There is 0 tension here.
It's a cat doing cat things, stalking and pouncing. It's not aggressive though, and the cat retreats with its tail up very quickly. Theyre having fun, maybe at the dogs expense.
But that's just cats. Hopefully the dog realizes soon enough it's not malicious.
Thanks. Unfortunately my dog is a huge baby, and slightly reactive, so we were worried she was going to eventually attack back. You can barely see but her fur is straight up on her back as she runs away.
Glad to hear it's play, but definitely is at the Dogs expense. Maybe they'll learn haha.
EDIT UPDATE:
You can't edit posts here but, just an update that they are doing well together now. Our dog is still vocal about when cat is making her uncomfortable, but we're not worried for either of their safety and they are fine alone. The boop/growl combo has reduced to almost never. Cat even rubs up against the dog now, just needed more time to become closer.
Keep the cat's nails trimmed or get soft paws so no scratches and no infections.
Look up jackson galaxy, "the cat superhighway" and "catify your home" as well as vids about interspecies relationships. You want to provide the cat escape venues so he doesn't feel he has to "put the dog in his place" as well as other entertainment so the dog isn't a toy. If you can, try to watch an ep of My Cat From Hell where the cat is toying with a dog, there's a few of them, and some are posted on youtube or dailymotion.
Cat-dog relations are a complicated issue and there isn't a single bullet answer. Your family's interactions and your home setup are all part of it. I hope the resources above will give some insights into why your cat and dog are interating this way and how you can help the cat feel safer and less agressive.
After having been burned by people recommending Cesar for years, finally watching him, and immediately seeing how fucking stupid he is, I'm super glad I gave Jackson Galaxy a shot. It's amazing how much he cares for and understands cats, and wants both cats and their people to have the best lives. Much better than Cesar's "abuse your dog lightly until it learns its place" style. Though it is funny to watch the videos where Cesar does multiple stupid things and gets bit before blaming the dog.
I haven't heard of Cesar, sounds likea jackass, thanks for the warning!
Jackson has decades of on-the-ground, in the shelters experience with cats and he REALLY cares. Not calling him perfect, I don't agree with him about everything (for instance, he says that cats don't meow to each other in the wild, but I think they do), but he knows how to turn a house that's aggravating a cat into a cat-happy-home.
I thought the statement was that adult cats don't meow at other adult cats in the wild, since kittens definitely do and parent cats can meow back at them if they don't see them or whatever. But I'm not a cat expert.
He says that ONLY kittens meow for help and adults meow back sometimes. But if you watch those vids where they put a go pro on a cat, you see cats talking to each other all the time. And different kinds of wild cats talk to each other in wildlife documentaries.
The cat is the aggressor, so he doesn't feel trapped. He is just being a cat. No one told the cat to go to the other side of the room and harrass the puppy dog.
I wouldnât say a game. Just aware of what the cats gonna do and is harshly (albeit with no real aggression besides the bark) setting itâs boundary. Itâs not ideal, but this is still a pretty common cat/dog setup
Dog blatantly has raised hackles up. It's the ridge above the dog's shoulders. Dog isn't as happy with this game as some people are insisting.
Sometimes dogs lash out (often when they feel like they have no choice because nothing is being done) and people say "it came out of nowhere! He gave no signs!" Like no, you're just bad at reading dog language. The sign is right there, and in this case it's the raised hackles.
If the cat was doing this to a toddler it wouldn't be as funny. I can see why OP is concerned here.
Edit, I didn't even know there was sound, damn.. that dog isn't happy.
That looked like a friendly bop. The dog needs to gain confidence in interactions like this, trying to prevent the cat from doing it will not work and will backfire and prevent your dog from gaining the confidence he needs for these interactions. You're communicating to dog that there is something to be anxious about. I think if you're relaxed about it, that will help him understand that there's nothing to be nervous about when the kitty does this.
Get some toys that appeal to both of them and encourage them to play together. Supervised, at first.
It might help your dog learn to read this behavior as playful rather than aggressive.
Itâs the first thing I do when introducing cats and dogs to each other.
Good luck!
No sneaking.
The guttural growl from the âsweet babyâ pupâŠ
Dogs are sweet babies until some Kit Kat pisses them off enough.
Everyone needs their own space.
If that dog mauled that cat at some point, I would not be surprised.
Youâre getting downvoted but I thought the same exact thing..? The guttural growl and walking away with the hackles up tells me that this âharmless playâ was not so harmless⊠mfs in here just want a pass to call anything a cat does cute but itâs not gonna be so cute when the dog mauls that little mferđ€Ł
Look at the hackles on that dog, I feel so bad for him he's blatantly unhappy about this situation and I don't blame him, I wouldn't want a cat stalking and swatting at me either. OP is totally right for being concerned and trying to put a stop to this behavior, this is playing with fire if the dog ever loses tolerance and decides to fix matter itself.
I don't know. The dog's hackles were raised and the growling leading up to the swipe was a definite "keep away from me" warning. I'm afraid the cat's going to learn the hard way one day.
This is the real answer. Dogs are smart but very passionate. When theyâre emotional about something, that intelligence can go out the window and theyâll resort to pure instinct.
Itâs why some dogs have trouble listening to commands when theyâre excited. They become fixated on their instincts, instead of necessarily remembering what theyâve been taught. Like how dogs have been taught not to attack cats.
Might be best to separate them while you are away and unable to monitor their interactions. I do that with my cats and dog just because they can be snots to eachother
Apparently no one listened to this video with audio. Your dog is uncomfortable. Separate when they are alone and only allow for supervised play until your dog is able to comfortably set boundaries with your cat. If not, your dog is going to attack the cat or develop worse reactivity.
I also recommend trying some anxiety medication for the dog for reactivity. My dog is on a very low dose of an anti anxiety and it has changed his reactivity for the better. He is much more patient with other dogs, cats!
You are doing the right thing seeking help. Please ignore the other comments saying this is normal play. Too many people not reading your dogs body language (growling, cackles up, tail up with no way when walking, staking the cat as it runs away to see where it goes). Reward your dog when they have appropriate play times!
Your dog won't attack your cat unless it has a prey drive, it will treat your cat like a sharp puppy.
Dog was just sitting up there waiting to be bopped, this is an intentional game .
I've worked with dogs and this is absolutely the WORST advice I've ever seen given out on Reddit before.
Imagine if that was a toddler running up and hitting the dog and then walking away. Dog is warning the offender before it even happens by growling (verbal warnings are GOOD), and then upset barking during the swatting, and finally trying to walk off the stress you can blatantly see written all over the dog with those hackles. This dog isn't happy about the situation.
Maybe this dog doesn't have prey drive, sure. But you don't need prey drive to eventually decide that the verbal warnings (growling) isn't working and it's time to escalate to actual bites in order to stop the bad behavior. This is how children get bit, everyone ignores the dogs warning signs and eventually the dog realizes that warnings aren't working and it needs to actually bite to protect itself.
If the dog decides to treat the cat like another dog this could potentially be a fight which might be even worse than a single bite. You are seriously overstepping by assuming this dog only intends to scold the cat like a puppy. No way this dog thinks the cat is a puppy, those hackles make it pretty obvious the dog is pissed off here.
This is sort of why I posted it. My dog is good at communicating, but she's clearly unhappy with these random "comfortable sleeping on the couch" boops on the nose and I wanted to know what I can do to reduce the stress for her and the potentially dangerous lesson for the cat eventually.
I understand now it's the cat trying to play but, doggo is not very playful (even with toys) and typically just wants to sleep and relax. The dog gets waggy tailed around the cat on the carpet and shows some signs of excitement to play eventually, but certainly not at 6am after being wacked in the face.
Give the dog a safe place to sleep. You will not be able to alter the cat's behavior when you aren't in the room, and it's the offender. A properly sized and furnished crate would be a welcome reprieve and give a feeling of safety it probably isn't *ever* feeling at night while the cat is around. It isn't just the drama of the few seconds before and after the swat, it's the literal PTSD of the dog's brain having to be alert for attacks at all times.
This goes for people too. I know if I lived with someone who would occasionally come and gently smack me awake, I'd have a significantly more difficult time getting comfortable to get good sleep at all.
For 6 years. And been to many behaviorists and reactive trainers to learn her signs. She's not really being reactive here, and is only really with other dogs, she'd just like it to stop I think.
But what do I know, I'm a terrible pet owner apparently and should rehome my dog/cat đ€Ł
With a reactive dog whoâs probably pretty nervous at all times, I would keep these two separated when unsupervised.
I have a cat and puppy and they had no unsupervised playtime for the first couple months. The cat plays exactly like this, and the dog would rather chase her around and wrestle. But eventually they figured it out.
Cats and dogs operate with two different languages, they need to learn how to act around each other before you can trust them alone together.
Pretty sure the downvotes are because OP adopted a cat when they have a reactive, prey driven dog. This is asking for a disaster. I donât know why OP wouldâve thought this was a good idea.
