Many
greyhounds get along very well with cats and smaller fuzzy
animals. The key to forging a good relationship
between the two is keeping a few important points in mind.
The greyhound is one of
the oldest breeds of hunting dogs. For over 5,000
years they have been bred to chase (and kill)
smaller prey.
Some greyhounds have a much stronger prey drive than others
and would not do well in a home with smaller animals, while
others seem disinterested or even afraid of the smaller pets
and do extremely well. Kindred Spirits "cat tests" all
of our greyhounds prior to re-homing and will help you
introduce your new greyhound to your existing pets, but it
is up to you to give the supervision necessary to create a
good bond within the pack.
Initial introductions to cats
and smaller pets should take place inside your home with the
greyhound leashed and muzzled.
If you have multiple other pets the introductions should
take place one at a time. Lead the greyhound towards your
other pet while closely watching its reaction. Any hint of
aggression should be discouraged with a firm NO! When the
greyhound turns its head
away or walks away from
the cat it should be lavishly praised. Let them approach
each other again, each time repeating the praise for good
behavior and the firm no for any unacceptable behavior.
Greyhounds learn quickly and often a good portion of this
acclimation process depends on the reactions of the other
animal involved. If they run, the greyhound will probably
want to give chase and this, of course, should be
discouraged. Often cats that hiss, growl or display
threatening behaviors will dissuade the greyhound from
wanting to approach them at all. Respect this and praise
your hound as you lead him away. Remember, if you remain
calm and in control throughout this whole exercise your
animals are likely to pick up on this and remain calm and
less tense as well. Repeat this process until you feel
comfortable removing the muzzle from the greyhound and
allowing the two to meet face to face. Keep the leash on
the greyhound and keep the two separated when you cannot
closely supervise interactions until such a time as you are
absolutely sure that there will be no problems. It's
ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.
A few more points to
remember..............
- Just because your
greyhound and your cat (or other small furry critter)
get along well together in the house, chances are they
will NOT get along so well outside!
Even the most laid back greyhound will often show a
desire to chase and capture a cat outdoors.
- Never
assume that just because your greyhound gets along
fantastically with your cat that the same is going to
hold true for the neighbor's cat or the cat that came
along to visit with your mother-in-law.
- Greyhound Companions of
New Mexico has a wonderful series of articles on
greyhound behavior. Their link to
Greyhounds and Cats has a lot of added
information that may be valuable to new adopters.
