# Road to Cat and Dog harmony??



## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

We have just adopted a dog from PAD (Asociación de Protección de Animales Domésticos). She's absolutely adorable, and the shelter was so helpful in ensuring that we found the right dog for our family. She is very well behaved and calm, (a labrador cross, so very good with the kids). However, our two cats are not as enamoured about her! The dog will bound after them if they come within range, and she's not going for them - just curious, but the cats are petrified and have virtually left home!

Does anyone have any good tips for getting the animals to coexist in harmony? I don't suppose they will ever be bosom buddies but if we could get them to tolerate each other that would be OK. The kids are finding the situation upsetting.

And just on a side note, it was tragic seeing so many dogs in the shelter who had been abandoned, many of whom are dogs belonging to expats who are returning to the UK but don't want to take their pets. The biggest problem is that they haven't got their blue passports up to date, and therefore would have to put the animal in quaranteen for 6 months. I don't understand the mentality of a person who thinks its OK to throw a dog out onto the streets to fend for itself because it has become a 'problem'.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

lynn said:


> We have just adopted a dog from PAD (Asociación de Protección de Animales Domésticos). She's absolutely adorable, and the shelter was so helpful in ensuring that we found the right dog for our family. She is very well behaved and calm, (a labrador cross, so very good with the kids). However, our two cats are not as enamoured about her! The dog will bound after them if they come within range, and she's not going for them - just curious, but the cats are petrified and have virtually left home!
> 
> Does anyone have any good tips for getting the animals to coexist in harmony? I don't suppose they will ever be bosom buddies but if we could get them to tolerate each other that would be OK. The kids are finding the situation upsetting.
> 
> And just on a side note, it was tragic seeing so many dogs in the shelter who had been abandoned, many of whom are dogs belonging to expats who are returning to the UK but don't want to take their pets. The biggest problem is that they haven't got their blue passports up to date, and therefore would have to put the animal in quaranteen for 6 months. I don't understand the mentality of a person who thinks its OK to throw a dog out onto the streets to fend for itself because it has become a 'problem'.


The dog issue does my head in too! Recently we were faced with a decision of possibly having to return to the UK, we got the dogs jabs done and then of course realised that you have to wait 6 months after the blood test for that before you can take them back!! That meant we would have to wait til April 2010 before we could take them back with us - what to do??? We couldnt leave them, not in a kennel, not even with friends, not that anyone would have taken them, or looked after them the way we would want them looked after! The two eldest dogs are 9 and 10, so I doubt they'd have been easily rehoused - we considered having them put down as a last resort??? These dogs are part of the family and you cant just leave them and forget - well we couldnt

Anyway, the situation has changed and we're staying in Spain, however, the dogs are now in the waiting period, so we could take them back after next April and I guess the sensible thing to do is keep their passports up to date to cover any eventualities that may occur! There should be more awareness of this "6 month" waiting period IMO!!

Jo xx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

jojo said:


> The dog issue does my head in too! Recently we were faced with a decision of possibly having to return to the UK, we got the dogs jabs done and then of course realised that you have to wait 6 months after the blood test for that before you can take them back!! That meant we would have to wait til April 2010 before we could take them back with us - what to do??? We couldnt leave them, not in a kennel, not even with friends, not that anyone would have taken them, or looked after them the way we would want them looked after! The two eldest dogs are 9 and 10, so I doubt they'd have been easily rehoused - we considered having them put down as a last resort??? These dogs are part of the family and you cant just leave them and forget - well we couldnt
> 
> Anyway, the situation has changed and we're staying in Spain, however, the dogs are now in the waiting period, so we could take them back after next April and I guess the sensible thing to do is keep their passports up to date to cover any eventualities that may occur! There should be more awareness of this "6 month" waiting period IMO!!
> 
> Jo xx


Yes, we will be keeping the rabies jabs up to date for both the cats and the new dog. As she was nearly rehomed in Germany and then Finland, she has her blue passport, but like your dogs JoJo, we would have to wait till Feb before she could go to the UK. Its madness that the UK isn't in line with other European countries and is causing havoc for the animal shelters down here on the Costas.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

lynn said:


> Yes, we will be keeping the rabies jabs up to date for both the cats and the new dog. As she was nearly rehomed in Germany and then Finland, she has her blue passport, but like your dogs JoJo, we would have to wait till Feb before she could go to the UK. Its madness that the UK isn't in line with other European countries and is causing havoc for the animal shelters down here on the Costas.


The rabies jabs and proceeding blood test isnt cheap either is it!! I forget what the jabs were, but our vet wanted to charge us 150€ per dog for the blood test, altho we shopped around and have found one for 70€, altho the results dont come back for 4 months, so if they're negative, we have to do the whole thing again!!!


I'm horrified and alarmed, but I'm not surprised that so many people simply leave their dogs. When you're desperate and you HAVE to go back (and usually have no money, hense the return anyway) what do you do??? Vets tend not to put healthy dogs down, if thats the right thing to do anyway????

I'm not sure about going the quarentine route, I was gonna look into it, but we decided we could stay so I didnt bother, however, I'll bet it isnt cheap or easy!

Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm horrified and alarmed, but I'm not surprised that so many people simply leave their dogs. When you're desperate and you HAVE to go back (and usually have no money, hense the return anyway) what do you do??? Vets tend not to put healthy dogs down, if thats the right thing to do anyway????


