Greyhound with indoor cat
Discussion
Afternoon all,
We are thinking of getting a dog to complement our family unit and I'm toying with the idea of a Greyhound.
I've always loved them and hear that make great family pets....only problem is that we have an indoor cat and I'm worried about the chase mentality of the breed.
Is this a big problem?
Equally, the dog will have to be left for a few hours now and again, do Greyhounds as a breed handle this well or not?
Look forward to your comments.
Thanks
Chris
We are thinking of getting a dog to complement our family unit and I'm toying with the idea of a Greyhound.
I've always loved them and hear that make great family pets....only problem is that we have an indoor cat and I'm worried about the chase mentality of the breed.
Is this a big problem?
Equally, the dog will have to be left for a few hours now and again, do Greyhounds as a breed handle this well or not?
Look forward to your comments.
Thanks
Chris
Greyhound rescues tend to test for cat compatibility. Some are great with cats, some not, same for being left, many cope fine but a few won't.
I don't know where you are based but this group are good GRWE Greyhound Rescue West of England. One of their volunteers had a rescue greyhound and cat live happily together.
I don't know where you are based but this group are good GRWE Greyhound Rescue West of England. One of their volunteers had a rescue greyhound and cat live happily together.
My parents have 2 retired greyhounds with 5 indoor cats and no problems at all, they leave the cats to their own deceives and don't chase at all.
They got their 2 from http://www.rgtperrybarr.co.uk/, where they put them muzzled in a room with 2 cats and see how they behave with them before the re-homing process begins.
They got their 2 from http://www.rgtperrybarr.co.uk/, where they put them muzzled in a room with 2 cats and see how they behave with them before the re-homing process begins.
My parents have two retired racers from a rescue, one goes absolutely nuts when they see a cat, so much so they always have to keep them separate , as they have a cat. I reckon you could part train it out though if you wanted.
They also don't like being left alone
I don't think they are representative of the breed as a whole, maybe just retired racers.
Lovely dogs, very lazy, bar 10 minutes of mental running a day!
They also don't like being left alone
I don't think they are representative of the breed as a whole, maybe just retired racers.
Lovely dogs, very lazy, bar 10 minutes of mental running a day!
I have owned several greyhounds (and greyhound crosses) and I don't think any of them would have been cat-friendly. It wasn't an issue for me, because I don't own cats, but I did have to be a bit careful about any neighbourhood cats. Fortunately, we don't have that issue any more as we now live in the middle of nowhere!
I do own rabbits, and my dogs aren't rabbit-friendly either
but it is relatively easy to keep them segregated, as the rabbits live outdoors.
My greyhounds have been fine being left for a few hours, although they have always had the company of other dogs.
As Bex has said, most greyhound rescues will assess whether their dogs are cat-friendly, or potentially cat-friendly. It's certainly possible to find cat-friendly greyhounds, but you may be waiting a little longer.
Best of luck and I hope you can find a suitable dog, they are wonderful and there are so many needing homes.
Happy to answer any other questions if I can....
I do own rabbits, and my dogs aren't rabbit-friendly either
but it is relatively easy to keep them segregated, as the rabbits live outdoors.My greyhounds have been fine being left for a few hours, although they have always had the company of other dogs.
As Bex has said, most greyhound rescues will assess whether their dogs are cat-friendly, or potentially cat-friendly. It's certainly possible to find cat-friendly greyhounds, but you may be waiting a little longer.
Best of luck and I hope you can find a suitable dog, they are wonderful and there are so many needing homes.
Happy to answer any other questions if I can....
TwistingMyMelon said:
My parents have two retired racers from a rescue, one goes absolutely nuts when they see a cat, so much so they always have to keep them separate , as they have a cat. I reckon you could part train it out though if you wanted.
They also don't like being left alone
I don't think they are representative of the breed as a whole, maybe just retired racers.
Lovely dogs, very lazy, bar 10 minutes of mental running a day!
Well, nearly all greyhounds you see are retired racers. There is also a special show greyhound, but they are rare. They also don't like being left alone
I don't think they are representative of the breed as a whole, maybe just retired racers.
Lovely dogs, very lazy, bar 10 minutes of mental running a day!
As a breed, they are very suited to being left at home for long periods. All they will do is sleep. That's all they do all day anyway!!
