When will little Ginger cat come home?

Question

I have inherited a dog because my family member can't look after him. My little cat has left home because of him and comes home at night time for food only. I lock him up so he can't chase him. He used to be so calm and now he is so frightened of the little dog who chases him. I miss him so much and wonder where he hides out. How can I bring him home and get him used to the little dog?

Answer 1

well i'd say the question here is do you want to keep ur dog more or ur cat? it is incredibly hard to stop a dog doing what they seem to do by some bizare form of natural instinct which is to chase cats. for some reason the need to chase and torment cats seems to be programed into most dogs at birth. basically if this dog is not young and obviously hasnt been around cats much before then ther isnt much hope that the two will learn to get along before the cat decides to leave entirely or gets hit by a car etc. you need to give the dog to a new owner if you still love ur cat and dont want it to leave otherwise if you keep the dog then it wont be long before one day the cat just never comes bak home. sorry but the only answer if you dont want ur cat to leave is to give the dog to someone else.

Answer 2

Obviously a cat is going to be scared of a dog, especially one that chases it.  You need to keep them in seperate places.  I feel sorry for the cat who is now afraid to go home and only does because it is starving.  You may need to give the dog to a relative or friend.  I knew a guy who bought a dog and had to return it to the pet shop because the cat was scared of it.  Also, ther may be a time when your cat doesn't return home at all.  It may be hiding out at another house and later they may think it is abandoned and start feeding it and once they do that your cat will stay there.

Answer 3

I don't know if the dog has any previous experience living with cats, but he definitely needs some obedience training.  (It will be easier to control his behaviour than the cat's when you begin introducing them).

Your cat needs reassurance from you that your home is still a place where he can feel safe and secure.  This means putting his food, water and litter tray in places that the dog can't access.  Make sure that he has plenty of high places (bookcases, shelves etc.) where he can sit and watch the dog from a safe distance to help get used to him.  When he next turns up for his meal, keep him indoors so that he doesn't have the opportunity to run off again.  Keep the dog separated from your cat and before you attempt to introduce them take the dog for a long walk beforehand.  This will help burn off some of his energy so that he will be less exciteable when he sees the cat.  Keep the dog on a lead at first, until you are sure he can be calm in the cat's presence.  Food rewards to both animals for good behaviour, will also help them to associate each with nice things.

The web sites below have lots of advice on introducing dogs and cats which you may find helpful.

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...

http://www.messybeast.com/first-impressi...

Take things slowly and let your cat dictate the pace at how fast the introductions progress.  Do not leave them alone together unsupervised until you are confident that they are getting on well.    

I hope everything works out for the best.

Answer 4

Now this is really a dilemma.Well, i really don't know how to solve the problem but i can try.Keep them far away.And are you sure you have no other relatives to whom you can give your dog?