Expert: Dear Tabbi - 12/27/2008

Question
We have been adopted by a very large stray male cat. It has taken us months to gain his trust and just recently, do to extreme cold weather, he has moved into the house. Turning him into animal control is not an option.

The problem is that we adopted a small dog 2 months ago and the cat has been swatting at it, chasing it and generally showing aggression towards it.

The cat appears to be about 6 - 8 years of age (we have not been able to get him into the vet to verify this)and although he will let us pet him and he will curl up beside us he is still very skittish and bolts at the sign of any sudden movement.

We would like any ideas about how to stop the aggression. Although we have no idea how the cat was treated by any previous owners it would seem that he had been out on his own for some time.

Answer
Helen,

That is so nice of you to let the cat inside. I have one of 4 feral kittens that I have had since birth that STILL will bolt if I move when it's next to me, is very skittish, and will hide under the bed for hours at the first sign of a stranger or a new noise. That is their personality due to their inherited and inbred distrust of humans. They are not like domesticated house cats and won't act like one. Usually they will get to trust you and follow you, lay next to you, etc. but they don't care for being petted except for brief times, and they don't like to be held or confined. Watch the cats tails and ears. If the tail swishes, and/or the ears are pinned back, leave it alone. Those are a warning that a bite or scratch is going to come if you don't stop.

Does the cat try to harm to dog or is the cat's behavior limited to swats and chases? Often a wild or feral cat will be totally distrustful of humans, but will bond with a dog. Your new cat may be trying to play and make friends with the dog in it's own way. Of course, the dog probably doesn't understand that. I also have one, a feral-born sister of the one I told you about above, that loves dogs and will try to go up to any she sees. But if their owner is there she will not go to them them at all, but she will to their dog.

I would keep an eye on their behavior. I would let the dog and cat be together but under your supervision. See how the cat behaves. If it's not actually showing aggressive behavior (attacking, drawing blood, biting, loud meowing at the dog) then I would gradually let them be together to interact and bond.

Tabbi