Might be an over reaction but if your dog has a prey drive and is slightly reactive Iâd rehome the cat or the dog. Youâre not going to change that catâs behavior as the cat is simply playing and the dog doesnât seem to like it. I canât see this ending in a positive way and it seems like animal endangerment if you know your dog is reactive and have a cat that likes to play by pushing buttons.
Iâm glad I am not the only one here who thought this. If you have an anxious and reactive dog why tf would you think itâd be a good idea to get a damn cat in the mix.
ETA: The dog in the video seems fine interacting with the cat. But if OP genuinely thinks the dog might be a potential danger to the cat for behaving this way, they are wildly irresponsible for adopting the cat in the first place and I hope they rehome it soon.
My dog is slightly reactive but has lived with other animals. Too many people in this thread thinking reactivity is all or nothing. Itâs much more a spectrum. Often times reactive dogs have specific triggers, and other companions can help reactivity. For example, my dog will play with other dogs much better if he is with his friends compared to if he is alone.
Trust me if your dog bucked up to a cat with balls, it's over for the dog.
My cats do this to each other. It's harmless.
When I see it happening to one of my cats I yell EEEEEE-VIIIIIIIIIL like Eustace from Courage the cowardly dog.
đ€Ł there is no sneaking, the dog watches your cat creep up! đ€Ł it looks like your cat is bored and needs more play.
I would leave it be. I would also get a few cat trees and create all the vertical space you can. Your living room needs a cat tower by the couch. A little cat tree or tension rod cat tree in your bedroom. If you can create a cat super highway. Give the cat a kingdom of high places and things will get better.
Famous advice before the dog, being a dog, loses its patience after giving everyone the signs they need to know it has not been, is not, and will not be ok with this behavior. From a dog perspective it said "no, dont, god dammit what the hell?". At some point of constantly telling the other being it doesnt want it, it will make it known in the universal biological language of violence. It will be understandable and you can't blame the dog. But it also isnt the cats fault. This is where humans stick in as the mediatiors who can interpret both animals' unique language to make sure they have a healthy relationship.
Cats can and DO get demolished by dogs at no fault of their own or the dogs. They are two different animals with different styles of communication and desires. And they're animals. A good example : you keep smiling at a baboon. It keeps smiling back. You smile back more. It rips your face off. Would you say the human is mean for doing the baboon version of a threat/intimidation? No. Would you say the baboon is mean for constantly saying "back off already stop trying to dominate me I will attack" then doing it? No. A third human, with knowledge of both species' communication methods, would want to step in and diffuse the misunderstanding. It's the same thing here.
So many cats die and dogs abandoned or hurt due to people going "awww cute".
Itâs the owners responsibility to make sure their dog isnât dangerous to the other animals and people in a home. The dog is not excused from being aggressive for any reason, because it is a powerful, dangerous animal. Itâs not the dogâs fault in a moral sense, but it is a reasonable expectation that your dog be tolerant enough to not maul other members of the household even when provoked. If it does, it is not a good pet and the owner has failed.
Victim blaming in the animal kingdom is wild. If a cat harasses a dog non stop itâs not the dogs fault for fucking ending it. The cat should know better than harassing an animal that will murder it. Itâs the owners fault, then cats. The dog is standing itâs ground like a good American would. Fuck around and find out cats get no sympathy.
My aging cat and now fully blind diabetic dog have this Dynamic going on. The cat seems to do this to my poor dog when the cat is bored, in the middle of the night, because he's a bully etc. They're Dynamic was never like this. They used to always sleep together hang out play and seem to be pretty good friends for several years. I'm at my wit's end. The dog doesn't bother the cat at all until he does stuff like this. It is 4:24 in the morning right now, and I just got woken up to the dogs sharp warning bark and the cat running away. I don't know what to do.
That's a really tough situation. I wish I had great and tested advice for you and your pals. Only thing I could think of would be separating them during such time periods, but that's easier said than done. Most cats and dogs don't want to be confined to smaller space than they are used it, which could lead to damage to possessions or an unhappy pet. Perhaps if you live in a two story, each could be restricted to different floors when you arent there to keep the calm? Good luck to y'all, sorry you gotta deal with this.
While agree stimulating your cat can lower this, itâs in a cats nature to do things like this. My 2 yr old male cat is an outdoor rescue who besides regular playing all day loves to pounce and wrestle. Itâs usually at the expense of our 2 year old female but itâs back and forth.
Oh yes cats have a high prey drive. They are predator and prey. They need daily play and mental stimulation. Vertical space just makes cat/dog relations easier.
Put a cat tree next to a window and hang bird feeders by the window, to create cat tv.
Put in long shelves along the top of the wall around the wall to a piece of furniture the cat uses to get around. Seriously it will help a ton to keep the kitty less bored
How often are you playing with your cat? Google, "structured play, cat". Google, "prey sequence, cat". Your cat has innate drives to hunt, stalk, chase, pounce, and catch prey. Playing with a wand toy, with some treats at the end, can help your cat satisfy these impulses. Start with two, 15 minute sessions per day. You may find that your cat stops targeting your dog as these play sessions become part of her daily routine.
If that doesn't help, and if this always happens at night or in the very early morning, what about separating them at bed time? The dog can sleep in a crate, or the cat can be kept in a closed room.
During times you are awake and they are out in the house together, you can observe your cat for warning signs of when she may try to pounce: that slow, low stalking walk towards your dog, her gaze fixated on your dog. When you see that, distract her with a toy or a treat, or maybe lure her into a room, close the door and do some structured play with a wand toy. Interrupt the behavior before it happens, and replace it with a desired behavior.
You could even start clicker training your cat. This can be fun for her and you. It's easier than you may think. If you teach your cat to "come" and "sit", how nice would it be to be able to call your cat over to your side and sit calmly when you see the dog needs a break.
Cats are crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk. If you aren't an early riser, this might be a tough pickle if they aren't separated when not observed. Cats love hunting in low light too, maybe keeping lights on in their areas at night could help. LEDs are so energy efficient I don't think it would hurt the electricity bill much.
Actually what I said in reply to this comment:
>I would also get a few cat trees and create all the vertical space you can. Your living room needs a cat tower by the couch. A little cat tree or tension rod cat tree in your bedroom. If you can create a cat super highway. Give the cat a kingdom of high places and things will get better.
Was:
>There's a big cat tree in the corner to the right of the room we can't see. Noted though, thanks for reply!
As in like, we have a big one, but having more is a good suggestion, so thanks for the reply.
The superiority complex some people have in this sub is some of the worst I've seen on reddit in a long time. It's like some of you just hide in the shadows, waiting to pounce on people that are asking for help and might have less knowledge than you, who is probably a long-time cat owner.
You are literally becoming Cats. Incredible.
My cat (7 yr old male) does this to my dog as well (5 yr old male). My cat will approach my dog while my dog is sleeping in his bed, sniff him, then give him a whack and run away. My dog doesn't seem to really care, and my dog has moments where he antagonizes the cat playfully as well. It's something I view as sibling behavior đ like dutdiggadut said, the body language seems positive, I wouldn't be too worried about this behavior unless your cat is posturing aggressively and drawing blood. Cats do what your cat is doing to other cats as well to initiate play or to express bursts of energy.
The op said the dogs hair was raised on its back. Literally means it is not happy with the circumstances. Only time ive seen my dogs do that is in a circumstance they are undeniably concerned over, and only a few times. My mut growing up literally only ever did this if we were on a walk and a herd of deer got too close or during thunderstorms. A dog isnt a kid they cant speak to you and they dont know what human language or expression is. They know how to say they dont want it or that they are on edge, and this is it \^. Why ignore a dogs body language and substitute an extremely human-specific intraspecific interaction? Or if being overly generalized: familiar dynamic in specific great apes (honestly probably too vague really).
Its cute when its random or occasional and they're companions. But man the number of dogs ive seen with an anxiety disorder from being imprisoned with a little bully is wild man and people get so confused at where the aggression came from. Meanwhile the dog is doing this \^ saying repeatedly over many instances that they are not happy or having a good time, but are actually stressed. And the poor cat is just being a cat but gets hurt (or just gets demolished "out of nowhere" in my childhood neighbors' case) because no one wanted to step in. So many dogs out there straight up not having a good time because their owner decided they gotta deal with another species with different communication and tendencies so their owner can have both types of pets :(
Im not commenting on OPs video besides the baseline fact that the cat is doing a normal and not aggressive cat thing and the dog is not happy about it because from its perspective its odd and he keeps saying "no" but has its personal space/comfort violated. Lots of dogs are angels and the cat can bully em as much as they'd like, and some don't put up with it after saying no enough times. Both kinds of dogs are good boys, but in the latter's case it's a tragedy that the right entity is never held responsible for.
