm not sure I have ideas for this one. If Velcro is obviously not taking to Skittle, it may never happen. Some cats don't give in. Otherwise, I would treat this as with any new introduction, spend time with them, maybe involve them together slowly, just being in the same room together with supervision, but I don't think I would expect Velcro to give in. How does he react to the other dogs? Does he bond, sleep near them, or does he merely tolerate them and keep his distance?

[DeVon]

I have a q....do you have any reason to believe that Skittle may have harassed Velcro unbeknownst to you? (sometime when you were gone perhaps). You know that dogs of course can behave like angels when you're around, but in the event Skittle was provoked somehow, there may have been an incident that Velcro associates her with.

Zero chance that this has happened. When I am gone (even for 5 minutes) Skittle is always crated and Velcro is in the spare bedroom. She has never been out of my sight when I let him run loose in the house back before I started putting her outside.

When I first started letting him into the rest of the house, his first reaction was to go from dog to dog and rub on their front legs/chins. BUT if anyone moved too suddenly for his tastes, if even to walk away from him, he went after the dog that moved. The dogs are all pretty well intimidated by him, since the day he went after Skittle and nailed her on the snout (she yelped loudly and everyone scattered). He appears to be the fondest of Shiloh. (Why, I have no idea).

It was interesting when I brought him home yesterday after being at the clinic for two days. Of course he was deliriously happy to be home. When I came in the house, I put Skittle outside first and then let him out of the carrier. He went straight to Shiloh and went around and around her front legs rubbing and purring (she stood very still). He will go up and rub his head under her chin. He seems to not be as intimidated now when one of the dogs moves close by him, or at least doesn't necessarily associate the movement as being threatening. I've found right now it works best to at least have Skittle out in the back yard and perhaps another dog or two so he doesn't feel so overwhelmed by the presence of canines, although Lori Ann will head straight to the bedroom up on my bed when he is out.

I just really have a feeling he was attacked or harrassed by a white dog in the past.

[Traci]

Well, as with any multi-pet environment, there is bound to be one or two who will not be able to get along or are intimidated. It may never be a happy medium between the two.

I'm stumped on this one, you could be right about a prior association, but how to rectify it is beyond me, other than doing what you're already doing. Maybe the other dog people could give you tips on cat/dog coinhabitation..

[DeVon]

Well, as with any multi-pet environment, there is bound to be one or two who will not be able to get along or are intimidated. It may never be a happy medium between the two.

I'm stumped on this one, you could be right about a prior association, but how to rectify it is beyond me, other than doing what you're already doing. Maybe the other dog people could give you tips on cat/dog coinhabitation..

He was out for almost 3 hours and no attacks! I left Skittle in the house but supervised very carefully. She made sure to keep an eye on him all the time, and was very cautious in how she walked past him. Most of the dogs, at some point, walked past him, and vice versa. No attacks! Here are some pics I shot.

First time up on the pc desk, granddaughter Alexandria is on the computer (who taught that kiddo such poor posture?! LOL!)


Riley and Bagheera are in the window. Although Velcro tried to move over to the window too, Bagheera started to growl, Velcro stayed back, and that was that.


Ohhhhhh, look! Velcro's favorite place! Mom's lap!


Ahhhhhh, he's getting sleeeeeeepy!


Getting ready to go down for the count. Going....


Going..........


Gone! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

[jason]

First time up on the pc desk, granddaughter Alexandria is on the computer

checking up on the cathelp-online posts i hope

anyhow, the award for the most pictures in one post clearly goes to DeVon....congrats....nice pics too!

[DeVon]

checking up on the cathelp-online posts i hope

anyhow, the award for the most pictures in one post clearly goes to DeVon....congrats....nice pics too!

Sorry, once I got a digital, life's never been the same. Danged good thing I went with IPowerWeb for the space!

Oh, and Miss Alexandria always heads straight for barbie.com on the pc, it's a girl thing you know!

[Auntie Debbie]

Sorry Velcro doesn't seem to care much for Skittles. Just an idea, but since he doesn't have any real issues with the other dogs, maybe he just doesn't like Skittle's scent???? Sort of like when two cats get along until one comes home from the vet with that fresh from the vet smell????

Maybe since cats and dogs can experience smells we may never understand (or wnat to!), Skittle's scent may be sending Velcro some bad vibes....like I sand, just an idea.
Hope you can get this issue under control

And....if I were to get into that position that Miss Alexandria is in, you'd have to call the paramedics to come and undo me, LOL!

[oconnorjoy]

he is settled in! He doesn't seem to be showing any signs of stress at joining a multi-pet household...My Susie is the same when faced with a new situation....makes a big fuss about it. Luckily with her it's just noise...does not attack. She usually adjusts after a week or two. How long have you had him?

[DeVon]

he is settled in! He doesn't seem to be showing any signs of stress at joining a multi-pet household...My Susie is the same when faced with a new situation....makes a big fuss about it. Luckily with her it's just noise...does not attack. She usually adjusts after a week or two. How long have you had him?

He was on my doorstep every day once he spotted sucker on my forehead He would actually lay on the big wooden spool out on my front porch regardless of my dogs barking at him every chance they got; he's pretty fearless!

I think it's been a little over a month now since I brought him indoors after having him fully vetted through the Humane Society. It's just been the past two weeks I have started integrating him with the rest a little at a time. He was so anemic from the fleas that the first week I didn't let him out at all, kept him on the growth, and spent a lot of time with him in the spare bedroom. He was one tired little fellow, needed a lot of rest, good food, and of course, tons of kitty loving ear scritchies and back rubs (and he LOVES to have his belly rubbed)!