Jo xxx[/QUOTE]

I think you are right that Vets don't want to put healthy animals to sleep, and in fact our dog was brought into the shelter by a vet who had been asked to put her to sleep and she had refused. However, if PAD had not been able to fit her in the shelter (and they are bursting at the seams most of the time), then she would have gone to the Perrera and the clock would then be ticking. She is such an adorable dog, and it breaks my heart to think that there are others like her who don't have luck on their side and end up being put down.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

lynn said:


> We have just adopted a dog from PAD (Asociación de Protección de Animales Domésticos). She's absolutely adorable, and the shelter was so helpful in ensuring that we found the right dog for our family. She is very well behaved and calm, (a labrador cross, so very good with the kids). However, our two cats are not as enamoured about her! The dog will bound after them if they come within range, and she's not going for them - just curious, but the cats are petrified and have virtually left home!
> 
> Does anyone have any good tips for getting the animals to coexist in harmony? I don't suppose they will ever be bosom buddies but if we could get them to tolerate each other that would be OK. The kids are finding the situation upsetting.
> 
> And just on a side note, it was tragic seeing so many dogs in the shelter who had been abandoned, many of whom are dogs belonging to expats who are returning to the UK but don't want to take their pets. The biggest problem is that they haven't got their blue passports up to date, and therefore would have to put the animal in quaranteen for 6 months. I don't understand the mentality of a person who thinks its OK to throw a dog out onto the streets to fend for itself because it has become a 'problem'.


 Cesar Millan "the dog whisperer" may have some ideas on dog cat relationships. If not, ask your vet. If she/ he can't help you they may be able to point you in the right direction of someone who can.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Cesar Millan "the dog whisperer" may have some ideas on dog cat relationships. If not, ask your vet. If she/ he can't help you they may be able to point you in the right direction of someone who can.


Ooops, I got sidetracked on your original question, sorry 

Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Cesar Millan "the dog whisperer" may have some ideas on dog cat relationships. If not, ask your vet. If she/ he can't help you they may be able to point you in the right direction of someone who can.


OOPS! I did what you suggested, Pesky Wesky - I googled 'cat and dog relationships' and got a really good website which basically said that I should have introduced the dog into a secure, small area of the house first and allow the cats to have their territory. Bit late now though as the dog has the run of the place!
The good news is that they have retreated to my son's bedroom and haven't completely disappeared. I can only hope that time will heal. I must admit, the cats have been through the mill over the past couple of months what with the move from the UK and now a dog. Plus, last Saturday night we had 7 dogs for a sleepover when my parents were evacuated from their home because of a bush fire! If I was a cat, I'd be packing my bags!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

lynn said:


> OOPS! I did what you suggested, Pesky Wesky - I googled 'cat and dog relationships' and got a really good website which basically said that I should have introduced the dog into a secure, small area of the house first and allow the cats to have their territory. Bit late now though as the dog has the run of the place!
> The good news is that they have retreated to my son's bedroom and haven't completely disappeared. I can only hope that time will heal. I must admit, the cats have been through the mill over the past couple of months what with the move from the UK and now a dog. Plus, last Saturday night we had 7 dogs for a sleepover when my parents were evacuated from their home because of a bush fire! If I was a cat, I'd be packing my bags!!


A dog, 7 cats and a bush fire!!
Your life sounds a little different to mine!!:tongue1:
Seriously though, Cesar Millan probably knows what to do and if not his videos on youtube are very entertaining


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> A dog, 7 cats and a bush fire!!
> Your life sounds a little different to mine!!:tongue1:
> Seriously though, Cesar Millan probably knows what to do and if not his videos on youtube are very entertaining


I must admit, the bush fire thing was mighty scary. The winds were extremely strong last weekend and the fire was moving along the valley at alarming speed. It was testiment to the emergency services that it didn't spread across the whole of Mijas and was confined to La Alqueria. The elecricity cables and water pipes all burned and melted so its a big clearup job. Mum can't hang out any washing either because it all comes in smelling of ash!


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## London328 (Jul 29, 2009)

*Chilling the cat out?!!*



lynn said:


> I must admit, the bush fire thing was mighty scary. The winds were extremely strong last weekend and the fire was moving along the valley at alarming speed. It was testiment to the emergency services that it didn't spread across the whole of Mijas and was confined to La Alqueria. The elecricity cables and water pipes all burned and melted so its a big clearup job. Mum can't hang out any washing either because it all comes in smelling of ash!



Hello - my vet suggested 'Feliway' feline pheromone diffuser to help counteract my cats stress when we moved to new place. Of course, I thought it was a rip-off but stumped up the £17 or so because I'm a total sucker for my cat . It looks like an air freshener thingy, the kind with a plug attatched, you plug this thing in and it wafts odourless synthetic cat pheromones throught the house for about a month. Which is supposed to help them feel secure. It worked for us, within hours our kitty was slobbed out rolling around on the carpet whereas before he'd been very wide-eyed and always 'on guard' in our new home. Just to reassure you I don't sell the stuff or anything pet-related  maybe one to investigate to help you kitteh calm down in the sea of pooches?


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## London328 (Jul 29, 2009)

Agree with you Pesky Wesky, Cesar Milan rocks!


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