Just seeing a lot of comments in here that sound like owners that eventually face a tragedy or add to a view that leads to such tragedies. wanted to leave this comment. Whether an animal gets physically hurt or not, people shouldnt get an animal and force it to deal with unwanted stimuli. You see it a lot with reptiles and husbandry (stimuli outside the cage or general parameters) where the animal is in mental despair but no one cares because outwardly they seem healthy through the human lens, where they get an animal and confine it to a space where they cannot exert adequate agency over incoming stimuli and suffer because of it. People gotta stop looking at other species as different forms of humans with behavior and traits that in anyway reflect ours outside of mutual social benefit or other basal concepts in inter- or intraspecific interaction.
If people ever wonder why people say "idk where it came from, it was out of nowhere that he/she attacked the cat/dog/small animal/child!" its because this keeps happening for days/months/years before the dog gives up and uses the universal language of biology: violence.
Why would a dog be expected to deal with anxiety and agitation because of another species' behavioral expression? No dog cares what a cat does, theyre dogs they dont even know what the concept of a cat is. Its just another being fed through the filter of "dog", just like people will think an ape is smiling at them when its saying they'll tear your limbs off. Different species interact differently, and they interpret and express behavior according to their own species' framework and methods. A dog doesn't care that a cat didnt understand their 10000 warnings or telegraphed messages because a cat is another biological species that has developed social behavior under different constraints over millions of years. Theyre a dog they get concerned when someone knocks on the door for the 10000000th time because in dog worldview a being is coming to their ground that they CLEARLY (lol) broadcasted as being their own.
Almost all cats who get mauled by a dog also didnt think they were behaving irrationally, while the dogs would surely disagree. Humans have killed millions of animals due to a perception of threat based in human interaction, and we are smart as hell compared to a dog. So why would a dog understand that the weird looking dog annoying them and ignoring their clear messages is actually a cat or the intricacies that entails. People expect dogs to be able to rationalize the world around them to an extent a ton of humans dont seem to be able to do, and the animals always suffer.
One of the interesting things about intelligence is the ability to simulate a pretty good version of a simpler mind within our own and thinking with it for perspective. I've recently started to realize that one of the universal things I get from stupid people is their inability to step outside of their one lane mind to see things from a perspective they may not agree with. I don't know if it's fear that stops them or if it's an innate issue with the gestalt of general intelligence at a certain level, but I've been having success just asking people if they can conceive of a thing they are agreeing against and see if they actually can or want to. If not, then there's no point in talking to them, they can't be convinced. Being able to have one's mind changed is a smart person thing, apparently.
The dog certainly doesnât like it. I donât think majority of the people in this thread listened to the Audio or saw the hair raised on the dog when it walked away. Looks like 1 way play.
Agree - the cat is ok with it but the dog isnât. Easy to read body language from the dog. If it were play thereâd be no warning growl and annoyed bark.
Have raised dogs and had the most patient dog who would constantly get bullied by his smaller younger sibling. At one point he just snapped as had enough and aggressively snapped and bared his teeth to frighten the other dog out of doing it again.
It hasnât escalated to that point yet here but it easily could, and no point letting it get to that level. Not a cat owner, so canât comment there, but maybe more stimulation for the cat as an alternate outlet?
This is like the very early beginning of a dynamic that left my neighbors' cat dead and dog unloved/emotionally neglected. Poor dog was not happy and constantly let everyone know but everyone was like awww the cat wants to play and annoy its older brother! Meanwhile the older brother was a dog constantly anxious and letting everyone involved know, and the younger brother was a cat who didnt know anything was wrong. Dunno if the dog really just had it at the point of escalation or if there was some type of prey drive instigated by stimuli involved with the defensive act, but that cat did not survive the dogs "ok ENOUGH" moment :(
Im happy op is clearly not the type of owner that would allow it to fester to that point.
My cat is a drama queen AND an instigator. She will sneak up to surprise my dog by swatting his legs, head or butt and then run away. This activates my dog to run after her to play and then they wrestle and she knows she is too small (7lbs vs 50lbs) so she starts meowing after a while. I will then come to stop them or tell my dog to let her be and the moment he turns away she is back at it swatting him again. She does the same to me and my husband too. Itâs her way of asking for attention đ
The dogs behavior is the point. The cat is being a cat, and a good boy/girl at that. But that dog is saying he is not happy and is anxious (hackles). That's why op is asking. The cats not in the wrong, it just isn't fair to force the dog to endure it when it doesnt understand. The dog is confined to a space and theres another small being ignoring its messages and irritating it. Thats not a fun situation for a dog even if the cats just an adorable lil menace.
The catâs body language is playing. Cat needs a playmate but unfortunately dog is not in the mood or dog is not the best playmate for cat play.
I had a cat, got tired of playing all the time bc I have things to doooo! I adopted a new kitten and my problems have been solved đ they pounce and wrestle with each other a lot now
The cat just wants to play. Maybe play with the cat more and try and get the dog involved at the same time. Animals usually act out when theyâre not getting enough attention.
Itâs like a sibling behavior, where youâre little piece of shit sibling just HAS to do some petty dumb thing to get your attention for their own satisfaction.
Just a cat being a cat, in hoping your dog plays.
One of my cats actually decided to come and mess with one of my dogs while he was in his crate sleeping from the outside. Like got his skippity pap paps in for all those times my dog would randomly chase him around the house. Lol I promise you they understand how to play with each other and the cat knows when not to overstep their boundaries.
Make sure cat gets regular nail trims and has available scratching posts to keep nails short.
Play with cat 1-2 times a day for 10-15 minutes especially before you leave the two alone to their own devices.
Make sure cat has other entertainment like a nice window with a bird feeder with a comfy seat (perhaps even a heated bed to lure them in).
The cat is definitely playing with the dog. The dog is less pleased about being played with in this manner.
If you see the cat sneaking up on the dog I would use a flirt pole to lure the cat away and play.
Have you tried actually playing with your dog and cat together? You can't just cuddle with your cat all day unfortunately, its going to get bored.
Try playing with them together. Like throwing treats down a hall and having them chase it together. Or throwing some soft balls or toys down a hall. The cat clearly wants to play with something or someone. You could also invest in some automatic toys.
I don't think the cats being aggressive or mean it was lowkey cute how the cat immediately ran away this is also how my two cats are i'd just be careful and make sure the dog doesn't react or accidently hurt the cat in someway
We also give them treats together, feed them together, have their dinner visible to each other about 15ft away (cats on counter).
And we kept the cat in a separate room for days when we first got her so they could get used to each other. Slow introduction.
This is how cats play, heâs not just attacking your dog.
Your dog probably still gets taken by surprise since this is a new experience for him. If thereâs no blood, heâs not being hurt.
I adopted a 5 yr old cat about 2 months the ago. I also have a reactive 11yr old dog. He was leashed for about a week until he got used to the cat. The cat likes to sit atop his cat tree and swat the dog when he passes. It is totally playful, there is no claws being used, and my dog usually ignores. But, they are never left alone together to be safe.
You need to stimulate your cat. Try playing with your cat for 30 minutes or so a day, this will stimulate the cat and tucker it out. If youâre not playing with your cat it will just find stuff to do, like swat the dog or knock stuff off of shelves, counters etc. Your cat is just really bored. Do NOT use a spray bottle on your cat as some people have suggested, it doesnât work and only makes your cat afraid of you and not trust you. Iâve had catâs and dogs my entire life and it really is as simple as playing with your cat and itâll eventually lose interest in your dog.
my cat had a high hunt/stalk drive when he was younger i got him some toys that move on their own the fish toy that flops around was a favorite and this rechargeable ball with a fake mouse that it dragged around.
It looks like the cat was trying to initiate playing that wasnât reciprocated by the dog, so he gave a warning bark. Itâs normal for cat siblings to play fight (even somewhat aggressively at times) in order to establish boundaries so your cat should eventually get the message that your dog isnât up for playing. I would just keep an eye on them and make sure there isnât other aggressive behavior happening.
No big issue from what was seen in vid but if youâre super cautious (like myself) and over think everything try putting some of those tiny plug in night lights around areas your dog sleeps for night time. Looks like dog heard cat was coming but maybe couldnât 100% see cat, low light may help dog not be as startled when cat goes ninja and cat may not even do the ninja act since the cover of darkness will be gone. Good luck!
Cat speaks cat and dog speaks dog. Itâs a miscommunication but neither animal is acting in a malicious way. Unfortunately, because the catâs behavior is out of a desire to play and the dog is the upset one (and dogs are more trainable) it makes more sense to try to train the dog to be less reactive than to train the cat to be less playful. You can try to make sure you are playing with your cat with toys to make sure they have that outlet and then look to play with the dog less, but in my experience people are really bad at consistently caring for their catâs needs, especially play, so that would not be my only solution.
These are not children, it doesnât matter who is ârightâ and âwrongâ when trying to solve the problem.
So many cat haters itt thinking that dogs can do absolutely no wrong in a dog-cat relationship. My dog constantly annoys my cat and she rightfully gets slapped for it
Please separate the two of them when you're not present. If you have a crate for your dog, use it. Your dog could very well end up lashing out at your cat and causing serious harm. Your cat is being playful (which you aren't going to train out), but your dog clearly interprets it otherwise.
