Jpr Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Hello all, new to the forum. I am possibly getting a 8 month old Husky soon and have a few questions. The Husky was not raised with cats but I have two of my own. I was wondering what the chances are of them getting along are? My cats are mostly outside, going out in the morning and coming in at night. When they are inside they are mostly relaxing and asleep somewhere. I am planning on bringing the dog to my house for around a week before I decide on keeping him to see how he does. He will not be left alone with the cats during this time and will always be supervised around them if I deside to keep him as someone is always home. I was wondering what everyone thought the chance's of them getting along are and If anyone can give me some pointers on how to introduce them and things like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husky princess Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 hmmmmm it could be a stressful time for you and your cats. some huskys are fine and some are not. some huskys live in harmony for years and then out of the blue will kill the cat (a friend has huskys with his cat and all was well but 3 yrs later the deed was done, so its not something which may happen in the early days) your cats will need a safe place to escape too (somewhere high up). your cats need to higher ranking than the dog etc it can be done - kayaspirit on here has 2 huskys with her cat and so far all has gone well. its about minimising risk and always ensuring they are never left unattended i have a cat, but she is a spoilt 14yr birman whose had a very peaceful stress free life who has only been a house cat. she spends her life sleeping next to the radiator. we always ensure the bedroom door is closed and locked and we have a pet gate in the hall way so the dogs cant get upstairs. when the dogs are out on walks etc she can roam free but she chooses to continue to sleep LOL. she has plenty of cuddles upstairs though, so she isnt neglected! BUT if disaster strikes please dont blame the dog, its a natural instinct and huskys are well known for having high pray drive. it wont be the dogs fault you need to think about how you are going to introduce the dog to the cats or vise versa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpr Posted January 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Thank you for replying so fast! My cats have plenty of places high up that they can get to and hide out. My house also would be very easy to seperate them from the dog. I aslo forgot to mention my cats have been great with dogs in the past. They have never been aggressive to them. They have also been around my neighbors Husky and did great and so did the Husky but like you said I know it just takes one time for it to go bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowandNikittasMum Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 my two would gladly eat my mothers cats or any cats they come into contact with. Maybe it's just mine but sibes prey drive is sometimes too strong but if their young enough you could get them to live together just dont expect them to be best friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokey Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I can't trust Smokey around my cats (I have 3 indoor only). He was rehomed after being in a shelter for a while. He was a little less than a year. I've had him accidentally run into the house once while the cats were free and he chased one of them down. He didn't hurt it but it scared the daylights out of me. To this day, when he is in his kennel and the cats are running free around him he seems like he just wants to bolt at them... I would stay on the safe side and separate the two...I heard some sad stories about cats and huskies mixing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo Smith Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 When i got Maya i had 2 cats so was very nervous about the first time meeting....Maya was quite young when we got her and our oldest cat is 13.....Maya being a pup just wanted to investigate what this strange black and white furry thing was and got bopped on the nose so hard she has never looked at our cats since. However i would never trust her with the cats even though she shows no signs of her hunting instinct with them but she does however want to chase every other cat she does see. Thor on the other hand has never shown any intrest in them and screams like a banshee if they so much as look at him......i think he has had a bad experiance with cats before we got him but it must have been when he was very young as he is only 3 months now. Like what has been said just be aware of the High Prey drive that Husky's have and never trust them for a second because thats all it takes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyshqa Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 My puppy Kiska is only half husky, and has grown up literally from day one around cats; the breeder owns 5 cats, one of whom is aggressive towards dogs in the sense that he would happily swipe instead of fleeing, and I myself have 3 cats when I live at home (one is also aggressive and slow to run too), and Kiska is still keen to chase them. My eldest cat, Kiara, is absolutely fine around dogs and spends her entire day in the living room by the window or on the back of the sofas, and every now and then Kiska will sit under where she is and bark at her, trying to jump at her. She obviously has that high prey drive they're famous for, but because of her upbringing it's dumbed down a bit and she'll hopefully will never REALLY go for a cat. She runs up and down the hallway aftet them now, but when they stop and turn to have a go at her she stops and does a play bow so she just sees it all as a game. The way our house is layed out, having dogs and cats is perfectly possible because if need be we'd be able to completely separate them, but I don't want to do that unless I absolutely have to because I like the idea that she's desensitised to cats being around. In my head it's making her less reactive to them at least I've got to say though, once I've porperly moved out and have my own place I will NEVER own cats as long as I own huskies. It's not worth the risk. I am happy to allow the cats here to come and go about the house as they please, Kiska listens to a strong "NO!" now when she's barking at the cats, but I would never in a million years trust her alone with any of them, not for a second. So I'll say to you that yes, it is a situation that can be made to work, but it can be a lot of hard work and you have to be prepared for what to do if