Dog and cats living together (10/19/04)

Question
I have a mix black lab/ great dane dog and two cats. I have been watching my pets and hoping that one day all three would become best friends. so far I'm not seeing that happening. Orange cat likes to stay hiden from the dog. Black and grey cat like to try come out of his hiding place once in awhile but very alert of the dog. The dog would chase them once he sees them out of their hiding place. Black cat would also put up a fight with the dog if it got too close to him from his hiding spot.
I want to believe that my dog wanted to sniff at the black cat who just happened to be out in the kitchen and didn't fight back but waited for a moment to run from the dog. The cat was so wet,shaking and scared. That made me nervous. My big concern is, can a dog bite a cat?


Answer
Dear stacy;
Yes, a dog can bite a cat.
The dog may have just had the cat in it's mouth and slobbered on it.
Is there barking at the cats? Does the dog try to grab the cats?
You don't say how old the dog and cats are .
If the dog is a young puppy, and there is not barking and chasing, I don't think you have anything to worry about. when cats and dogs don't get along, there is fighting, or the attempt to fight, barking, hissing, and it leaves no doubt they are not friends.
If it's a young puppy, it may just be too frisky for the cats' liking, especially if the cats are several years old. The size of the dog, especially if the cats are not used to dogs, can be overwhelming.
Is this your first time to have pets?
I need a little more information to help you more.
Your age group, and how much experience you have with animals.How old the dog is, how old the cats are, and whether or not the dog has had obedience training, and was it in a class with you handling a dog.Also, how long have the cats and dog lived in the same house. If this is a very new arrangement, that could explain a lot.
I have dogs that get along fine with cats. I have had both cats and dogs at the same time, they have always gotten along. training is most important.
If you would like to explain the circumstances in more detail, I could help more.
Charlotte