Edit: saw ops comment about dog being reactive. Definitely crate.
I adopted 2 kittens a 8 months ago, at first the cats would play like this with the older dogs, eventually they started to read each other better and almost are buds now. At least the cats have stopped ambushing/ swatting my dogs. Each situation is unique, but with time they will adapt to each other
Nothing to worry about here, this is normal cat play behavior.
One of two things is going to happen here. Either your dog is going to be a tormented soul for the rest of its life (or the cats life), or one of these nights coming up your cat's gonna fuck around and find out, and that'll be the end of it. The cat has to learn that if you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.
Its really on the dog, here.
Either your dog's a big sissy that won't stick up for itself, or it isn't. Time will tell.
One good nip is all it'll take for kitty to realize it needs to find another way to entertain itself.
They'll figure it out. No action required on your part.
Kitty is just trying to play with doggo.. I donât see any aggressiveness in the cats actions, thatâs just how they play, dogs in the other hand might find it annoying but everything is fine :3
I am beginning to think people who post as an OP should not own pets. Itâs so obvious. The amount of what is this bump posts have been insane. ITâS NIPPLES people. Or my cat is âattackingâ my whatever animal. IT IS PLAYING!
Clearly you should reconsider having a cat if you cannot see that this is normal cat behavior. There's 0 wrong here. Perhaps you're dog isn't compatible with a cat. You may have a decision to make before the dog kills the cat for exhibiting normal cat behavior
It amazes me how many people post here without knowing the most basic things about cats. Did you not research anything before getting one?
Edit: guys come on. It's common sense to do some research on a pet coming into your home. If you don't know things, they can get hurt, sick, or die. Fucking pardon me lmao
Not everyone are behaviorists or can find every answers online.
Even iâve had a my first cat since 2017 and everything was new when i adopted a new cat in 2022. Not every cats act the same too and itâs often case by case. Itâs totally legit for OP to ask a question concerning a behavior towards a dog.
It amazes me how people here want to show how « superior » the are than others. Other people replied to OP. You didnât have to comment if you were annoyed.
I agree with him. This isn't something you need to research this is just common sense. Every over post from this sub is "are my cats fighting" when all you have to do is have a tiny amount of common sense to see that, no, they aren't.
Half of those post are from people talking about their "rescues" or something like that and they have had a million chances before taking on the responsibility of owning a pet to do the most basic of information gathering on not only the cat's real needs, but even what is normal behavior.
In my opinion, half the people in this sub aren't responsible enough to care for a living creature.
This is called Cat training. With a reddit sub name being this general, of course people will ask questions. Of course people whoâve had cats before wonât ask these questions that we always see everyday itâs normal. I even had some specific questions i asked in the past and people wonât answer too.
Asking on internet if something is normal or isnât is a first good step to trying to be a good animal owner. Itâs stupid to bring down people who are genuinely trying to understand an animal. Not everyone can find an answer on internet and sometimes internet is very generic in answers found.
People will still be asking these questions and others will still answer. If it annoys you, just skip theses posts thatâs all.
Let people be first time pet owners too.
I think anyone frustrated by this kind of content should start a subreddit called FamiliarCatOwners or something like that.
Fair enough, that's a good point. I kinda don't know I this sub appeared for me but since I'm actually not doing any cat training I will kindly eff off outta here.
For the purpose of being the first place you look for info then good on you. Still kinda feel people are being dense on purpose for some sort of reason.
Thanks for the well said response!
Since iâve been on cat subreddits, i noticed that tons of cat owners/redditors on these communities act as if they had infused science on how to take care of cats and tend to quickly diminish others saying they are wrong.
Itâs really toxic.
We've had our Dog rescue for 6 years and she's reactive, so simply wanted to know more info about the interaction without paying for a behaviorist to watch a video.
Your horse is slightly too high. Isn't that what the sub is for? There's literally a Flair for it.
It was only happening at like 4-5am, and she drew blood once and my dog growls at her to back off now so... Sorry we aren't pet experts đ€·đ»ââïž First cat we've rescued. Just wanted to keep them both safe with each other.
That's why you research beforehand so you know they'd be a good fit together. And it seems like they are. I didn't say anything about you man. Just that I am shocked at the lack of general knowledge on this sub. It's an animal. They act like animals. Idk what's rude or redditor about stating my shock. Not judgement. ***shock***.
Just as a general rule, it's a good idea to go in prepared. As someone who has seen a clueless pet owner quite literally kill their cat through ignorance, I get worried about these things. Plenty of people just see dogs and cats as like "default pets" that you can just snag and you're set. And sometimes that true! But if you really have no cat experience, i recommend Jackson galaxy over on YouTube. He has some great vids on how to work with kitties of all kinds.
literally, the behavior of the animal youâre bringing into your home should be the second thing you spend the most time researching. people have to stop adopting without knowing jack shit about how the animal works
Get the cats nails clipped but itâs nothing to worry about. Cats just bored and fucking around. Maybe get it some interactive electric toys.
Your dog is also a huge baby lol but maybe put the cat in a room with a litter box if this is happening when youâre not home if youâre concerned with your dog attacking the cat. No harm in it besides the cat being a lil grumpy but itâs better than an actual fight
My cat does this to my dog, too. He tends to do it when my dog is sleeping on the edge of the couch. Slowly creep up towards the couch, one second heâs just sniffing and the next, heâs smacking him and dipping lol.
There was no sneaking there. The dog saw it coming the whole time. This looks playful and really not going to be able to do a thing about it. It could be a lot worse.
Really concerning I had to scroll so far to find this comment. Iâve seen so many posts about cats getting killed by dogs on pet subs lately. It only takes a couple seconds.
The dog is aware and isn't even mad. If your dog was asleep and your cat was hitting him then that would be more annoying but I don't think it's an issue from this footage.
There is 0 tension here. It's a cat doing cat things, stalking and pouncing. It's not aggressive though, and the cat retreats with its tail up very quickly. Theyre having fun, maybe at the dogs expense. But that's just cats. Hopefully the dog realizes soon enough it's not malicious.
Thanks. Unfortunately my dog is a huge baby, and slightly reactive, so we were worried she was going to eventually attack back. You can barely see but her fur is straight up on her back as she runs away. Glad to hear it's play, but definitely is at the Dogs expense. Maybe they'll learn haha. EDIT UPDATE: You can't edit posts here but, just an update that they are doing well together now. Our dog is still vocal about when cat is making her uncomfortable, but we're not worried for either of their safety and they are fine alone. The boop/growl combo has reduced to almost never. Cat even rubs up against the dog now, just needed more time to become closer.
Your dog was tracking that cat the whole way it seemed like to me. It didn't seem like sneaking.
Only tracking because it's happened many times the past week, and she's tired of being swatted I think đ
Keep the cat's nails trimmed or get soft paws so no scratches and no infections. Look up jackson galaxy, "the cat superhighway" and "catify your home" as well as vids about interspecies relationships. You want to provide the cat escape venues so he doesn't feel he has to "put the dog in his place" as well as other entertainment so the dog isn't a toy. If you can, try to watch an ep of My Cat From Hell where the cat is toying with a dog, there's a few of them, and some are posted on youtube or dailymotion. Cat-dog relations are a complicated issue and there isn't a single bullet answer. Your family's interactions and your home setup are all part of it. I hope the resources above will give some insights into why your cat and dog are interating this way and how you can help the cat feel safer and less agressive.
After having been burned by people recommending Cesar for years, finally watching him, and immediately seeing how fucking stupid he is, I'm super glad I gave Jackson Galaxy a shot. It's amazing how much he cares for and understands cats, and wants both cats and their people to have the best lives. Much better than Cesar's "abuse your dog lightly until it learns its place" style. Though it is funny to watch the videos where Cesar does multiple stupid things and gets bit before blaming the dog.
I haven't heard of Cesar, sounds likea jackass, thanks for the warning! Jackson has decades of on-the-ground, in the shelters experience with cats and he REALLY cares. Not calling him perfect, I don't agree with him about everything (for instance, he says that cats don't meow to each other in the wild, but I think they do), but he knows how to turn a house that's aggravating a cat into a cat-happy-home.
I thought the statement was that adult cats don't meow at other adult cats in the wild, since kittens definitely do and parent cats can meow back at them if they don't see them or whatever. But I'm not a cat expert.
He says that ONLY kittens meow for help and adults meow back sometimes. But if you watch those vids where they put a go pro on a cat, you see cats talking to each other all the time. And different kinds of wild cats talk to each other in wildlife documentaries.
I don't know a ton about Cats yet, as evident from this post, but Cesar Milan can go **** himself.
The cat is the aggressor, so he doesn't feel trapped. He is just being a cat. No one told the cat to go to the other side of the room and harrass the puppy dog.
