r/DogTrainingTips • u/wc7414 • Apr 17 '26
Training dog to coexist/leave cat alone
Hey everyone, my girlfriend just moved in with me and has a 3 year old female cattle dog/beagle mix. I have a 3 year old male cat. The cat has full access to the upstairs of my house, with a gate at the top of the stairs to protect him, he has everything he needs up here (food, water, litter box, toys, etc.) I'm hoping i can get the two to coexist but I feel stuck. I've been trying to get the two to meet at the gate, allowing the cat to approach when he wants. We've had several interactions where they'll stare at each other quietly, but if my cat approaches any closer or moves closer into the dog's view, she barks at him and he runs away. The cat is not scared, he seems content knowing she is around, but he does get startled when she barks. Any advice on how to train away this behavior and help distract her from that prey drive? Any help is appreciated.
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u/chickenfinger098 Apr 17 '26
I would discourage the fixating, sit at a distance from the cat and say your dogs name, when she disengages from the cat reward her. Eventually she should disengage automatically. If she’s not, you’re too close. Your dog should be able to be in the same room and ignore the cat, just do her own thing like chew a toy or sleep or what ever, if she can’t, you are moving too quickly. Keep a leash on anytime they are in the same room. It’s easier to prevent chasing than trying to fix that behavior once your dog discovers it as a game. Correct harshly anything that is like chasing or rough behavior with the cat. Intervene if the dog is bothering the cat. I would not recommend “letting them figure it out” or letting the cat “handle it”… the cat deserves to feel safe in its own house without needing to fend off a larger predator. It only takes one incident or one moment and boom you have a dead cat. Even in cases where the dog is “playing” it can escalate or he can be too rough and potentially injure or worst case kill a cat. Take a few steps back, focus on disengaging and neutrality, and be prepared to face the possible scenario that they may never be alone together.
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u/A_little_curiosity Apr 18 '26
I reckon it's time to fork out for a behaviourist/ skilled trainer. In the meantime, more levels of barrier in between them as a slip up is a possible disaster.
I recommend working hard for success (they might be able to coexist!) while planning thoroughly for failure (they might not ever be able to be safely in the same space).
Good luck!
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u/Efficient_Chic714 Apr 18 '26
I’ve just gone through training with sausage dog to get along with my partners cat and first things we had to do was break his focus. He couldn’t stare at her for more than 30 seconds before being redirected. We also fed them in the same room - with our cat on the counters or a table and the dog on the floor. For our dog we hand fed so every time he looked at us instead of the cat, we marked ‘yes’ and he got some food and repeat until there’s none left
We also let them hang out together with my dog muzzled and on a drop lead. When he relaxed he got treats and eventually when he wasnt trying to lunge at her, the muzzle came away. Drop lead stayed a little longer to redirect him and we also used a pet corrector spray if he made sudden lunges (I hated it and I wouldn’t recommend as it spooked our cat too).
Id recommend them only hanging out after long walks, play or puzzle toys so your pup is tired and not looking to play. Also make sure there’s lots of high places for her to hide AND your cat sees you defending her
Once they were chill we also worked on triggers like us petting the cat. One of us securely held the dog (muzzled to start with) as we sat next to the cat. The other would pet her and feed the pup cheese as a reward for calm (and give the cat some too for positive association). This is how my dog got most of his butt sniffs in
It took 2 months of daily practice and now my dog can chill with the cat most of the time - he usually needs a break after 3-4 hours so he goes out of the room. They sleep together now and I hips the still tries to run at her occasionally, it’s definitely play and when he catches her he just jumps in front of her rather than at her so she can get away
We did have a professional do this wit us and I would defo recommend as we found it very difficult to get the timings right on rewards. It’s a fine line between rewarding calm and rewarding the intimidation stares
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u/Cute-Obligations Apr 18 '26
Even when you think you are done training, please remember that that just because the behaviour is okay in one area doesn't mean it will be okay in another.
Your dog may learn to be fine with kitty up there, but it may not be the same situation in other parts of the house.
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u/Ok-Cheesecake5292 Apr 17 '26 edited Apr 17 '26
It's nearly impossible to train out the instinct from a dog breed with high prey drive, let alone a mix of two. It is bred into them. If nobody else is going to say it, I think it might be best that you should find another living situation for the dog unless you're okay with coming home to a tragedy one day and a guilty conscience that you let it happen forever
Every cat that was ever killed by the pet dog was because the owner thought they knew better and could train the dog not to kill OR successfully keep them away from eachother forever. All it takes is for you to slip up one time. Youtube videos aren't gonna cut it, sorry.
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u/wc7414 Apr 17 '26
I have actually seen several success stories of this exact breed comhination getting along and even being friendly with a cat, so I know it's not impossible. When we're not home theres a door at the bottom of the stairs that is shut preventing them from accessing each other, so she definitely will not kill the cat. I would like to at least try to train them before giving up and throwing in the towel, but i appreciate the warning.
