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DanLefoot's avatar
DanLefoot
Explorer
Sep 28, 2014

Cats and dog

He everyone.
We have a 40' DP and travel with two 5 year old cats. (Litter mates) They have been RVing since they were kittens and do very well.
I really would like to Ad a Goden Retriever rescue dog to the family. But the wife things the cats will freek out sharing the MH space with a big dog.
What do you think? Any experience with both Dogs and cats in your rig?
Dan

9 Replies

  • Our five pound cat managed the dogs well. She trained many during her 20 years with us.

    Here she is teaching one to hunt during one of our extended trips :B

  • Have had big dogs and cats in a TT together full time for months in the past. If the dog is already cat friendly, it should not be that difficult. The cats will be cautious at first, as they should be. But unless you have extremely fearful cats, they should adjust. Pheremones and supplements can be used to ease the stress of that transition.

    Remember that the cats must always be dominant and the dog may never dominate cats. Teach the dog from the get-go that any aggression or pushiness directed toward the cats will be corrected. Goldens are usually pretty soft-tempered and easily trained, so that should not be hard to teach. Be more focused on teaching the rules than fussing over the new kid when you bring the dog home. Bonding will come with time but getting off on the right foot with behavior is important and will save grief later. Be sure that the dog is also secured away from the cats when you can't supervise, until you are very sure that there will be no aggression.

    But the first thing to do will be to let the rescue know what you need, so they can find you a dog that will fit in readily, respect the kitties, and respect the limits you set without a big struggle. Much easier that way.
  • My 3 cats were 12 years old when we got our rescue. Granted, the rescue terrier mix wasn't much bigger than the cats, but the cats continued to rule. Most cats co-exist well with dogs that aren't aggressive towards them-they just go about their business running their kingdom. BY the way, as my older cats are now gone, I have just introduced two young cats to the house. The kittens hissed at the dog a bit, but it's been a week and they all pretty much ignore each other.
  • With a golden, I don't see any real problems occurring. You mention house, so I assume you are not full-timing. You don't mention age of the dog, so I'm assuming you'll be adopting an adult dog. With that, here are my suggestions.

    Before you get the dog, move objects that are on high places to safer places. Cats will normally seek high places where they can see what's happening, but not be in danger (siamese especially). Let them have that security against a creature so much bigger.

    When you get the dog, bring it in on a leash and keep the leash on while you let the cats check it out. Let the cats approach on their own - don't try to walk the dog to the cat, or bring the cat to the dog. If your cats are curious siamese mixes, they won't take long to start checking out the dog - let them. Don't interfere, other than to keep the dog calm and to talk encouragingly to all. Most dogs learn with one swipe of the claws that the cats are in charge - how quickly your cats will do so, is dependent upon the cats. You may want to trim the cats' claws in anticipation to reduce potential damage.

    If you're able, sit on the floor with the dog, petting it, while you talk to the cats. If you cant get on the floor, sit in as low a stool/chair as possible. This shows the cats that the dog isn't a threat. Keep doing this each day.

    If the dog is a chaser, keep it on a leash whenever the cats are around. Since you want them to be able to live together in the RV, getting them used to being in close quarters without chasing, etc. is important. You want to ensure all 3 are safe with each other without having to crate or lock anyone up.

    To get them used to sleeping around each other, I use a tie out cable and wrap it around the headboard or leg of the bed. At night, I attach the other end to the dog's collar. I leave enough room for the dog to lay down in the corner with enough slack so that the dog can be completely on the floor (in case it falls off the bed during the night). The cats just roam as they wish. The tie out keeps the dog from chasing the cats during the night. As they get accustomed to remaining on the bed throughout the night, I add more slack to the tie out. If they try to chase a cat, the tie out slack is reduced back to the start. Once the tie out is at full length and there are no chasing attempts, I stop using it. The dog is now trained to stay on the bed throughout the night and not worry about the cats' nocturnal wanderings. If you don't want the dog sleeping on the bed, then adjust the above in a location where you can place a dog bed. The benefit of the bed is that you are more likely to wake if the dog suddenly decides to wander (or chase) during the night.

    I have done the above for years while fostering. When someone brought over a new foster dog, they would be amazed when the cats would suddenly appear in the room, relax on the chair arms, etc. and quietly study the dog waiting for an opportunity to correct bad behavior. :)
  • Great feedback so far. The wife is a cat person and is afraid that two Siamese mix kitties would be traumatized by a dog in the house. They are strictly indoor cats and have never even seen a dog.

    BTW we once had a new to the family parrot. The two cats (different than the ones we have now) thought that the bird would be fun to bat around. The parrot simplied stared them down. Cats never got close again.
  • We travel with a golden and one cat. Henry (the cat) pretty much runs the show as he does at home. No issues at all. He goes where he wants when he wants, but at about 15 spends most of his time sleeping either on the bed or under the steering wheel (when not moving).
  • We have 32' and travel with a Golden-sized dog and two 5 yr old cats. They run the show, just as they do at home. Don't worry, they all get their pecking order and you'll still be at the bottom.
  • About three months before my malamute died she left home for two days. She was 17 and getting old. She came home with a stray cat that she let drink water from her bowl. They would lay togather on the porch all day until she died. So maybe you need to let your cats pick out the dog.
  • The dog will just take over the MH. The cats will hide behind the couch, under a bed, or in a corner. You won't see the cats for a while. They'll become unsociable for a while. Make sure you keep their litter pan clean so they won't retaliate by using a different spot. After a while, they'll adjust. It will probably take a couple weeks. The cats will probably never warm up to the dog, but the will eventually co-exist. Cats will probably hide more. Until they realize they miss sleeping on-top of you in bed at night! After a couple days ... they'll be back after they get over their "snit".