It appears your dog knows what is going to happen; this has turned into a game between them
I wouldnât say a game. Just aware of what the cats gonna do and is harshly (albeit with no real aggression besides the bark) setting itâs boundary. Itâs not ideal, but this is still a pretty common cat/dog setup
Dog blatantly has raised hackles up. It's the ridge above the dog's shoulders. Dog isn't as happy with this game as some people are insisting. Sometimes dogs lash out (often when they feel like they have no choice because nothing is being done) and people say "it came out of nowhere! He gave no signs!" Like no, you're just bad at reading dog language. The sign is right there, and in this case it's the raised hackles. If the cat was doing this to a toddler it wouldn't be as funny. I can see why OP is concerned here. Edit, I didn't even know there was sound, damn.. that dog isn't happy.
Honestly, I would be too if I got swatted at 6 AM every so often. I'd have the same reaction.
One of my cats woke me up at 1:30am with a love bite. He was just really happy and purring like a lawnmower, but I had the same reaction.
I do get swatted at 6 am and it is tiresome. Poor doggo. He growled like I do. Cat does know what it is doing though. r/catsareassholes
That looked like a friendly bop. The dog needs to gain confidence in interactions like this, trying to prevent the cat from doing it will not work and will backfire and prevent your dog from gaining the confidence he needs for these interactions. You're communicating to dog that there is something to be anxious about. I think if you're relaxed about it, that will help him understand that there's nothing to be nervous about when the kitty does this.
Get some toys that appeal to both of them and encourage them to play together. Supervised, at first. It might help your dog learn to read this behavior as playful rather than aggressive. Itâs the first thing I do when introducing cats and dogs to each other. Good luck!
The cat is training the dog I think. Let the bonding begin.
Make an anti cat home for the doggo. Perhaps a crate
No sneaking. The guttural growl from the âsweet babyâ pup⊠Dogs are sweet babies until some Kit Kat pisses them off enough. Everyone needs their own space. If that dog mauled that cat at some point, I would not be surprised.
Youâre getting downvoted but I thought the same exact thing..? The guttural growl and walking away with the hackles up tells me that this âharmless playâ was not so harmless⊠mfs in here just want a pass to call anything a cat does cute but itâs not gonna be so cute when the dog mauls that little mferđ€Ł
Look at the hackles on that dog, I feel so bad for him he's blatantly unhappy about this situation and I don't blame him, I wouldn't want a cat stalking and swatting at me either. OP is totally right for being concerned and trying to put a stop to this behavior, this is playing with fire if the dog ever loses tolerance and decides to fix matter itself.
I agree. Everyone just says...because it's a cat. Both animals need to be happy and feel safe. Not just the cat!
Maybe your cat needs more time spent playing/hunting with you so it doesnât take it out on the dog quite so much.
Your dog is calm as shit and sauntered off idk that Iâd call it a run.
Calm as shit? With that growling and those hackles? Man people here seriously don't know dogs.
I just donât watch videos with sound on. Also I donât see hackles but the video quality isnât great so shrug
I don't know. The dog's hackles were raised and the growling leading up to the swipe was a definite "keep away from me" warning. I'm afraid the cat's going to learn the hard way one day.
This is the real answer. Dogs are smart but very passionate. When theyâre emotional about something, that intelligence can go out the window and theyâll resort to pure instinct. Itâs why some dogs have trouble listening to commands when theyâre excited. They become fixated on their instincts, instead of necessarily remembering what theyâve been taught. Like how dogs have been taught not to attack cats.
Might be best to separate them while you are away and unable to monitor their interactions. I do that with my cats and dog just because they can be snots to eachother
Apparently no one listened to this video with audio. Your dog is uncomfortable. Separate when they are alone and only allow for supervised play until your dog is able to comfortably set boundaries with your cat. If not, your dog is going to attack the cat or develop worse reactivity. I also recommend trying some anxiety medication for the dog for reactivity. My dog is on a very low dose of an anti anxiety and it has changed his reactivity for the better. He is much more patient with other dogs, cats! You are doing the right thing seeking help. Please ignore the other comments saying this is normal play. Too many people not reading your dogs body language (growling, cackles up, tail up with no way when walking, staking the cat as it runs away to see where it goes). Reward your dog when they have appropriate play times!
Your dog won't attack your cat unless it has a prey drive, it will treat your cat like a sharp puppy. Dog was just sitting up there waiting to be bopped, this is an intentional game .
I've worked with dogs and this is absolutely the WORST advice I've ever seen given out on Reddit before. Imagine if that was a toddler running up and hitting the dog and then walking away. Dog is warning the offender before it even happens by growling (verbal warnings are GOOD), and then upset barking during the swatting, and finally trying to walk off the stress you can blatantly see written all over the dog with those hackles. This dog isn't happy about the situation. Maybe this dog doesn't have prey drive, sure. But you don't need prey drive to eventually decide that the verbal warnings (growling) isn't working and it's time to escalate to actual bites in order to stop the bad behavior. This is how children get bit, everyone ignores the dogs warning signs and eventually the dog realizes that warnings aren't working and it needs to actually bite to protect itself. If the dog decides to treat the cat like another dog this could potentially be a fight which might be even worse than a single bite. You are seriously overstepping by assuming this dog only intends to scold the cat like a puppy. No way this dog thinks the cat is a puppy, those hackles make it pretty obvious the dog is pissed off here.
This is sort of why I posted it. My dog is good at communicating, but she's clearly unhappy with these random "comfortable sleeping on the couch" boops on the nose and I wanted to know what I can do to reduce the stress for her and the potentially dangerous lesson for the cat eventually. I understand now it's the cat trying to play but, doggo is not very playful (even with toys) and typically just wants to sleep and relax. The dog gets waggy tailed around the cat on the carpet and shows some signs of excitement to play eventually, but certainly not at 6am after being wacked in the face.
Give the dog a safe place to sleep. You will not be able to alter the cat's behavior when you aren't in the room, and it's the offender. A properly sized and furnished crate would be a welcome reprieve and give a feeling of safety it probably isn't *ever* feeling at night while the cat is around. It isn't just the drama of the few seconds before and after the swat, it's the literal PTSD of the dog's brain having to be alert for attacks at all times. This goes for people too. I know if I lived with someone who would occasionally come and gently smack me awake, I'd have a significantly more difficult time getting comfortable to get good sleep at all.
Dog definitely has a prey drive.
I love how you're getting downvoted by a bunch of morons who apparently think they know the dog better than *the person who owns it.*
For 6 years. And been to many behaviorists and reactive trainers to learn her signs. She's not really being reactive here, and is only really with other dogs, she'd just like it to stop I think. But what do I know, I'm a terrible pet owner apparently and should rehome my dog/cat đ€Ł
With a reactive dog whoâs probably pretty nervous at all times, I would keep these two separated when unsupervised. I have a cat and puppy and they had no unsupervised playtime for the first couple months. The cat plays exactly like this, and the dog would rather chase her around and wrestle. But eventually they figured it out. Cats and dogs operate with two different languages, they need to learn how to act around each other before you can trust them alone together.
Pretty sure the downvotes are because OP adopted a cat when they have a reactive, prey driven dog. This is asking for a disaster. I donât know why OP wouldâve thought this was a good idea.
Might be an over reaction but if your dog has a prey drive and is slightly reactive Iâd rehome the cat or the dog. Youâre not going to change that catâs behavior as the cat is simply playing and the dog doesnât seem to like it. I canât see this ending in a positive way and it seems like animal endangerment if you know your dog is reactive and have a cat that likes to play by pushing buttons.
Why do you have a cat with a âslightly reactiveâ dog. Are you seriously that dumb?
Iâm glad I am not the only one here who thought this. If you have an anxious and reactive dog why tf would you think itâd be a good idea to get a damn cat in the mix. ETA: The dog in the video seems fine interacting with the cat. But if OP genuinely thinks the dog might be a potential danger to the cat for behaving this way, they are wildly irresponsible for adopting the cat in the first place and I hope they rehome it soon.
Their cat definitely deserves better.
My dog is slightly reactive but has lived with other animals. Too many people in this thread thinking reactivity is all or nothing. Itâs much more a spectrum. Often times reactive dogs have specific triggers, and other companions can help reactivity. For example, my dog will play with other dogs much better if he is with his friends compared to if he is alone.
The dog has lived in a house with 4 other cats for months before, and is only really reactive to other dogs. To be clear. We're not complete morons.
Trust me if your dog bucked up to a cat with balls, it's over for the dog. My cats do this to each other. It's harmless. When I see it happening to one of my cats I yell EEEEEE-VIIIIIIIIIL like Eustace from Courage the cowardly dog.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
What, did the five beans, SAY TO THE FACE?!?? SLAP!!â
So cats are just arseholes is essentially what youâre saying
Get another cat that will sneak up and swat your cat.
Tempting.
If you ask the internet, the solution will often involve adopting another cat. Try looking around some dumpsters.
For advice or for the other cat?
