Cat bully! Help!

[Tonya]

I'm hoping for some pointers from someone else who has experienced this...

We rescued a one-year old sheltie a year ago. She came from awful living conditions and was pitiful when we got her. She was afraid of everything and everyone, and our cat quickly picked up on that. A year later, Luckie has adjusted beautifully, BUT the cat is becoming more of a bully every day and poor Luckie is always looking to see where her tormentor is. The cat loves to spring out of nowhere and chase the dog off. This happens numerous times a day and is wearing me out. Not to mention making my dog a nervous wreck. They are both house pets.

Part of me realizes the cat is just being a cat, but I'd really like to end this. I've tried intervening when I see an attack coming. I've tried to let them work it out. I've tried locking the cat up after an attack. Nothing has helped. The cat does not do this to my border collie. She cannot actually hurt Luckie because she has been declawed. (Please don't judge....I've never declawed a cat before. I don't believe in it. But this cat was doing the same thing to my then small child as she is the dog. The final attack was out of nowhere and to my three-year old's face. It was viscous and unwarranted and five years later, my daughter still has a scar. At that point we had three options: rehoming, euthanasia, or declawing. We opted for declawing as we really do love the little jerk.)

Anyway, what to do?! I am soooooo up for any advice anyone has. Thanks!

[celloyogi]

I'd say spray bottle or noisemaker but the noisemaker would probably frighten your sheltie, too. If you think your aim is good enough, I'd try the spray bottle of water. If cat is obviously going in for the attack, spray. Try not to make it obvious that the spray is coming from you, and only use the minimum necessary to deter him. Don't spray if he's just walking near the dog, or acting menacing; only spray when he is actually or preparing to attack. Eventually he'll (hopefully) stop.

In cat rescue we have on occasion resorted to medication for the first pets who had issues after a new pet was brought home. This is not ideal but if the alternative is euthanasia, it's worth a try. Ask your vet for advice regarding medication and other behavioral options. You could try Feliway - OTC spray/plug-in. It's usually used to help deter marking/spraying behaviors but the product works to alleviate anxiety. There are knockoffs but the original product, though expensive, in my experience is far superior.

Isolate cat and dog when you cannot directly supervise their interactions. Try not to just shut the cat in a bathroom; give him a floor of the house, or at least a bedroom/bathroom to himself. Too much isolation will likely increase any ill-will he harbors towards the dog.

And if your cat is not neutered, get him neutered pronto.

[Jaynie]

I usually enforce a policy of "If nobody's bleeding, I'm not interfering". But I did have a similar problem with one of my border collies and my (now departed) grumpy, sometimes hostile, and territorial Siamese cat. He would stalk the poor BC, who developed somewhat of a paranoia complex. After that I felt I had to intervene. I had a very accurate water gun and would stalk the cat when he started stalking the dogs. When he was in the mode of revving up in order to jump on the dog, I'd shoot him square under the tail with the water gun. He would jump as if the floor suddenly became hot. I got him about four times, and the behavior abruptly stopped.

[Mignarda]

There's an analogy to this kind of cat-tormenting-dog thing. When I was young, many years ago, little boys were taught that under no circumstances were to they hit little girls. Needless to say, there were some little girls who took full advantage of this restriction, knowing they could tease and torment the boys with impunity.

For the cat, I like the idea of the water pistol!

[celloyogi]

It just occurred to me that you might also try a plain safety collar with a bell on it. A long time ago when one of our cats was mercilessly harassing another, our vet suggested a bell collar for the offender so the victim cat could hear him coming and have a chance to escape/avoid. The bell was surprisingly effective. Cheap, simple, and can be left on cat all the time (just make sure it's a safety - break-away - collar).

[*Caro]

I've got the kitty "terminator" a few houses down, but the last year he's been hanging out our place (since the neighbour had another child). Cats do seem to get their nose out of joint if there is an upset to their routine and they can what did it.

Anyway, the tormentor will sometimes smooch up to the dogs and the next moment jumps out and swipes them. Whenever he gets upset he thinks the dogs are fair game. So regularly I find I have to give him a smack on the rump when he takes a swipe. Then he seems to settle down for a while. I'm not advocating beating the cat, it's more of a 'swipe back' so to speak. He certainly gets the message - my territory my rules. I do find I have to reiterate the swipe back every couple of months because he seems to forget. The spray bottle might be an appropriate way of 'swiping back.

[Tonya]

Thank you! I would never have thought of the bell on a collar idea! I think that will help a lot as it will totally eliminate that silent attack that she thinks is so funny. I'm going to do the squirt bottle also.

[mcemily]

We use a squirt bottle on our kitties too, when they are in "attack" mode... though that's mostly with each other. Lerwick, our Sheltie, actually LOVES getting pounced by the kitty, because in this house, that is an invitation for a rousing round of the zoomies.

We got our spray bottle from Home Depot, actually, and it has one of those twisty nozzles that you can adjust the spray from a fine mist to a single stream. The single stream on this particular bottle is really narrow and allows for a very accurate shot. I think Jaynie's suggestion of getting the cat right under the tail as it is hunkering down to pounce would be an excellent tactic. May have to use that one myself!

The bell collar is also a great suggestion, as it would level the playing field, so to speak, and sap the cat of its ninja powers.

Good luck!

[Jaynie]

The only problem with collar bells is that some cats very sneakily learn to move without sounding the bell.