Ours goes a bit mental if he sees a cat in a field, especially if it scampers across his line of sight. My guess is that he isn't cat friendly, but lots of people do have cats with greyhounds, so it must work in some cases, but not all.
TwistingMyMelon said:
My parents have two retired racers from a rescue, one goes absolutely nuts when they see a cat, so much so they always have to keep them separate , as they have a cat. I reckon you could part train it out though if you wanted.
They also don't like being left alone
I don't think they are representative of the breed as a whole, maybe just retired racers.
Lovely dogs, very lazy, bar 10 minutes of mental running a day!
Well, nearly all greyhounds you see are retired racers. There is also a special show greyhound, but they are rare. They also don't like being left alone
I don't think they are representative of the breed as a whole, maybe just retired racers.
Lovely dogs, very lazy, bar 10 minutes of mental running a day!
As a breed, they are very suited to being left at home for long periods. All they will do is sleep. That's all they do all day anyway!!
Ours goes a bit mental if he sees a cat in a field, especially if it scampers across his line of sight. My guess is that he isn't cat friendly, but lots of people do have cats with greyhounds, so it must work in some cases, but not all.
I had my Greyhound for a couple of years on his own. Then when he was 3 a cat and a small fluffy dog moved in and he has been fine with both.
He will chase a neighbours cat out of the garden but he does not want to catch them, just see them off.
If it is our cat he goes to see him off, the cat freezes as he is petrified and as soon as he gets close enough to recognise the cat he just stops and ignores him.
I think it also helps that the cat is quite old and realises that he should walk slowly past the dog rather than running etc.
They seem to have it worked out very well.
The Greyhound is fine being left alone when I go out but I left him alone from the first day I got him to make sure it would have every chance of working.
He will chase a neighbours cat out of the garden but he does not want to catch them, just see them off.
If it is our cat he goes to see him off, the cat freezes as he is petrified and as soon as he gets close enough to recognise the cat he just stops and ignores him.
I think it also helps that the cat is quite old and realises that he should walk slowly past the dog rather than running etc.
They seem to have it worked out very well.
The Greyhound is fine being left alone when I go out but I left him alone from the first day I got him to make sure it would have every chance of working.
Our old Greyhound was fine with cats, in fact the cats used to sleep with her in the same bed or on the same settee. She was a rescue and got her at just over a year old. Sadly lost her this year to a brain tumor at the age of 7.
They are great big lazy dogs. or also known as a 40mph couch potato.
They are quite happy to be left to their own devices, usually sleeping on a settee.
They are great big lazy dogs. or also known as a 40mph couch potato.
They are quite happy to be left to their own devices, usually sleeping on a settee.
I have a whippet cross who lives with 2 cats and they rule the house. It depends on what both animals are like if my dog gets too close to a cat (usually on a walk) and gets a swipe and a hiss he backs off but if they run his chase instinct can kick in (a lot of leave it work has meant this doesn't tend to happen)
Every dog and cat is different, you may have more luck as your cat is living at your home and the dog his new but selection of the dogs personality as well as initial introductions will be critical.
Every dog and cat is different, you may have more luck as your cat is living at your home and the dog his new but selection of the dogs personality as well as initial introductions will be critical.
We tried 2 different ex-racers from the Hampshire Greyhound Rescue centre (very nice people) with our cat.
First one was fixated - incredibly agitated and had to be held back.
The second one ignored it on first viewing. But then when we trialed it as part of the 2 week trial it was immediately obsessed with our moggy ... I spent a sleepless night on the sofa making sure it didn't try to leap the stair gate and head upstairs.
Maybe having one from a puppy or a failed racer might have been better. We were pretty heartbroken by the 2nd experience but then adopted a lab cross that we felt safe leaving with the cat after only a few days. Lovely animals but we wouldn't have subjected our cat to any more as each visit must be terrifying!
First one was fixated - incredibly agitated and had to be held back.
The second one ignored it on first viewing. But then when we trialed it as part of the 2 week trial it was immediately obsessed with our moggy ... I spent a sleepless night on the sofa making sure it didn't try to leap the stair gate and head upstairs.
Maybe having one from a puppy or a failed racer might have been better. We were pretty heartbroken by the 2nd experience but then adopted a lab cross that we felt safe leaving with the cat after only a few days. Lovely animals but we wouldn't have subjected our cat to any more as each visit must be terrifying!
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