Dog Community

OK, I got an issue that will stump all of you!

Posted : 7/26/2008 10:35:40 PM

So, as you all know I have three BC's, one 8 yrs and two that are 2 yrs old. Well balanced pack. We also have a cat that is 4 1/2 yrs old, raised from a kitten with Oscar our oldest, acts like a dog to a certain degree but with that cat attitude. Lil cat is a great cat, both he and our oldest dog Oscar sleep with us, we call him snuggle kitty! So Lil cat accepts the new puppies two years ago, it was always fun to watch the cat tease the younger BC's to chase him. OK, on to the "issue"! So as I said earlier everything was fine between dogs and cat, until last night----Skylar, my two year old red merle is getting better, but still afraid of fireworks and thunderstorms, so last night we let Skylar into the house, while the other two BC's played Frisbee, all of a sudden I hear this blood curdling yelp coming from inside the house, it was Skylar, DH and I ran into the house and he was frightened, Lil cat was there, but our first thought was something got inside the house and bit him. We looked everywhere and did not find anything, so later we all took a walk and skylar was fine. Still did not know what on earth happened. So today I ran an errand, DH was in the garage and the boys were in the house, next thing he hears Skylar yelping again, and he is in our downstairs hallway in the corner with Lil/Cat staring at him, but the cat was not hissing or growling at him. We were stumped!! So this eveining, we let Skylar back into the house, and in 10 minutes I hear him yelping, I run into the house, go upstairs (we have a split level) I see in the kitchen where Skylar got so scared, he had a line of pee all the way leading into our sunroom with my throw rugs in bunches, he was trying to hide between our sofa an coffee table in our sunroom from the cat! The cat was on the dining room table just looking at him.

So once again, let me say "we have NEVer HAD an issues, it's almost as Lil Cat thinks this is fun to scare Skylar, since he is the more timid of boys, but he is still WELL balanced and not such afraid up until these last 24 hours---totally perplexed on this one. Also I need to add---Lil Cat doesnt' bother the other dogs, just Skylar! Lil Cat is also, still VERY LOVING, etc!!

Any clues? I do know that Big Cat's pry on the weaker soul and mind---- but why now???

Thanks in advance---too weird!!! Also, Lil Cats is declawed, because he used to play with Oscar all the time so we didn't want an accident.

snownose

Posted : 7/27/2008 10:17:06 AM

Have you witnessed the cat going after the dog?

If not, you can't be sure that the dog wasn't trying to play a little and the cat didn't like it......

Bordercolliemom

Posted : 7/27/2008 11:55:38 AM

DH husband saw Lil Cat waiting outside the bedroom around the corner hiding in the hallway waiting for Skylar to come out!! Just an hour ago I was sitting in the Sunroom and here comes Skylar with with Lil CAt chasing him! I think I have my own Garfield and Odie right here!! LOL So after Skylar sits b my feet after the chase, Lil CAt is just walking the perimeter of the room like he is jus waiting to tease the dog again. Not to sound too weird, but Lil Cat is a smart cat, it's almost as if this is a game for him, like I can hide behiind a corner and when Skylar comes around I can jump and scare him!!!

ron2

Posted : 7/30/2008 5:24:14 AM

For whatever reason, you might have a dog who is timid around cats, rather than the other way around. Every once in a while, Shadow will go after Jade bad enough to scare her. She hides out for an hour. But more often than not, she's swiping at him or his tail. Sometimes, she would swipe at his face. Then Shadow would run off. And then come back to let her do it again.

Whatever it takes to play chase.

brookcove

Posted : 7/30/2008 9:07:24 AM

This may have come about as a process.

Act I: Dog gets let in house during thunderstorm, tries to cuddle up to cat, cat whacks dog. Or maybe cat gets aggressive for some other reason - no reason needed. Or, possibly, the cat decided to fix its gaze on the dog the moment a particularly scary storm-related thing happened. Really, we don't need to know the reason the dog yelped in the presence of the cat. The big moment of this scene comes when the dog yelps and everyone comes flying in and suddenly he's got company.

Act II: He's alone again. Cat comes back. Dog yelps. He gets attention. The Border Collie synapses start making connections.

Act III: Dog sees cat. The synapses say, "Act scared. Act REALLY scared this time." He gets attention, probably quite a bit of it this time since there's the mess to clean up, etc.

My suggestion to people who have Border Collies, if not other dogs, who suddenly start doing crazy things - always assume you trained the behavior. Try not to worry too much about how you did it, but the point is that if you assume you did it, it's not some random thing that can't be undone.

I think, without seeing this dog in general, that I'd do a bit more at other times just with him (teach him a new trick or start a new training class with him), and if he repeats the behavior, try very hard not to reinforce it with attention. Don't do anything other than be neutral, around the cat. It will be hard because it's not that he's "faking" - he's as afraid of the cat, as if he had a good reason. But, his mind has made an unreasonable connection and only a new routine will undo it.

Bordercolliemom

Posted : 7/30/2008 9:55:55 AM

Thanks! This is what we have been trying to do. So far after a few days it seems to be working. Life with Border Collie's, never a dull moment, but would not want it any other way!!

spiritdogs

Posted : 7/31/2008 7:22:34 AM

brookcove
This may have come about as a process.
Act I: Dog gets let in house during thunderstorm, tries to cuddle up to cat, cat whacks dog. Or maybe cat gets aggressive for some other reason - no reason needed. Or, possibly, the cat decided to fix its gaze on the dog the moment a particularly scary storm-related thing happened. Really, we don't need to know the reason the dog yelped in the presence of the cat. The big moment of this scene comes when the dog yelps and everyone comes flying in and suddenly he's got company.
Act II: He's alone again. Cat comes back. Dog yelps. He gets attention. The Border Collie synapses start making connections.
Act III: Dog sees cat. The synapses say, "Act scared. Act REALLY scared this time." He gets attention, probably quite a bit of it this time since there's the mess to clean up, etc.
My suggestion to people who have Border Collies, if not other dogs, who suddenly start doing crazy things - always assume you trained the behavior. Try not to worry too much about how you did it, but the point is that if you assume you did it, it's not some random thing that can't be undone.
I think, without seeing this dog in general, that I'd do a bit more at other times just with him (teach him a new trick or start a new training class with him), and if he repeats the behavior, try very hard not to reinforce it with attention. Don't do anything other than be neutral, around the cat. It will be hard because it's not that he's "faking" - he's as afraid of the cat, as if he had a good reason. But, his mind has made an unreasonable connection and only a new routine will undo it.

BINGO!!!!! Excellent post. And, I know that you won't mind me saying that Aussies and a few of the other "quick" breeds, make these instant connections, too... Big Smile