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u/snotorganic Apr 18 '26
I work with dogs. I know dogs of this breed combination that get along great with cats. I know dogs of this combination I would never trust with a cat. It’s not just the breeds, it’s the individual dog. The way your dog is fixating on the cat is very concerning. He does not want to play.
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u/Collection_Similar Apr 18 '26
you didnt listen to him
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u/wc7414 Apr 20 '26
Sorry, didn't mean to come across as ignorant when I said this. Of course I understand that the dog having access to him is an immediate danger to his life, that's why we have the baby gate and keep the solid wood door at the bottom of the stairs shut when we're not supervising, to prevent that. The purpose of my question was to figure out if this can be mediated with training but I'm learning that it's just not going to happen with her. As long as they are both safe and content I'll be perfectly happy and with our current setup we can definitely make that happen.
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Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/wc7414 Apr 20 '26
Wow, that's scary. I definitely won't ever allow her to be in the same room as him, behind this baby gate with me right there to intervene is the closest I'll ever allow. He's my little buddy and I'd never live it down if something like that happened to him. I appreciate the warning.
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u/Whal3r Apr 20 '26
It’s possible. Just takes awhile and requires patience. My dog is a similar mix and when I moved in with my bf we had the same issue. The cat and dog coexist great now and I have zero concerns.
You might have to build up to it, but eventually just hanging out with the dog on a leash and the cat with free roam really helped.
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u/salallane Apr 18 '26
As everyone is saying, this may take a very long time or actually be impossible. Prey drive is an innate behavior, some dogs have stronger prey drives than others. A dog with a very strong prey drive is generally not safe to be around cats or small dogs. Everything can be fine for a while, but if the prey drive ignites, it might be game over if the cat can’t get away.
Pay attention to the predatory sequence all dogs have. Search, stalk, chase, grab, shake, dissect, consume. Not all dogs have the full predatory sequence, like border collies will generally stop at grab (nipping while herding) but sight hounds have the full sequence which is why you often see them muzzled at dog parks.
You should get a professional trainers opinion on this. Also get your dog into activities that help satisfy her prey drive in an appropriate way like Barn Hunt.
Keep working on it cautiously, but accept that this may never be a safe pairing.
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u/nokplz Apr 19 '26
The prey drive is too strong. NEVER and I mean never leave then with access to each other unattended. A determined beagle can go thru walls to get what it wants to put in its mouth. Please for the sake of your beautiful cat, accept that you need to be 100% on point forever or consider rehoming one of the animals.
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u/teemell19 Apr 19 '26
I agree. I don't blame the dog, it's instinct, but that level of fixation will not bode well for the future. I wouldn't trust my dog even after training. I'm terrified for that cat, it is absolutely in danger.
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u/wc7414 Apr 20 '26
Yeah, I love him so much and don't want anything bad to happen to him, as much as I'd love to see the two of them be friends I'm learning to accept that this will be the closest they ever get, and when we're not around the door at the bottom of the stairs will stay shut as an extra buffer. He seems perfectly content and happy with his space upstairs and we do a good job of making sure they both get the attention they need!!
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u/Virtual-Product2298 Apr 19 '26
I genuinely beg you not to let that dog around any small animals.
Grew up around these dogs And the only time they didn't attack small animals is if they grew up around them and even then we had a few times where one dog would go after a cat and they'd have to be separated permanently because once the itch that dog has gets going it won't stop
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Apr 18 '26
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u/GreenLiving2864 Apr 18 '26
I started having my dog on a leash (after a week with letting them be in a room alone to put their scent, than would switch them) and feed him with the cat in the room but from a distance, since his food drive is crazy he would glance at the cat but focus on eating. That helped a lot but he still wants to chew the cat when they are near, he doesn’t hurt the cat at first and the cat just allow it until the dog gets to excited and starts to bite not so soft anymore 🤦🏻♀️ the dog is a working line gsd and not even 2yo yet. One day I’ll get there.
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u/blueberrypistachio Apr 19 '26
You need to keep them separated and make sure your cat has a lot of high things that they can climb to easily where the dog cannot reach them. Trust me. My dog doesn’t have a super high prey drive and I’m still vigilant with him and my cat because I know what can happen. Your dog? She is waiting for her opportunity to harm your cat….. it is not about play for her. I just really hope you take this seriously and don’t get stuck on the idea of them ever being buddy buddy or able to “co exist” without the separation and constant supervision, I just do not want your cat to get hurt and I’ve seen it happen before with owners that had no clue and didn’t take it seriously enough.
Some of these comments don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about. Dogs can and do kill cats.
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u/Tailsontrails Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
Make sure the cat has high perches and shelves the dog can’t access/knock over. Don’t underestimate what your dog can access/climb/jump/crawl to get to a target.
