Big Dog And Kitten

[Gary A]

About three weeks ago I found a skinny bedraggled kitten along a local road. The kitten allowed me to pick it up and hold it.

The problem is that I have a big dog who is 50/50 Rottweiler and Golden Retriever. He probably weighs around 45 Kilograms. I had no idea how he would act towards the kitten.

The dog has a large doghouse with hurricane fence around a steel frame. You can see in and out of it. I put the kitten in his dog house. As expected, the dog hated the kitten and spent the first week waiting for a chance to kill the kitten. As the kitten regained its strength it discovered it could easily get out of the dog house but the dog couldn't get in. The dog would lay down and watch the kitten for hours at a time. I think it became a game for them. The dog would try to catch the kitten and the kitten would run up a tree, jump on top of the dog house and lay there to watch the dog. I expected the dog to eventually catch the kitten.

One day the kitten got too far away of the dog house and the dog went after the kitten. I was outside watching. My dog listens pretty well but I let him go. The kitten stood on her hind legs, hissed, arched her back and swatted at the dogs nose. The dog actually seemed amused and since then the kitten comes and goes wherever she wants. Now they actually eat side by side.

[isanbirder]

This sounds fairly standard to me. If a kitten is small enough when it is introduced to the big dog, they often become friends.

[Mosha]

We had a kitten whose mother was a poor mum. She slept with our dogs, and they kept her warm an played with her. The other kittens who didn't like our dogs died. So we called her lucky. She was born with 3 legs so the name was slightly tongue in cheek.

Just to add the mother cat wasn't ours it was my sister in laws, once the kittens were weaned she lost interest.

[PoorSucker]

[bangkaew]

Great video. Originally the pitbull was called the 'Nanny breed' and the Staffordshire Bull terrier is still the only breed that the UK recommends for the family. They are so confident so are very relaxed with babies etc.

Gary, great looking dog. Have you any more pics?

If you are the pack leader that should mean that you can bring anything in to your home and your dog will respect your decision. Can not say I have that control but that is the theory! Also it normally only works if the dog submits to the cat which it sounds like yours has? It is all about who has got the more dominant energy. I have seen a cockatoo dominate and be the pack leader over 2 dogs. Wolf studies have shown that a 10 months cub can be the alpha wolf and pack leader over fully grown wolves. It is the way each is born.