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Expert: - 3/2/2009


Question
I have a one year old cat. He acts like he rules the world and some times I just want to rip out all my hair. He knows I'll snap at him if he does something wrong but he usaully just waits and stares at me until I do. My family and I despritely want a bermese mountian dog puppy but we're nurvous how he'll react. We're NOT getting rid of Bryar (our cat) but we would kill for a dog! What should we do and how should we handle it?

Answer
Madison,

In general, cats and dogs can get along.

You will need to isolate the dog from the cat for about a week until the cat gets used to the scent.  When they meet each other, the cat will probably have a few choice words to say to the dog.  Both cats and dogs have very tough skin, so they really should not hurt each other.  Most adult cats are fairly tolerant of kittens and puppies, so all should be OK.  Also, cats do not like unpredictability and puppies can be just that.

One thing to remember, to dogs, cat poo is like candy, so the dog may take to bothering your cat when he does his business. You may have to make the litter pan inaccessible to the dog.

You will just have to play it by ear and see how it goes.  Do not separate them unless the cat really does damage to the dog.  The odds are the puppy will not be able to hurt the cat. Although this kind of thing can work, sometimes it does not. There is no guarantee.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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