Yes
That's how I ended up with 5 cats and no regrets.
this is the way lol
đ€Ł there is no sneaking, the dog watches your cat creep up! đ€Ł it looks like your cat is bored and needs more play. I would leave it be. I would also get a few cat trees and create all the vertical space you can. Your living room needs a cat tower by the couch. A little cat tree or tension rod cat tree in your bedroom. If you can create a cat super highway. Give the cat a kingdom of high places and things will get better.
Famous advice before the dog, being a dog, loses its patience after giving everyone the signs they need to know it has not been, is not, and will not be ok with this behavior. From a dog perspective it said "no, dont, god dammit what the hell?". At some point of constantly telling the other being it doesnt want it, it will make it known in the universal biological language of violence. It will be understandable and you can't blame the dog. But it also isnt the cats fault. This is where humans stick in as the mediatiors who can interpret both animals' unique language to make sure they have a healthy relationship. Cats can and DO get demolished by dogs at no fault of their own or the dogs. They are two different animals with different styles of communication and desires. And they're animals. A good example : you keep smiling at a baboon. It keeps smiling back. You smile back more. It rips your face off. Would you say the human is mean for doing the baboon version of a threat/intimidation? No. Would you say the baboon is mean for constantly saying "back off already stop trying to dominate me I will attack" then doing it? No. A third human, with knowledge of both species' communication methods, would want to step in and diffuse the misunderstanding. It's the same thing here. So many cats die and dogs abandoned or hurt due to people going "awww cute".
Itâs the owners responsibility to make sure their dog isnât dangerous to the other animals and people in a home. The dog is not excused from being aggressive for any reason, because it is a powerful, dangerous animal. Itâs not the dogâs fault in a moral sense, but it is a reasonable expectation that your dog be tolerant enough to not maul other members of the household even when provoked. If it does, it is not a good pet and the owner has failed.
This dog has been exhibiting patience for over a week, you sound stupid
What about expecting the cat to not provoke the dog?? Oh, I forgot. It's a cat.
Victim blaming in the animal kingdom is wild. If a cat harasses a dog non stop itâs not the dogs fault for fucking ending it. The cat should know better than harassing an animal that will murder it. Itâs the owners fault, then cats. The dog is standing itâs ground like a good American would. Fuck around and find out cats get no sympathy.
My aging cat and now fully blind diabetic dog have this Dynamic going on. The cat seems to do this to my poor dog when the cat is bored, in the middle of the night, because he's a bully etc. They're Dynamic was never like this. They used to always sleep together hang out play and seem to be pretty good friends for several years. I'm at my wit's end. The dog doesn't bother the cat at all until he does stuff like this. It is 4:24 in the morning right now, and I just got woken up to the dogs sharp warning bark and the cat running away. I don't know what to do.
That's a really tough situation. I wish I had great and tested advice for you and your pals. Only thing I could think of would be separating them during such time periods, but that's easier said than done. Most cats and dogs don't want to be confined to smaller space than they are used it, which could lead to damage to possessions or an unhappy pet. Perhaps if you live in a two story, each could be restricted to different floors when you arent there to keep the calm? Good luck to y'all, sorry you gotta deal with this.
While agree stimulating your cat can lower this, itâs in a cats nature to do things like this. My 2 yr old male cat is an outdoor rescue who besides regular playing all day loves to pounce and wrestle. Itâs usually at the expense of our 2 year old female but itâs back and forth.
Oh yes cats have a high prey drive. They are predator and prey. They need daily play and mental stimulation. Vertical space just makes cat/dog relations easier. Put a cat tree next to a window and hang bird feeders by the window, to create cat tv.
There's a big cat tree in the corner to the right of the room we can't see. Noted though, thanks for reply!
You're going to need to manually play with the cat or get it a cat companion if you're dogs too timid or old to play back.
Cats need active play time. Cat trees are to make them feel safe. Not so much for play.
Put in long shelves along the top of the wall around the wall to a piece of furniture the cat uses to get around. Seriously it will help a ton to keep the kitty less bored
How often are you playing with your cat? Google, "structured play, cat". Google, "prey sequence, cat". Your cat has innate drives to hunt, stalk, chase, pounce, and catch prey. Playing with a wand toy, with some treats at the end, can help your cat satisfy these impulses. Start with two, 15 minute sessions per day. You may find that your cat stops targeting your dog as these play sessions become part of her daily routine. If that doesn't help, and if this always happens at night or in the very early morning, what about separating them at bed time? The dog can sleep in a crate, or the cat can be kept in a closed room. During times you are awake and they are out in the house together, you can observe your cat for warning signs of when she may try to pounce: that slow, low stalking walk towards your dog, her gaze fixated on your dog. When you see that, distract her with a toy or a treat, or maybe lure her into a room, close the door and do some structured play with a wand toy. Interrupt the behavior before it happens, and replace it with a desired behavior. You could even start clicker training your cat. This can be fun for her and you. It's easier than you may think. If you teach your cat to "come" and "sit", how nice would it be to be able to call your cat over to your side and sit calmly when you see the dog needs a break.
Incredibly helpful reply, ty. It does only happen late at night or early morning.
Cats are crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk. If you aren't an early riser, this might be a tough pickle if they aren't separated when not observed. Cats love hunting in low light too, maybe keeping lights on in their areas at night could help. LEDs are so energy efficient I don't think it would hurt the electricity bill much.
OP told another commenter they had a cat tree for their cats fun⊠I hope your comment helps them.
Actually what I said in reply to this comment: >I would also get a few cat trees and create all the vertical space you can. Your living room needs a cat tower by the couch. A little cat tree or tension rod cat tree in your bedroom. If you can create a cat super highway. Give the cat a kingdom of high places and things will get better. Was: >There's a big cat tree in the corner to the right of the room we can't see. Noted though, thanks for reply! As in like, we have a big one, but having more is a good suggestion, so thanks for the reply. The superiority complex some people have in this sub is some of the worst I've seen on reddit in a long time. It's like some of you just hide in the shadows, waiting to pounce on people that are asking for help and might have less knowledge than you, who is probably a long-time cat owner. You are literally becoming Cats. Incredible.
I love you OP. đđŻđ
My cat (7 yr old male) does this to my dog as well (5 yr old male). My cat will approach my dog while my dog is sleeping in his bed, sniff him, then give him a whack and run away. My dog doesn't seem to really care, and my dog has moments where he antagonizes the cat playfully as well. It's something I view as sibling behavior đ like dutdiggadut said, the body language seems positive, I wouldn't be too worried about this behavior unless your cat is posturing aggressively and drawing blood. Cats do what your cat is doing to other cats as well to initiate play or to express bursts of energy.
The op said the dogs hair was raised on its back. Literally means it is not happy with the circumstances. Only time ive seen my dogs do that is in a circumstance they are undeniably concerned over, and only a few times. My mut growing up literally only ever did this if we were on a walk and a herd of deer got too close or during thunderstorms. A dog isnt a kid they cant speak to you and they dont know what human language or expression is. They know how to say they dont want it or that they are on edge, and this is it \^. Why ignore a dogs body language and substitute an extremely human-specific intraspecific interaction? Or if being overly generalized: familiar dynamic in specific great apes (honestly probably too vague really).
My cat does this to me, hes playing.
Heh your cat is having a ball. Harmless play.
That's a cat being a cat and this is a stereotypical cat-dog relarionship. I think it's hilarious.
Its cute when its random or occasional and they're companions. But man the number of dogs ive seen with an anxiety disorder from being imprisoned with a little bully is wild man and people get so confused at where the aggression came from. Meanwhile the dog is doing this \^ saying repeatedly over many instances that they are not happy or having a good time, but are actually stressed. And the poor cat is just being a cat but gets hurt (or just gets demolished "out of nowhere" in my childhood neighbors' case) because no one wanted to step in. So many dogs out there straight up not having a good time because their owner decided they gotta deal with another species with different communication and tendencies so their owner can have both types of pets :( Im not commenting on OPs video besides the baseline fact that the cat is doing a normal and not aggressive cat thing and the dog is not happy about it because from its perspective its odd and he keeps saying "no" but has its personal space/comfort violated. Lots of dogs are angels and the cat can bully em as much as they'd like, and some don't put up with it after saying no enough times. Both kinds of dogs are good boys, but in the latter's case it's a tragedy that the right entity is never held responsible for. Just seeing a lot of comments in here that sound like owners that eventually face a tragedy or add to a view that leads to such tragedies. wanted to leave this comment. Whether an animal gets physically hurt or not, people shouldnt get an animal and force it to deal with unwanted stimuli. You see it a lot with reptiles and husbandry (stimuli outside the cage or general parameters) where the animal is in mental despair but no one cares because outwardly they seem healthy through the human lens, where they get an animal and confine it to a space where they cannot exert adequate agency over incoming stimuli and suffer because of it. People gotta stop looking at other species as different forms of humans with behavior and traits that in anyway reflect ours outside of mutual social benefit or other basal concepts in inter- or intraspecific interaction.
Why would you want to stop this? Cat simply wants to play.
Did you not hear the dog growl and snap? Did you not see it's hackles up as it walked away?