it doesn't work at all. Dogs goes? Cats go? Can you sufficiently separate them in the house to allow both to stay? Think things through so you're prepared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Huskies that come into the home as new puppies can grow up to live peacefully with cats. Older huskies that are introduced into the home, with no experience (other than trying to chase in the street) tend to see them as. . erm. . .well. . . LUNCH. Introducing a kitten into a house with Huskies, the huskies tend to see them as a "Plaything". Something to be batted around the floor like a toy or ball. or they see it as something to HUNT. For the most part, Huskies and cats don't mix well. (except with gravy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 im not sure how blaze would be with a cat - hes never got close - but a couple of weeks ago i was walking my girl on her own and we walked past a fence which had bushes growing out of it and there was a cat in there - skyla ran over to the bush shoved her nose in right infront of the cat - and just stared at it lol i think the only thing you can do is give him a trial and see how things go - if theres always some1 to supervise them you might be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meeshsalts Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 We had 3 cats during Bucks life and he never had a problem with any of them, they used to curl up on the bed together. One day we came home from a walk to find a box on the step with a small kitten in it. I took it in and rang a Cat rescue charity who said they would pick it up in a couple of days. Buck was an angel with it and seemed sorry when it left, they had found it a new home. Neither Talon or Shaer have been close to a cat. I think Shaer would be Ok but wouldn't trust Talon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saffmonster Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 My Saffi hates cats and cats hate Saffi. It's one of those things where some dogs get on with cats and others don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #2 Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Hello all, new to the forum. I am possibly getting a 8 month old Husky soon and have a few questions. The Husky was not raised with cats but I have two of my own. I was wondering what the chances are of them getting along are? My cats are mostly outside, going out in the morning and coming in at night. When they are inside they are mostly relaxing and asleep somewhere. I am planning on bringing the dog to my house for around a week before I decide on keeping him to see how he does. He will not be left alone with the cats during this time and will always be supervised around them if I deside to keep him as someone is always home. I was wondering what everyone thought the chance's of them getting along are and If anyone can give me some pointers on how to introduce them and things like that? Please read about prey drive. My Andy was impounded (in a horrible humane society, by the way) because he was a cat killer! Though we are unaware of the whole story, in general, if you go on petfinder or any other internet site for pet adoptions, most huskies are recommended to be rehomed without cats. That said, the responses about huskies that live peacefully with cats show that it can happen, but I would not have Andy if that were the case. And, something else to consider is if your Husky does kill a cat, and someone other than you knows about it, there are often state laws that indicate the animal that destroys another, whether it's an injury or death, may also be put down because of that behavior. My guys look at anything smaller than a small beagle as prey, so personally, I would not recommend it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arooroomom Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Simple answer- No. Depending on the intensity of your individual Sibes prey drive will determine if he can be "trained out of it" or not. Mishka was 5 months old when I got her and she was probably the most difficult to bring in with the cats. In order to prevent a possible death, obviously no unsupervised interaction. And I mean REALLY supervised. Preferably with him on a lead. When one is loose, the other cannot be. That includes outside. If the cat is outside during the day it would be very wary when letting the dog outside especially if the cat likes to hang out in the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacca_&_me Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 i agree, It does really depend on the individual husky, and in some cases on the training theyve had, and experiences they may have had with cats. Three of mine are fine with cats, and Ive had no serious issues with them interacting with the cats at all. However due to Oakleys previous "non-training" with cats lol, he will tackle the cats and try to mess with their legs. Hes not vicious and he is obviously just trying to play but the one cat was furious so he has to be heavily supervised when around the cats. For the most part if they come into your home as pups and they are introduced properly, they will normally be fine, there is however that 1 in 100 chance that the husky might not react well to cats and they may eventually try to kill it. Be ready to ensure they can be seperated, if a problem does arise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyCouture Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 i wouldn't risk it. mine are both fine with my cat, and only that cat. embry we brought home at 10 weeks and zoey at 22 weeks and both got on fine with our cat, but any other cat isn't in their pack and is dinner for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dygosamikita Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 As said it depends on the dog as well as the cat. There is always a risk involved, not something to enter lightly. I must have been lucky all these years with my two. I have managed to have cats living in harmony with a husky and a wolfdog for the last 12 years. Having never owned a husky previously I had never thought about prey drive so no thought was ever given to keeping them separate. Both dogs and the cat were left with free reign of the house while we were out. The only deaths we ever had was the hamsters, in which the husky and cat worked together to get them out of the cage, and turtles that the kids forgot to put back in the tank before going outside. Don't think mine have a strong prey drive though they will chase rabbits and Sampson is known to dig up moles when on walks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyra Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Just