HELP!

[Guest girliejr]

I need help very quickly! I know a few of you mention your cats from time to time, and since all of you have Cairns, I need to know how you do it!! If I can't get the two to live in harmony, I'm going to have to give both kittens away. I know I could find them a good home, but I was really hoping Jack and the kitten could get along!

I brought home 2 kittens yesterday (they are homeless and I wanted to keep one and give one to another good home....they are about 3 months old, so not too tiny) and it was a dissaster! Jack was barking and jumping and acting crazy and the poor kittens were frightened to death! They scratched and hissed and started climbing the walls trying to get away from him. The more they did this, the more he jumped and barked. I finally had to seperate them.

How in the world did you get your Cairn to CALM DOWN (is that possible??) long enough to "meet" the cat without scaring the poor cat to death?

Any ideas/helpful hints would be appreciated! Thanks!!

[Cairns2]

Getting a Cairn to calm down is a whole forum in itself!

I have 5 cats and 2 Cairns. Over the years we have added both to the family and it takes time and patience. I always keep them separated until the newcomer has time to adjust to our home, the routine, the noises and us. We adopted a cat this year who had never seen a dog before and he was a little freaked out at first. Terriers are in your face dogs! It was too much for the cat. We gradually put them together for short periods of time - supervised, of course, and now they are good friends. With the kittens, I would either crate them or crate the dog and let them sniff each other and get used to each other. The novelty of the new arrival will wear off in time and the dog will get used to these new creatures. Right now the Cairn is trying to figure out if the kittens are something to play with or something to eat! Never leave them alone together until you are absolutely sure they get along - that could be months from now. Be sure to correct the dog if he goes after the kittens. With a little time and patience, you'll be one happy family!

[Guest girliejr]

Thanks, I appreciate the encouraging words. They are seperated right now, but Jack really wants to know what is in the bathroom! Whatever it is, it is taking some of momma's time and he doesn't like that one bit!

[toomanypaws]

I agree w/ cairns2's post. I have 3 cairns and 2 cats. My youngest 2 cairns are much more tolerant of the cats than my oldest cairn (Kiara) is. I sometimes have to close my oldest cairn off in another room because she won't leave the cats alone. The oldest cat was here before the cairns, yet Kiara has never gotten use to his head games w/ her. We got the kitten, now 7 mths over the summer. I slowly introduced the cairns to her for just short visits. Now my two youngest cairns love kissing her and even like to say goodnight to her. My oldest still will chase her when she gets the chance. Give yourself a little more time before giving up.

[Guest girliejr]

I am afraid the cat will just run and hide under a bed somewhere and never want to come out! I don't want the cat to be in constant fear of Jack. The cats were strays so they have probably been afraid of something most of their short lives!

I think Jack thinks they are squirrels or something!

[Guest rottndobie]

The ticket is the throw can (tin can (not aluminum) with 15-20 marbles (not pennies or rocks)) Use a juice can with a pop top and seal the opening with duck tape after inserting the marbles.

Toss the can in the vacinity of the dog (telling the dog NO when you toss) when he/she is trying to chase or bother the cats. Don't hit the dog with the can. It will stop the behavior instantly. The can has been my best trainer...

[toomanypaws]

The ticket is the throw can (tin can (not aluminum) with 15-20 marbles (not pennies or rocks)) Use a juice can with a pop top and seal the opening with duck tape after inserting the marbles.

Toss the can in the vacinity of the dog (telling the dog NO when you toss) when he/she is trying to chase or bother the cats. Don't hit the dog with the can. It will stop the behavior instantly. The can has been my best trainer...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, this can w/ marbles may work for some, but not my Kiara. It would ONLY work if I hit her smack in the head and knocked her out. I think there will always be different methods for different dogs. Having three Cairns, I find that they are all so different. Just like children, different discipline methods work for each.

[Milopup]

The can of marbles doesn't work with my pup either - I tried it for a while when he was younger to try and curb barking - all it did was get him to bark at me when I shook the can.

[AllAboutPetey]

MOST of the time my 2 ignore kitty. Last night, however, Belle was very interested in kitty and would have chased her and probably hurt her if left alone. They key for us is supervision. I would never leave the cat alone with my 2 Cairns. Like others have said, each dog is different, so you'll have to find what works for you.

[Eliz222]

We didn't have a new kitten when we adopted Finch, but what we did seemed to work. Sinch Finch was only 8 weeks old when she came home, we put her in the crate and left her in the room so that the cat and Scout could get use to her smell and view Finch. We did this for several days and it seemed to work. Now, our cat, Bach, was 9 years old at the time and knew how to take care of herself.

They pretty much igonore each other now, but Finch does chase the cat every few days or so.

Good luck with the kitten, and I hope it all works out for you.

[Guest girliejr]

Thanks for all your advise! I think it just might all work out yet!