Cats & Sheltie's?

[♥Love Herds♥]

Hello

As mentioned before in other post, we where interested in getting A sheltie. Well, we've decide on getting Shetland Sheepdog

We have A three year old Siberian Cat, she's never been around dogs.

How should i properly introduce A sheltie into the home?
Is the sheltie A good breed with cats(even though there herding breed)?

[dkspins]

My house had 2 cats prior to bringing home Zoey. She is a 1yr old Sheltie. I must say they mind her but she doesn't mind them even when they hiss at her. She does try to play with them and they are getting more tolerant of her.

[Toffee's Mom]

Originally Posted by ♥Love Herds♥

Hello

As mentioned before in other post, we where interested in getting A sheltie. Well, we've decide on getting Shetland Sheepdog

We have A three year old Siberian Cat, she's never been around dogs.

How should i properly introduce A sheltie into the home?
Is the sheltie A good breed with cats(even though there herding breed)?

ohhh now I am going to have to google siberian cat
Never heard of them, I love cats, obviously not as much as Shelties...
Yes, they can be trained to live together more or less peacefully
It depends how well they get along on the cats/dogs personalities. However, Shelties definitely learn who their family is and included the cats in that. My dog most definitely likes our own cats but chases other cats like a fiend if he gets a chance. So a really good recall is ever so important so you can call him/her off!! Some cats can make friends... others tell the dog off, and some can just tolerate a Sheltie and a few will hide and be mortified for a while with their noses out of joint.

[lasheltie]

My shelties have all done fine with my 2 cats but then the cats are boss here & just ignore the dogs. I have had 13 shelties since 2006 with rescue & fostering plus my own & none have bothered the cats. I guess it depends on the dog & cat. If your cat is laidback & has a safe place to just observe the dog at first it should be ok. Shelties are smart & can learn to get along if the cat is willing.

[biowicks]

Many years ago, I had a sheltie named Cookie. She had her own cat, Khan. They would get in trouble together (Khan would get the defrosting meat off the counter, and Cookie would unwrap it for the two of them ). Cookie passed away at age 14, and when we got our next sheltie, Pavi, Khan became his cat. Pavi liked to to chew on Khan's head. Then, the cat Khan passed away and a new cat, Brando, came to live with us. We had four cats at that point, and Brando became Pavi's new cat. Brando also got his head chewed. He was always 'slobbery'. Pavi has gone to the Rainbow Bridge now, and we have a new tricolor, Olive, who is Brando's 'dog'. I think shelties and cats can get along great!

[mcemily]

Originally Posted by lasheltie

If your cat is laidback & has a safe place to just observe the dog at first it should be ok. Shelties are smart & can learn to get along if the cat is willing.

I think lasheltie brings up a very important point... your cat definitely needs a safe place to retreat to, where the dog can't go. When we brought our Sheltie, Lerwick, home at 8 weeks old, we already had our 4-year old cat, Majo, whom we'd had since a kitten, and who had never been around other pets.

Majo has no fear of (human) strangers whatsoever, and is the friendliest cat we (as well as all who have met her) have ever known. However, she was very scared of Lerwick at first (and he was scared of her, too). Lerwick was living pretty much exclusively in the kitchen to begin with, which we had barricaded off with baby gates. Majo and Lerwick could sniff at each other through the baby gate, and when Majo felt up to it, she could jump over the gate to investigate him, and then flee whenever she felt like it. It took them 9 weeks together to decide that the other one wasn't a scary monster.

I can't really remember at what point I decided they had made it to the stage where they were totally cool with each other... it was a very gradual process for them. Majo is very tolerant of Lerwick, since he loves to play and chase, and she has to be in a rare mood to want to play like that. She still has an area of the house (in the basement) that he isn't allowed to go (both to keep him out of the litterbox, and to allow her some peace), so she isn't forced to endure him if she doesn't want to.

That said, this summer we unexpectedly rescued a stray cat, Kiki, and she and Lerwick were besties in about 3 weeks. We think Kiki is a few years younger than Majo... she is definitely much more playful. Kiki loves chasing (and being chased by) Lerwick, all over the house. Kiki and Majo, on the other hand... still not getting along so well.

Chances are pretty good that a Sheltie will try to herd the cat. Lerwick definitely does. But as long as you provide a dog-free zone the cat can escape to, it should be fine. It all depends on the individual cat and dog, of course. The dog and cat may not become best buddies, curling up to sleep together, banding together to cause mischief and counter surf... but in my opinion, as long as the two can peacefully coexist and only have the occasional (and short-lived) spat... that's good enough! Just be prepared for the possibility of a long adjustment period.

Good luck!

[mbfrench]

Originally Posted by ♥Love Herds♥

Hello

As mentioned before in other post, we where interested in getting A sheltie. Well, we've decide on getting Shetland Sheepdog

We have A three year old Siberian Cat, she's never been around dogs.

How should i properly introduce A sheltie into the home?
Is the sheltie A good breed with cats(even though there herding breed)?

As I type this Oreo (tuxedo cat) & Blake our bi-black are having thier regular nightly wrestling match! And it is all out,but Oreo never opens his claws to Blake.As a matter of fact,it is Oreo that starts the play every time.
We have always had a cat with our shelties,and even our lab that passed this past Oct. At one time we had a blind cat,and she got along wonderfully.And she was brought home at 8 weeks. Even blind,she loved the dogs.

I think since your kitty has never been around a cat,getting your pup as a puppy will certainly help the transition. The cat will be alpha,and don't you worry,the cat will set rules. But honestly do not think you will have an issue.
I do feel it is important (extremely) to have a high retreat for the kitty,so he/she can observe from above the new pup.That way the cat can get quickly out of the way when he/she feels uncomfortable. Introduce slowly those first few day/weeks however long it takes. The cat will be the one to call the shots,as to how close he/she feels comfortable with. I would offer treats to both of them,if they are together. Praise both for good behavior. It would be a good time to teach the new puppy on "be nice"...to his new brother or sister. As the cat does have an advantage...which are claws.
Also a good time to teach kitty some new commands as well.
Shelties are very cat like in thier mannerisms.

[marnie]

Originally Posted by lasheltie

My shelties have all done fine with my 2 cats but then the cats are boss here & just ignore the dogs. I have had 13 shelties since 2006 with rescue & fostering plus my own & none have bothered the cats. I guess it depends on the dog & cat. If your cat is laidback & has a safe place to just observe the dog at first it should be ok. Shelties are smart & can learn to get along if the cat is willing.

It has been my experience that adult collies and shelties pretty much ignore the cats. Puppies want to play which will frighten the cats until they realize that batting the puppy on the nose will earn the cat lots of respect points. If the cats are very afraid and run from the dog, of course that will become sport and be difficult to stop. I doubt if anybody will get hurt, but the yapping and crashing when things get knocked of the tables will make you crazy:)

My GSD stares at the cat like he's watching dinner walk across the room. That is what you need to be careful of.

[mellie]

Sally herds Pumpkin and Pumpkin seems to be ok with it most of the time and if she doesn't like it she lets Sally know it. They have zoomies together and play chase thru the house. Sally thinks she is Pumpkins boss and if Pumkin gets on the kitchen counter(a no no) Sally will come running into wherever we are and whine and run towards the kitchen-just like Lassy !! I think every sheltie should have a cat to herd !! And every cat needs a sheltie to outsmart.