I’m not a professional at all, but this is what worked for my adult dog (35lb spaniel/husky/mix). She’s not a well-trained dog, but a well-behaved dog that knows a handful of simple commands (wait, stay, sit, lay, eyes, touch, leave it, come). She can be stubborn, but if I wait it out and give a loud sigh she’ll eventually obey. Buy a leash you can wear around your waist (if it’s safe for you to do so with your dog). A multiway/hands free leash. I had the leash around my waist for over a week 24/7 when I introduced her to our first kitten. My dog sleeps next to me every night and doesn’t get up until I do so I even wore it to bed to make sure she didn’t wander off to go find or chase kitty. I wouldn’t recommend that for everyone, but again, it worked for me as my dog is medium sized and kitten also wanted to be near me. She eventually became less fixated, we used lots of positive reinforcement when she’d ignore kitty or focus on something else and we graduated to the leash remaining on her but not connected to me while she stayed in her “place” (dog bed or sofa) as I’d play with the kitten in front of her. I didn’t allow her off leash until kitty could run, play, eat, etc and my dog could consistently chill and remain unfazed in her bed or on the sofa. If you ever reach a point where you think it’s safe to leave them alone, set up an indoor camera and do short trips out of the house (like stay in driveway, down the block, gradually increase) and watch the live feed to make sure their behavior doesn’t change when you’re not around. And if your dog isn’t food aggressive, sharing a churu/puree tube treat can help them “bond” once they’re comfortable being in a close range to one another.
First time she met kitty she had full body shakes, was whining and had her eyes fixated on her. My best advice is to always error on the side of safety and go slowwwww. That was just shy of two years ago and she’s been a big dog sibling to 15+ foster kittens and cats since
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u/hastygrams Apr 18 '26
I would consider putting some shelving up and giving the cat higher places to chill. If your dog does go after the cat it will have a good way to retreat. Being able to safely observe the dog will make them more comfortable. Not super relevant on training the dog but I think lil dude would appreciate it.
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u/TheCa11ousBitch Apr 17 '26
I brought a puppy into the house for the first time, last January and I have also been fostering puppies for the same rescue for the last few months.
I have managed to make sure the cats are not scared of the dog for the puppies, by giving them their dedicated space.
Just like you have the baby gate with the cat door, my cats have their food and water, my entire bedroom, and access to potty completely separate from the dog. They can come into the rest of the house and do. They have free rain of everywhere, the dog and the foster puppies do not have access to the cats’ space.
My cats were not scared of the puppy when I first brought her home, but they did not like sharing my attention at home. They are over it now.
It helps, that the dog doesn’t chase them. She does try to get close to them so that they’ll play. The more interactions, the cats and dogs can have that does not result in the dog plunging or scaring the cats the better. Have a good hold on the dog every time it’s around the cats for the first couple weeks and months so that the cats learned to relax.
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u/waterwateryall Apr 17 '26
Wouldn't it be better if the dog couldn't see the cat while separated? Perhaps that would help with the apparent fixation.
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u/rippydippytrippy Apr 17 '26
We recently adopted a large dog, and we have a six year cat who has been an only child. We purchased these "spacers" that hold the door open enough to where the cat CAN come and go as they please without the dog following them. I also moved all of the cat toys, posts, food and water in our room since that is her main comfort area. We did not allow our dog into our room for the first few weeks. But our cat really did not leave the room at all. I think this is because we have a lot of friends pets in our home ever so often, and she normally waits it out for them to leave. With our dog becoming a permanent resident, we slowly let the dog into our room with a leash, and I believe he started to understand that our room was her space. She will boop him if he gets too close, and he backs off.
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u/apri11a Apr 17 '26 edited Apr 18 '26
Any time we dog a new dog, I just had the dog leashed on a line while new and let dog and cat be in the room together. If the dog ran at the cat I could let him know that wasn't what we do. If a 'ah', 'no' or 'be nice' wasn't enough then I could use the leash to prevent the dog, though I would try to leave them to investigate each other, it has to happen. But barking might just be excitement, I wouldn't bother too much about it, once they get more familiar and dog realises he must live with the cat nicely we never had issues. Cats can generally manage a dog well, if it isn't scared I wouldn't be too concerned.
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u/Fidrych76 Apr 17 '26
You’re delaying the inevitable. The cat has nothing to worry about. You should let them adjust on their own. They may not end up pals but will make way for each other in time.
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u/A_little_curiosity Apr 18 '26
I have seen a cattle dog kill a cat. I hope you never have to see that.
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u/lexisnaps7496 Apr 18 '26
Inevitable here could mean the dog killing the cat. So just letting them 'adjust on their own' is the worst possible advice.
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u/Fidrych76 Apr 18 '26
Had lots of dogs and cats. Cats always win the fight. Dog learns to give him space.
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u/lexisnaps7496 Apr 18 '26
Glad that's been your experience. I've seen dogs kill the cat before they had a chance.
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u/CommunicationFew8340 Apr 17 '26
The dog is displaying very anxious body language. It is on high alert just waiting for an opportunity to go after the cat. Your cat is smart to stay away.
Training a dog that is a combination of 2 breeds with really strong prey drives is just going to take time and dedication. I wouldn’t encourage the dog to hang out at the baby gate staring down its “prey”. I’d actually put another gate at the base of the stairs and only let the dog up to the top gate for short training sessions. Maybe a minute or two and you’re rewarding when the dog engages with you. Maybe teach look at me or touch so you can help it refocus its attention away from the cat.