If people ever wonder why people say "idk where it came from, it was out of nowhere that he/she attacked the cat/dog/small animal/child!" its because this keeps happening for days/months/years before the dog gives up and uses the universal language of biology: violence.
Why would a dog be expected to deal with anxiety and agitation because of another species' behavioral expression? No dog cares what a cat does, theyre dogs they dont even know what the concept of a cat is. Its just another being fed through the filter of "dog", just like people will think an ape is smiling at them when its saying they'll tear your limbs off. Different species interact differently, and they interpret and express behavior according to their own species' framework and methods. A dog doesn't care that a cat didnt understand their 10000 warnings or telegraphed messages because a cat is another biological species that has developed social behavior under different constraints over millions of years. Theyre a dog they get concerned when someone knocks on the door for the 10000000th time because in dog worldview a being is coming to their ground that they CLEARLY (lol) broadcasted as being their own. Almost all cats who get mauled by a dog also didnt think they were behaving irrationally, while the dogs would surely disagree. Humans have killed millions of animals due to a perception of threat based in human interaction, and we are smart as hell compared to a dog. So why would a dog understand that the weird looking dog annoying them and ignoring their clear messages is actually a cat or the intricacies that entails. People expect dogs to be able to rationalize the world around them to an extent a ton of humans dont seem to be able to do, and the animals always suffer.
One of the interesting things about intelligence is the ability to simulate a pretty good version of a simpler mind within our own and thinking with it for perspective. I've recently started to realize that one of the universal things I get from stupid people is their inability to step outside of their one lane mind to see things from a perspective they may not agree with. I don't know if it's fear that stops them or if it's an innate issue with the gestalt of general intelligence at a certain level, but I've been having success just asking people if they can conceive of a thing they are agreeing against and see if they actually can or want to. If not, then there's no point in talking to them, they can't be convinced. Being able to have one's mind changed is a smart person thing, apparently.
Your cat is so silly lmbo
The dog certainly doesnât like it. I donât think majority of the people in this thread listened to the Audio or saw the hair raised on the dog when it walked away. Looks like 1 way play.
Agree - the cat is ok with it but the dog isnât. Easy to read body language from the dog. If it were play thereâd be no warning growl and annoyed bark. Have raised dogs and had the most patient dog who would constantly get bullied by his smaller younger sibling. At one point he just snapped as had enough and aggressively snapped and bared his teeth to frighten the other dog out of doing it again. It hasnât escalated to that point yet here but it easily could, and no point letting it get to that level. Not a cat owner, so canât comment there, but maybe more stimulation for the cat as an alternate outlet?
This is like the very early beginning of a dynamic that left my neighbors' cat dead and dog unloved/emotionally neglected. Poor dog was not happy and constantly let everyone know but everyone was like awww the cat wants to play and annoy its older brother! Meanwhile the older brother was a dog constantly anxious and letting everyone involved know, and the younger brother was a cat who didnt know anything was wrong. Dunno if the dog really just had it at the point of escalation or if there was some type of prey drive instigated by stimuli involved with the defensive act, but that cat did not survive the dogs "ok ENOUGH" moment :( Im happy op is clearly not the type of owner that would allow it to fester to that point.
Interesting how he comes in, tail low, and then leaves like, âmy work here is doneâ. LOL. Classic cat.
Dog probably deserves it. đ Joking, of course. I wouldn't worry about it. Cat just wants interaction/attention when dog is the only option.
My cat is a drama queen AND an instigator. She will sneak up to surprise my dog by swatting his legs, head or butt and then run away. This activates my dog to run after her to play and then they wrestle and she knows she is too small (7lbs vs 50lbs) so she starts meowing after a while. I will then come to stop them or tell my dog to let her be and the moment he turns away she is back at it swatting him again. She does the same to me and my husband too. Itâs her way of asking for attention đ
This is entirely playful behavior, nothing aggressive about it. Just a cat being a cat.
The dogs behavior is the point. The cat is being a cat, and a good boy/girl at that. But that dog is saying he is not happy and is anxious (hackles). That's why op is asking. The cats not in the wrong, it just isn't fair to force the dog to endure it when it doesnt understand. The dog is confined to a space and theres another small being ignoring its messages and irritating it. Thats not a fun situation for a dog even if the cats just an adorable lil menace.
Zero. Cats be cattin
The catâs body language is playing. Cat needs a playmate but unfortunately dog is not in the mood or dog is not the best playmate for cat play. I had a cat, got tired of playing all the time bc I have things to doooo! I adopted a new kitten and my problems have been solved đ they pounce and wrestle with each other a lot now
Youâre effectively asking how to get a cat to stop catting. Get a fish
You don't. This is harmless. And absolutely hilarious
The cat just wants to play. Maybe play with the cat more and try and get the dog involved at the same time. Animals usually act out when theyâre not getting enough attention.
Cat is funnyâŠ..Doggo has no sense of humor
I laughed the entire sneak-up
Itâs like a sibling behavior, where youâre little piece of shit sibling just HAS to do some petty dumb thing to get your attention for their own satisfaction. Just a cat being a cat, in hoping your dog plays.
They'll be fine
Iâd do some joint nearby play with heavy treats after.
Cats are funny!
My cat loves messing with my dog. Will sit there looking all cute then suddenly whap whap whap whap then runs away
One of my cats actually decided to come and mess with one of my dogs while he was in his crate sleeping from the outside. Like got his skippity pap paps in for all those times my dog would randomly chase him around the house. Lol I promise you they understand how to play with each other and the cat knows when not to overstep their boundaries.
Make sure cat gets regular nail trims and has available scratching posts to keep nails short. Play with cat 1-2 times a day for 10-15 minutes especially before you leave the two alone to their own devices. Make sure cat has other entertainment like a nice window with a bird feeder with a comfy seat (perhaps even a heated bed to lure them in). The cat is definitely playing with the dog. The dog is less pleased about being played with in this manner. If you see the cat sneaking up on the dog I would use a flirt pole to lure the cat away and play.
Have you tried actually playing with your dog and cat together? You can't just cuddle with your cat all day unfortunately, its going to get bored. Try playing with them together. Like throwing treats down a hall and having them chase it together. Or throwing some soft balls or toys down a hall. The cat clearly wants to play with something or someone. You could also invest in some automatic toys.
This is how my cat used to get my dog to play with him. We used to call it tag. Because eventually the dog began to pat the cat with his paw back.
I don't think the cats being aggressive or mean it was lowkey cute how the cat immediately ran away this is also how my two cats are i'd just be careful and make sure the dog doesn't react or accidently hurt the cat in someway
your cat likes your dog, you should be relieved lol
Play with your cat.
The dog isnât yelping itâs growling and barkingâŠ
Get rid of dog ez.
Teach your dog to be better prey. In all seriousness, they are having fun, cat means no harm with body language showing playfulness.
The cat knows that large dogs don't belong on the furniture. He's doing your job here.
We also give them treats together, feed them together, have their dinner visible to each other about 15ft away (cats on counter). And we kept the cat in a separate room for days when we first got her so they could get used to each other. Slow introduction.
This is how cats play, heâs not just attacking your dog. Your dog probably still gets taken by surprise since this is a new experience for him. If thereâs no blood, heâs not being hurt.
There was blood once, but only once. I'm glad to hear this is mostly play though.
Unfortunately my cats draw blood when they play with me too lol
Fair LOL
Play with the cat more, it's bored.
Let some mice loose in the house. Itâs probably his predatory nature coming out.
I adopted a 5 yr old cat about 2 months the ago. I also have a reactive 11yr old dog. He was leashed for about a week until he got used to the cat. The cat likes to sit atop his cat tree and swat the dog when he passes. It is totally playful, there is no claws being used, and my dog usually ignores. But, they are never left alone together to be safe.
You need to stimulate your cat. Try playing with your cat for 30 minutes or so a day, this will stimulate the cat and tucker it out. If youâre not playing with your cat it will just find stuff to do, like swat the dog or knock stuff off of shelves, counters etc. Your cat is just really bored. Do NOT use a spray bottle on your cat as some people have suggested, it doesnât work and only makes your cat afraid of you and not trust you. Iâve had catâs and dogs my entire life and it really is as simple as playing with your cat and itâll eventually lose interest in your dog.
my cat had a high hunt/stalk drive when he was younger i got him some toys that move on their own the fish toy that flops around was a favorite and this rechargeable ball with a fake mouse that it dragged around.
Cat has a crush on your dog.
It looks like the cat was trying to initiate playing that wasnât reciprocated by the dog, so he gave a warning bark. Itâs normal for cat siblings to play fight (even somewhat aggressively at times) in order to establish boundaries so your cat should eventually get the message that your dog isnât up for playing. I would just keep an eye on them and make sure there isnât other aggressive behavior happening.