to repeat what many have said, it really does depend on the dog and the cat. It would be best if you could do a "test run" first. Lyra has been raised with our cats but she is constantly bugging them. The problem is that our cats don't defend themselves. When we went to MN to visit family, she stayed far away from their cats because she got swiped in the nose. I think she was actually afraid of them. We took in a GSD/husky cross on a trial basis. He was about 11 months old, and we were told he was raised with cats so we took the chance. It became clear after a few days that he was definitely not ok with our cats, so we decided to bring him back rather than risk the safety of our other animals. He has now been adopted by a family without any cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpr Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I am going to talk to the his current owner about doing a trial run with him. I will not take him in if I cant do this. If he does well with them I might give it a shot but I am still thinking a ton about all this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Busted Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 My Saffi hates cats and cats hate Saffi. It's one of those things where some dogs get on with cats and others don't. with all respect danni saffi dislikes other dogs too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnmw1208 Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I have 3 cats of my own with my husky and he acts differently towards all 3. One he will chase because this cat runs and I'm not sure if being a male cat has anything to do with Pongo's peaked interest in him or not. My other cat will fight back so Pongo tends to leave this one alone but still chases a bit. My third cat plays dead and Pongo gets very bored and leaves her alone for the most part and licks her face. I don't think he would hurt them on purpose but he may step on them if they didn't have their own place to go. If you have a basement or a room where the cats could have access to but the dog didn't that would be the best. My cats have full reign of the basement to get away from the dog. But when we leave we do not leave the dog loose with the cats. he's usually in his cage anyway so he doesn't rip things apart. Just try to make your dog realize that the cats are part of the pack and maybe even above him in the order. Feed the cats first and give the cats treats first and then the dog. this seems to help make the dog understand his place in the house. don't force a meeting. let the cats come to the dog, they will on their own time check the dog out. other than that just keep your eye on them to make sure no one gets hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 My original dogs were all fine with my cats, and my remaining old man,, Shad, is also great with them, but most of my dogs are now outside dogs, because for many years, the 2 cats I had would run, and the dogs decided they were prey. I have several semi-feral cats that have moved in over the last few years, and they aren't afraid of the dogs, having really only experience with Shad - dangerous! My 5 month old puppy Zeke is fine, as long as the cats don't run, but I wouldn't trust the majority of the outdoor dogs. The one dog who comes in a lot is usually crated because of cats inside the house (the 2 old cats are strictly indoor cats), but is working on trying to earn his freedom in the house. A few days ago, still half asleep, I put him back in the crate after letting him out, turned to get him a cookie, and when I looked back, there was an overly-curious cat in the crate with him - Tux was looking at me like, "Um, Moooom... the cat's in here with me! What are you doing?! What should I do about it?!" I got the cat out and jackpotted Tux with cookies for being so good! Shad will discipline the cats, especially the younger cats, much like he would a puppy, usually when they're bothering him or he feels his "stuff: - food or toys - are threatened. He hasn't ever hurt them, much less harmed them, as evidenced by the fact that in more neutral circumstances, they'll rub up against him and he'll give them a quick lick in greeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherHendricks Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 We use a baby gate to give the cat the upstairs area to roam, eat, literbox access etc. However, she enjoys coming down where we are and tries to sleep on top of the dog's crate. It's all good when Aura is in the crate, but when she is out and about she will pounce on the crate and try to mouth/ bite/nab the cat. The cat got exceptionally stressed this Christmas because we were home all day and the dog was awake more often and thus attempting to chase the cat. the cat ended up peeing on the carpet in the height of her stress. Our solution? A TALL cat tower behind the couch and in the window. She now has a safe spot on the main house floor where she can sleep, scratch and relax. What is funny is that Aura has been eating the pretend mice that are dangling from the post..... I hope this helps our situation.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relms Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Can't let mine near cats , he starts to prowl when close to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TysMama Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I had a cat prior to getting my husky. She hid for the first two weeks, only coming out when he was in the crate. I think because she was here first he knew she wasn't a toy. He likes to play with her but never has even come close to hurting her. She is more defensive than the dog! She has her claws so I think that helps, too. I have had the dog for 8 months now and the two of them get along great. They play around every now and then, and she even lets him lay near her sometimes now. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpr Posted January 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Got to go and spend some time with him tonight. He seemed very good, great personality. The only thing that worried me a little bit was that he was pretty Hyper. I know that Huskies are a very active breed so I know that is part of it. Im thinking that it is because he is only 7 months old and that he doesnt really get the exercise he needs as well. He calmed down quite a bit after I wore him out playing with him. I will keep everone updated and post pics if I end up getting him. Also thank you everone for replying and giving your advise and opinions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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