Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Cat won't leave dog alone

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 11/26/2008


Question
A cat has been coming around my house. He won't let me pet him or get very close but he stands at my back door and meows all the time. I have been feeding him and he will let me get closer but still will not let me touch him. My problem is when I let my poodle out to use the bathroom, this cat will not leave her alone. He will constantly be rubbing up against my dog and following him until my dog will just give up and come back up the steps to come inside to get away from the cat. I have never seen a cat do this and just wondered  why he would want to be so close to my dog but still so fearful of me. Does anyone have any insight?

Answer
Kim,

He is loving on the dog. He probably is lonely and affectionate. He sounds like a typical feral cat. They have an inbred and inherited distrust of humans, but it doesn't apply to animals. They are trusting of dogs for some reason.

I have a cat from feral parents and she too loves dogs and will follow them. I have had her since birth and she prefers neighbor's dogs (I don't have a dog) to people still.

It may take months for the cat to learn to trust you enough to touch him. You need to have a lot of patience. He may be meowing for food AND for the company of your poodle. He will also learn from the poodle to trust you more when he sees that the poodle isn't scared of you and that you don't hurt it.

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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