Many of you reading this magazine not only own a spoilt and adored cat or two (or many...grin), but also one or several dearly loved dogs. And I can fully understand your duel devotion because until my move to a townhouse 5 years ago, I owned dogs as well as cats and was deeply attached to them all. And although I am by nature inclined to be a ‘cat person’, I find both species very rewarding to live with.

Sadly though, as a veterinary nurse at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital, I am exposed to the worst side of owning cats and dogs together: when our ICU contains cat patients that have been savaged by dogs – often by the dogs that share their homes. And every time I see one of these mauled cats, I think of the two beloved cats that I lost to my own dogs...

So what are the factors that play a role in being unlucky enough to lose your cat in this tragic way? And how can you, as a devoted cat and dog owner, ensure that your animal family remains peaceful and safe?

Breed of dog
Dogs have been domesticated for various reasons, some of which are not necessarily conducive to living peacably with cats. Many working and herding breeds (German Shepherds; Rottweilers; Bouviers; Belgian Shepherds etc) are bred not just for a high play drive but also a high ‘prey’ drive - the instinct to hunt, attack and bite hard. Terrier breeds (Jack Russells; Fox Terriers; Staffies etc) were bred to hunt and chase down rats, small vermin and even larger prey. Hounds (Dachshunds; Beagles; Bassets etc) were bred to have a highly evolved sense of smell in order to track creatures down in thick undergrowth or burrows. Even ‘utility’ dogs such as Dalmatians and Chows are not exempt, as all our domestic dogs descend from the wolf and retain instinctive hunting behaviour, and let’s face it, wolves in the wild do NOT sit down and dine politely with any member of the cat family – they dine ON them!

Fortunately every dog breed shows great behavioural variance amongst individuals, with some dogs behaving excessively true to the breed and others not. So you do not necessarily need to abandon your dream of acquiring a German Shepherd Dog or Jack Russell. However, it does mean that you need to choose your breeder and your puppy carefully! Don’t pick a breeder who breeds dogs renowned for particularly strong working/hunting ability, and don’t pick a dominant or extremely pushy pup. Choose a ‘middle of the litter’ pup that is friendly and outgoing but still submissive and willing to please. And do ensure that you adopt the pup no later than 8 weeks of age so that it is young and naive enough to be intimidated by your cats. Allow your cats to hiss and warn the pup to behave – it must learn to treat them with respect - not as squishy, fluffy toys!

The pack rules...
Although a dog on its own can be a problem for the family cat, dogs hunt best in a pack, and it is when two or three dogs get together and tease or hunt Puddy that it is most dangerous. Because when pack mentality takes over, even meek and mild dogs can be incited to chase and bite in an out-of-character frenzy. Both times that I lost a beloved cat, a ‘pack’ of three of my own dogs was involved. The first time it was my German Shepherd and two miniature poodles that had, until that fateful day, shared their basket with several of my felines. A number of years later I lost a very sweet and special young adult cat to my three Belgian Shepherd Malinois (my two adults had been around my cats since puppyhood, and their 6 month old male offspring had lived amongst my cats since birth). It took me a very long time in each case to come to terms with the loss, and after each incident I took immediate action and made the changes/decisions I believed were necessary to protect my other cats. Now please understand this does not mean that any cat owner with two or more dogs is at immediate risk of their dogs attacking their cat! Many families have always owned multiple dogs and cats with never a hint of discord. Like it or not though, the risk of conflict between the two species does increase when there are enough dogs to form a pack (two or more), especially if one of the dogs is inclined to ‘stir the pot’ and tease the cat regularly.

Common sense do’s and don’ts
1. Always ensure that your cat has at least two escape routes in and out of your home. Never leave only one access window open – especially if it is accessible to the dogs as well.
2. Don’t encourage rough play between your dog and cat. You may know of someone who owns a dog and cat that are inseparable and the greatest of play-buddies, but this is the exception not the rule!
3. Don’t encourage competition between your dog and cat. Be even-handed with treats and affection in the presence of both.
4. Do take your dog to puppy classes and later to a few training classes so that it learns to listen to you and obey basic commands such as ‘no’; ‘leave’; ‘gently’; ‘sit’ ‘lie’ etc. Should it chase Puddy, teach it that this is not allowed under any circumstances.
5. Don’t go away for extended periods and leave dogs and cats alone at home to be fed once a day by a neighbour. A bored dog is a potentially destructive – and dangerous – dog.
6. Do keep a litter tray inside for Puddy to use if you own two or more dogs and you have no ‘safe’ area in the garden where Puddy can safely stroll and go to the toilet.

Many dogs and cats live together in harmony, and I’m certain that if readers were asked to write in with their stories, there would be many heart-warming tales of camaraderie between the species. So don’t be frightened of owning dogs and cats together, but do be sensible and take precautions to ensure that peace always prevails and your beloved cat enjoys a safe and contented life!

By Sr Sarah Johnson