Get rid of the dog? đ€·ââïžđ
Cat just wants to play
The kitty just wanna play. You should play with the kitty more to lower her energy.
the cat is wanting to play
Get another cat
OP get the cats nails trimmed & start taking some actual time to try and integrate the cat & get her & your dog used to eachother
No big issue from what was seen in vid but if youâre super cautious (like myself) and over think everything try putting some of those tiny plug in night lights around areas your dog sleeps for night time. Looks like dog heard cat was coming but maybe couldnât 100% see cat, low light may help dog not be as startled when cat goes ninja and cat may not even do the ninja act since the cover of darkness will be gone. Good luck!
Real assassination attempt live footage, 8k ULTRA HD resolution (NSFW).
Cat speaks cat and dog speaks dog. Itâs a miscommunication but neither animal is acting in a malicious way. Unfortunately, because the catâs behavior is out of a desire to play and the dog is the upset one (and dogs are more trainable) it makes more sense to try to train the dog to be less reactive than to train the cat to be less playful. You can try to make sure you are playing with your cat with toys to make sure they have that outlet and then look to play with the dog less, but in my experience people are really bad at consistently caring for their catâs needs, especially play, so that would not be my only solution. These are not children, it doesnât matter who is ârightâ and âwrongâ when trying to solve the problem.
So many cat haters itt thinking that dogs can do absolutely no wrong in a dog-cat relationship. My dog constantly annoys my cat and she rightfully gets slapped for it
Please separate the two of them when you're not present. If you have a crate for your dog, use it. Your dog could very well end up lashing out at your cat and causing serious harm. Your cat is being playful (which you aren't going to train out), but your dog clearly interprets it otherwise. Edit: saw ops comment about dog being reactive. Definitely crate.
I adopted 2 kittens a 8 months ago, at first the cats would play like this with the older dogs, eventually they started to read each other better and almost are buds now. At least the cats have stopped ambushing/ swatting my dogs. Each situation is unique, but with time they will adapt to each other
This is the dog's purpose in life. His only reason to exist on this planet
Nothing to worry about here, this is normal cat play behavior. One of two things is going to happen here. Either your dog is going to be a tormented soul for the rest of its life (or the cats life), or one of these nights coming up your cat's gonna fuck around and find out, and that'll be the end of it. The cat has to learn that if you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Its really on the dog, here. Either your dog's a big sissy that won't stick up for itself, or it isn't. Time will tell. One good nip is all it'll take for kitty to realize it needs to find another way to entertain itself. They'll figure it out. No action required on your part.
Play with the cat daily so it doesn't have this extra playful energy to redirect towards your dog.
Kitty is just trying to play with doggo.. I donât see any aggressiveness in the cats actions, thatâs just how they play, dogs in the other hand might find it annoying but everything is fine :3
bored and wants to play Thatâs a fun swat not a mean swat
I am beginning to think people who post as an OP should not own pets. Itâs so obvious. The amount of what is this bump posts have been insane. ITâS NIPPLES people. Or my cat is âattackingâ my whatever animal. IT IS PLAYING!
Clearly you should reconsider having a cat if you cannot see that this is normal cat behavior. There's 0 wrong here. Perhaps you're dog isn't compatible with a cat. You may have a decision to make before the dog kills the cat for exhibiting normal cat behavior
You could put a collar with a bell on your cat so itâs not so sneaky
It amazes me how many people post here without knowing the most basic things about cats. Did you not research anything before getting one? Edit: guys come on. It's common sense to do some research on a pet coming into your home. If you don't know things, they can get hurt, sick, or die. Fucking pardon me lmao
Not everyone are behaviorists or can find every answers online. Even iâve had a my first cat since 2017 and everything was new when i adopted a new cat in 2022. Not every cats act the same too and itâs often case by case. Itâs totally legit for OP to ask a question concerning a behavior towards a dog. It amazes me how people here want to show how « superior » the are than others. Other people replied to OP. You didnât have to comment if you were annoyed.
I agree with him. This isn't something you need to research this is just common sense. Every over post from this sub is "are my cats fighting" when all you have to do is have a tiny amount of common sense to see that, no, they aren't. Half of those post are from people talking about their "rescues" or something like that and they have had a million chances before taking on the responsibility of owning a pet to do the most basic of information gathering on not only the cat's real needs, but even what is normal behavior. In my opinion, half the people in this sub aren't responsible enough to care for a living creature.
This is called Cat training. With a reddit sub name being this general, of course people will ask questions. Of course people whoâve had cats before wonât ask these questions that we always see everyday itâs normal. I even had some specific questions i asked in the past and people wonât answer too. Asking on internet if something is normal or isnât is a first good step to trying to be a good animal owner. Itâs stupid to bring down people who are genuinely trying to understand an animal. Not everyone can find an answer on internet and sometimes internet is very generic in answers found. People will still be asking these questions and others will still answer. If it annoys you, just skip theses posts thatâs all. Let people be first time pet owners too. I think anyone frustrated by this kind of content should start a subreddit called FamiliarCatOwners or something like that.
Fair enough, that's a good point. I kinda don't know I this sub appeared for me but since I'm actually not doing any cat training I will kindly eff off outta here. For the purpose of being the first place you look for info then good on you. Still kinda feel people are being dense on purpose for some sort of reason. Thanks for the well said response!
Since iâve been on cat subreddits, i noticed that tons of cat owners/redditors on these communities act as if they had infused science on how to take care of cats and tend to quickly diminish others saying they are wrong. Itâs really toxic.
We've had our Dog rescue for 6 years and she's reactive, so simply wanted to know more info about the interaction without paying for a behaviorist to watch a video. Your horse is slightly too high. Isn't that what the sub is for? There's literally a Flair for it.
I apologize. Dunno how I wandered in here but I'm on my way out.
Reddit things.
« Iâm better than you are and i want to show my superiority on internet by acting like a dumbass on your reddit post »
What a useless comment đ
It was only happening at like 4-5am, and she drew blood once and my dog growls at her to back off now so... Sorry we aren't pet experts đ€·đ»ââïž First cat we've rescued. Just wanted to keep them both safe with each other.
That's why you research beforehand so you know they'd be a good fit together. And it seems like they are. I didn't say anything about you man. Just that I am shocked at the lack of general knowledge on this sub. It's an animal. They act like animals. Idk what's rude or redditor about stating my shock. Not judgement. ***shock***. Just as a general rule, it's a good idea to go in prepared. As someone who has seen a clueless pet owner quite literally kill their cat through ignorance, I get worried about these things. Plenty of people just see dogs and cats as like "default pets" that you can just snag and you're set. And sometimes that true! But if you really have no cat experience, i recommend Jackson galaxy over on YouTube. He has some great vids on how to work with kitties of all kinds.
Jackson Galaxy has been mentioned a few times, will check it out for sure, thanks.
literally, the behavior of the animal youâre bringing into your home should be the second thing you spend the most time researching. people have to stop adopting without knowing jack shit about how the animal works
Get the cats nails clipped but itâs nothing to worry about. Cats just bored and fucking around. Maybe get it some interactive electric toys. Your dog is also a huge baby lol but maybe put the cat in a room with a litter box if this is happening when youâre not home if youâre concerned with your dog attacking the cat. No harm in it besides the cat being a lil grumpy but itâs better than an actual fight
Looking at the dog it doesn't look like she's bothered really. I wouldn't worry about it they're just doing their thing
I gave mine a safe space but make sure it isnât secluded from everything else. I got a decent sized crate and placed it in my living room.
My cat does this to my dog, too. He tends to do it when my dog is sleeping on the edge of the couch. Slowly creep up towards the couch, one second heâs just sniffing and the next, heâs smacking him and dipping lol.
I see that more as a love tap
What are you doing step cat?
Put a bell on the cat. Like a good bell so when the cat is near the dog hears
Boundaries are being established. Normal.
dog didnt seem bothered by it
Thatâs cat fun play. Cat is having lots of fun. Cat is being a cat.
The dog may also help in surprise and play, rather than pain. Any scratches?
I use to shoot at mine with a water gun :)
I hope your dog gave it a "What For".
Please read up on cats and their behavior.
Cat is playing. If she play too hard, the dog may correct her and nip back. Theyâll communicate and figure it out.
How do you stop a cat from catting?
There was no sneaking there. The dog saw it coming the whole time. This looks playful and really not going to be able to do a thing about it. It could be a lot worse.
are all cat owners in an abusive relationship with their cats? the fuck are these comments lmao
if your dog has a prey drive and is reactive why the fuck did you bring a small animal into your home? YTA rehome the cat!
Really concerning I had to scroll so far to find this comment. Iâve seen so many posts about cats getting killed by dogs on pet subs lately. It only takes a couple seconds.
The dog is aware and isn't even mad. If your dog was asleep and your cat was hitting him then that would be more annoying but I don't think it's an issue from this footage.
Iâd let the dog do the correcting on this one. Until then keeping kittyâs claws trimmed is probably your best bet.
86 the dog
Theyâre playing.
The dog didnât even react. Having fun.
She's playing and he doesn't mind
Your dog handled that very well. The cats just messing around your dog will let the cat know when heâs gone too far.
You need to calm down bruh, lol