New lab and cats???

[311Hemi]

Looking at buying a house in the next month...and along with that my first pup a new chocolate lab. The girlfriend has a couple cats and might move in with me in a year or so...My questions is:

Do I wait to buy the pup until it can be brought up with cats....or get it now and hope it learns to get along with them when that happens?? I can also bring the pup over to her place if that would help... Do I need to worry about this?

FYI: As far as the girl friend is concerned.....getting rid of, attacking, or harming the cats is not an option for those of you thinking it!!!! I know your out there!! LOL

[jlm]

Oh boy, I know this situation all too well. I guess there really is no easy answer because it depends on the dog and the cats. A lab will usually treat cats pretty well but they still will want to play with them and they can be really rough. If the cats are adults, this might be a problem. Some adult cats that are exposed to dogs will go nuts. Others will be fine with it. I guess there is only one way to find out! I suggest that you plan for the dog to be an outside dog just in case. I would start off with gradual exposure to one another and work from there. Keep your dog clear of the cats though, there are cute and fuzzy but they can cause serious damage to the dog..particularly in the eyes. Good luck!

[311Hemi]

I would definitly watch the cats...one is declawed..one is not. And the one that is not should be IMO!

I guess it could really go either way...cause the cats are a couple years old now. On the other side, I plan on the dog living in the house also so I would need to work this out...

Thanks for the info!! Good to know what people think about this.

[This message has been edited by 311Hemi (edited 06-29-2004).]

[jlm]

Can you talk your significant other into having the other cat declawed? I have learned over the years that you do not mess with a woman and her cat..that is a recipe for disaster. Hey, you never know, they all might get along great! Good luck!

[311Hemi]

Thanks again for the info.

I am working on getting the lady to change her mind...ever since she decided to read how they actually declaw cats she wont do it. She is now moving into a nice town house and the cat with claws likes to tear up carpet...so she said she would if thats a problem!! time will tell.. and maybe if I just get the dog and let her know whats up...that might change things also!!

[fivebucks]

My last dog was great with my wife's 2 cats. One of the cats loved the dog but the cat was a kitten that moved in after the dog was established. I now have a 6 month old yellow lab that really wants to play with the cats but they don't want anything to do with him. He has taken a swat or two already. He won't hurt the cats I don't think but I am afraid of him getting it in the eyes. Declawing the cats is not an option - my wife doesn't like that form of amputation. Anyhow I am teaching the pup that cats are off limits by saying NO everytime he tries to interact with them.

[BLACKJACK]

When our first lab had pups, it was winter time, we had them in my shop, so we had a heat lamp on the pups and Rex the wonder cat crawled right in with the pups and mom, he like the heat, I have the pictures to prove it!

Most dogs and cats will get along if you discourage the dog from chasing the cats, its when the cat turns and runs that they think hey lets go! Watch the cats too, if one is aggresive, it might actually come after the dog, which you would have to discourage. Alot depends on both the cats and dogs personalitys, timid, aggressive, if you work on it they should get along.

Good luck!