Dog Community

Do dogs know that a cats a cat...

tiffy

Posted : 9/9/2012 4:47:07 PM

or do they think they're just funny looking dogs?

jessies_mom

Posted : 9/9/2012 6:33:05 PM

Well, Jessie chases cats but has never tried to chase dogs, so I think they can tell the difference. They do accept cats that are part of the family, at least she does. Also, she responds instantly to "leave it" when chasing a cat and will stop immediately.

JackieG

Posted : 9/9/2012 6:40:29 PM

I don't believe dogs think cats are strange looking/acting dogs. What they do think about cats, I don't know. :) I'm sure they recognize that other species are different than they are but how they actually process that information is so different than the way our brain works it's hard for us to understand. Smell, body language and vocalizations are all things that dogs are very aware of and their ability to distinguish differences is as good as our own, if not better.

kpwlee

Posted : 9/9/2012 8:03:08 PM

Not sure what exactly they 'know' but I can assure you that Bugsy knows cats are not dogs. His initial thought of any dog is wahoo fun, his initial and continued thought of any cat is 'must kill it'. It's been that way since day 1. To him all things furry that aren't dogs are prey.

Freedom

Posted : 9/9/2012 8:20:12 PM

I agree with Jackie. I think they know different species, but they have not told me how they know, lol.

And every dog I've had in the past 6 years - 6 of them being bichons - has been fine with cats, OK with dogs except they can NOT stand dogs with black faces: pugs, Aussies with the 'blue face' markings, black labs, etc.

Enter dog #7, Riley, a bichon x poodle, and she is fine with the cats except the black ones. Working on this. She is now (at 7 weeks of living here) quite willing to break off when I say "leave it" and meets me at the fridge for a treat. She does not return to the cat at that point, though she may an hour later. Well, all except, Tommy, who swatted her on the nose the second time she tried this. She is more cautious since then in approaching a black cat here, I guess scenting who it is? And if it is Tommy, she gives little whine and walks away -- wish the others would teach her and we could be done with this part of her training!

calliecritturs

Posted : 9/9/2012 9:03:16 PM

Every dog I've ever had has been 'different' about cats (and usually I get older dogs so this is all pre-me training or non-training). Some like em, some don't. Luna just wants to chase ANYTHING -- pug, cat, gekko, -- move and she'll chase it. She'd like to chase and CATCH a cat but Mom would have a hissy fit.

Ms. Socks LOVED cats -- way more than other dogs. Her one complaint about this joint was no cats (I'm allergic)

Billy? Just a friend he hadn't met yet.

Foxy? Most cats -- he'd just ignore them. But he had a "friend" up at my vets who was a cat and truly those two were thick as thieves. When he got there, which ever one was closest to the door was looking for the other. For many many years. When Foxy finally passed? That cat never paid one whit of attention to my other dogs.

I think it's what Jackie said -- I think there's no doubt they understand it's a different species. But beyond that a lot of it is experience and what they are trained. And much of it is the natural prey drive of the breed of dog (Foxy was a herder -- Luna is the hound -- get what I mean? I can't change that -- only train what I expect).

daisyprincess

Posted : 9/10/2012 2:48:20 AM

Lucky and Copper love cats but not in the nice way love to eat them. Daisy she was never one to want to harm a cat chase yes but harm it no Princess was the same as Lucky and Copper. When I was younger we had a dog named Chucky we would sit on the stoop and when people got off from the train and walked down the block Chucky would bark but for some strange reason whenever a person who was Asian descent or Chinese descent he went crazy to wear he wanted to attack no clue why because his previous owner wasn't either descent its was strange how crazy he would get when he saw them.

rwbeagles

Posted : 9/10/2012 8:27:03 AM

My dogs definitely know they are a different species and they all have actually figured out their ways of communicating as well. Cats are vastly different than dogs body language and vocalization wise....and most dogs become bilingual in that respect. Outside of home environs tho most dogs will treat a cat differently, more like a generalized prey item.

EZeke

Posted : 9/10/2012 9:41:47 AM

Zeke definitely know that a cat is not a dog. He has a different bark depending on which he sees out the window. A dog warrants a 'hey, this is my house' kind of bark, whereas a cat always gets a 'let me at it!' bark and scream and bark and howl. He will return attention to me pretty easily after seeing a dog, after seeing a cat, not so much. Unfortunately, he sees cats (mostly one specific one), far more than dogs out the window. I would love for him to leave it when told, but he is such a slow learner in that one circumstance. Everything else he learns really fast, but I don't think he sees any point in learning to leave cats alone! Smile

PawMaid

Posted : 9/10/2012 11:28:44 AM

I am pretty sure mine know the difference, They even know the difference between their cats and

Strays. They defiantly become bilingual, When living in the same house hold.

Ours cuddle and play together.

Boadicea and Vinny will try to get the Cats to run so they can chase them. This always makes mom

Mad.

So yesterday I yell at Vinny to leave the cat alone and he does. Half way back across the yard the

Cat comes chasing him. It’s a game they play. In all fairness to Cleo the cat is bigger then Vinny

And could wallop his butt.

They body language is completely different with stray cats , other dogs and the horse.

shadowsgin

Posted : 9/10/2012 11:56:24 AM

EZeke
Everything else he learns really fast, but I don't think he sees any point in learning to leave cats alone!

LOL, that is Rocky...leave it works for everything but cats, squirels, rabbits :)