Rescue boxer and 1 of 3 cats

[katiegirl]

We rescued Katie in late December '08. I did a proper integration of separation for 10 day to 2 weeks. We were told by the organization that she was 7-8 years old. My vet feels, because of her rough life, she is probably abound 3.5 to 7.

We have a 11 year old Siamese; a 13 year old Siamese and a 17 year old Siamese. The only one she is interested in is the 17 yr. old (Caesar).

She will stare him down and becomes stiff. We are unable to re-direct her.

I have heard of female boxer aggression. We had a visiting 14 yr. old that she attacked several times after 2.5 months of being here.

She will follow Caesar around and become stiff and do a stare down. Caesar has kissed her on several occasions, but sometimes, there is just tension.

Should I be concerned? Is this part of her age? The staredown does not happen all the time, just too much for me to be comfortable. Our beloved Mickey slept with the cats on a daily basis.

I know that in the animal kingdom, the old ones are sometimes killed by the younger dogs to save the old ones from being in pain. And, Katie leave the other 2 cats alone.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[TwoDogs]

I know that in the animal kingdom, the old ones are sometimes killed by the younger dogs to save the old ones from being in pain.

You're fooling yourself by thinking that all animals have this kind of empathy for others. That is a trait reserved for the higher primates. The reason the old and weak ones are sometimes killed is simply because they can be. They are a drain on resources, and access to resources = life in the wild. The old and weak are killed to preserve the young and strong.

Now, as for Katie and the cat. First, make sure that the cat has places to escape to in the event that Katie chooses to go after him. Consider installing baby gates in doorways, leaving a gap at the floor for the cat to scoot under. Cat "trees" or climbing perches high enough out of the dog's reach are a good idea too. Feed the cats on a counter or table to lessen the possibility of any resource guarding on the part of the dog.

I would seriously train a good "leave it" with Katie. If you search the archives, you will find a number of threads that explain how. The key is to start with objects that she will willing leave until you get a reliable behavior, then start raising the difficulty by training on more enticing objects until you finally train with one of the other cats and then eventually train with the cat in question. Do any cat training ON LEASH, of course. Even if you feel that your training is successful, remember that dogs are animals and are inherently unpredictable. No "leave it" training is going to be 100%, but it may help buy the cat that extra second it needs to get away in an emergency.

In the interim, I would let Katie drag a short leash around the house. That way if you notice her starting to stare at the cat, you can physically redirect her or remove her if necessary. Pay close attention to her body language. I would bet that she always pays attention to that particular cat. Even if it isn't an obvious stare, she probably raises an eybrow or cocks an ear when he enters the room. She may subtly reposition herself in relation to his location in the room. That is when your correction and redirection needs to take place--not once she is already in the prey "zone".

If you notice her paying him any unwanted attention, immediately give her a verbal correction "No", and "Leave it". If she stops, praise and treat her well. If she doesn't, give her another verbal "No" and pick up the leash and walk her to another room for a short time-out.

It might take a while, and you probably should never trust her 100% around the cat, but you should see a reduction in the degree of attention she pays to the cat.

 

[katiegirl]

Prey

I suspect Katie is just super interested Caesar because we all sleep on the bed together. I also believe that any animal will attack if provoked. So, I rule my gang as a pack leader so to speak. I am always aware of interactions and use a loud WOAH which seems to startle everyone. I also appreciate your reinforced need for caution.

Katie is food motivated so the "leave it" with treats may work very well.

She was hand nipping for a while, but has stopped that.

Jumping is a problem, but we are working on it.

Katie truly is a great dog. She had a horrible, horrible background. We are working on her baggage.

Thanks for your wisdom!

 

[Murp.mm]

First congrats. on giving Katie a second chance after what seems like a very miserable life before you adopted her. You're an angel. With three cats in your house Katie isn't doing too bad considering her past. I wish I could give you some good answers. Ms. Ali never left our cat alone. Our cat crossed in Oct/08 at 15 years. I don't think Ms. Ali would ever hurt him but it was constant chasing and blocking him. Poor guy never had a minutes peace. There was the occasional time when she would kiss Sook and lick his ears but once he moved quickly that was it. I guess you were lucky with Mickey being so good with your cats. In the meantime I see lots of pics here with boxers and cats together but I read just as many posts in the other direction as well. To be honest it would be disastrous in our house with three cats. I wish you all the luck and I'm sure someone on this board can give you some good advise.

 

[katiegirl]

Prey

Well, Katie does well with the other cats. She also sleeps with us, along with Caesar, and she has no problem with that.

BTW, Caesar is not intimidated with Katie at all. He just does his thing and has even kissed her.

I am doing the "leave it" but it is going slowly. And, we were the lucky ones in her finding us!