Some Australian Cattle Dogs tolerate cats well. Others never really give up the need to chase.

Make certain that the cats always have a place to escape to from your dog (always = forever, no matter how good the dog eventually becomes with them). Don’t give the dog the run of the house at first. He needs to be crated or confined behind a baby gate when he is not under your direct and CONSTANT supervision for a significant time to come! Only when he has demonstrated that he is trustworthy to be loose and unattended should he be given more freedom.

When your pup first notices the cats, before he can chase or get a mouth on them, redirect to a toy. Or teach him to sit and look at you for a reward. Eventually seeing cat should equal getting a toy, looking at person, getting a treat. It is important to prevent your dog from chasing cats IMMEDIATELY, as that is a self-rewarding behavior that you do not want to allow to develop. Any time a behavior is allowed to develop a “reward history”, it is harder to change the behavior later.

You might want to place the pup in a crate where he can see/experience the cats and they can safely investigate to “desensitize” him. And also try the cat in a crate where the pup can investigate, but not have the cat run. This helps to teach the cat to be calm around the dog. A running cat is very difficult for a dog to resist! If your dog does get his mouth on your cat, get it off by distracting him with something more interesting (toy or yummy) if possible. Don’t try wrestle him off (if a young pup), as that can be viewed as a fun game! It is far better to prevent contact in the first place!

Finally, when first allowing the animals freedom around each other, let your dog drag a leash behind him so that you can use for safety if needed. (Be certain that he only wears a line when you’re there to supervise, as he could get it caught and be injured or killed if unattended.)

It may be that your dog can learn to leave the cat alone — if the cat can learn not to run. But it’s always best to maintain a safe area (baby gate, etc.) where the cat can be free of the dog’s attention. Make certain that there is a nearby safe place (up on top of counters, etc.) that can be reached quickly for cat safety. That’s just good sense, even if your dog coexists well with your cat.

Last updated on February 24, 2011 by Marianne Ahern