Introducing staffies to cats!

Hello all  

This is my first post on this forum, although I am not sure why I did not register sooner!

Does anybody have any advice on introducing kittens into a household with two staffies? They are both boys, 1y/o and 2y/o, generally very well behaved and eager to please, and generally very respectful of other animals. They have never bothered with cats before but it may be a little different actually bringing them into the house. I have two kittens coming. They are 13 weeks, so not teeny tiny, but still small! I am confident that the dogs will do as they are told and leave them alone if they are told to, but I would like some tips and advice please and introductions etc to make sure that everything goes smoothly

Many thanks in advance
Rosie x

Hi Rosie please have a look at this link
https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t32163-introducing-dogs-and-cats?highlight=dogs+++%2Bcats

You can also introduce yourself here https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/f7-new-member-introductions

if they dont bother with cats that come in to your garden that sounds like a good sign,you know your dogs, i would just be cautious thou  

Welcome. Be extremely careful, my dog will let my cats come into her space and will not chase them if i am within eyesight. As soon as she knows i am gone the cat doesn't stand a chance!

We had a cat before we got Bailey, we had hoped they would become friends. we followed most of the things mentioned in above thread, but our cat Phobie was 13 years old and cant be bothered with Bailey. we have a childs stair gate on stairs so Phobie has run of upstairs without being annoyed by Bailey, who is sh-t scared of our cat??? They have "bumped" into each other a few times, and Phobie has swiped Bailey,who then runs to us to tell lol

Sorry I've never had a cat, I'm more of a dog person   I don't think Rocky would be very tollerant of a cat tbh

Kathy wrote:Sorry I've never had a cat, I'm more of a dog person   I don't think Rocky would be very tollerant of a cat tbh

This is a difficult one I know

I moved in with my partner just over 18 months ago who already had a cat. Let's just say we have to keep them separate when we are not about. The cat does retreats upstairs when Diz is about and we have child gates too so she has an escape route.

Thing is, I wouldn't trust my boy at all not to hurt the cat. He has a very strong pray drive and even if he didn't mean to, if he caught her he could do so much damage

I'm with you Kathy, given the choice I would never have had a cat as I am totally a dog person, but as she was already there we've had to all learn to live together in as much harmony as possible.

Lis wrote:

Kathy wrote:Sorry I've never had a cat, I'm more of a dog person   I don't think Rocky would be very tollerant of a cat tbh

This is a difficult one I know

I moved in with my partner just over 18 months ago who already had a cat. Let's just say we have to keep them separate when we are not about. The cat does retreats upstairs when Diz is about and we have child gates too so she has an escape route.

Thing is, I wouldn't trust my boy at all not to hurt the cat. He has a very strong pray drive and even if he didn't mean to, if he caught her he could do so much damage

I'm with you Kathy, given the choice I would never have had a cat as I am totally a dog person, but as she was already there we've had to all learn to live together in as much harmony as possible.

i was in a similar situation to the above.

my girlfriend already had a cat, but she also had a staffy.....so i let her off. my dog also has a strong pray drive and as the cat is 16/17 now, cassius would hurt him even if he didn't mean too. i'm also very close when they're together just in case. as cass is 17 almost 18 months old, he's just interested in him, there's no anger or anything and im 100% sure he would never attack him, hes had plenty of opportunities to do so, however if he sees a cat in the street (one that he's not used to, he wants to go for it! very odd, it's almost like he knows the cat in our house is "ok" so he won't harm him). i would never leave them alone together!

just take your time if you're doing it.

can i just say while my girlfriend doesn't come on here...........I HATE CATS!!!!

Steviec wrote:my girlfriend already had a cat, but she also had a staffy.....so i let her off. my dog also has a strong pray drive and as the cat is 16/17 now, cassius would hurt him even if he didn't mean too. i'm also very close when they're together just in case. as cass is 17 almost 18 months old, he's just interested in him, there's no anger or anything and im 100% sure he would never attack him, hes had plenty of opportunities to do so, however if he sees a cat in the street (one that he's not used to, he wants to go for it! very odd, it's almost like he knows the cat in our house is "ok" so he won't harm him). i would never leave them alone together!

just take your time if you're doing it.

can i just say while my girlfriend doesn't come on here...........I HATE CATS!!!!

Oh Steve, your last sentence did make me chuckle   Whilst I am a complete animal lover, cats are just not my "thang" at all!!

Worst of all my partner went and got the cat  as a kitten not long before I moved in, which was rather frustrating to say the least  Especially knowing that cats will most likely long outlive our beloved dogs and the restrictions we have to live with now  

Let's just say it didn't go down well and even though the cat is lovely, I really resent her at times. Especially coz Diz used to have the run of the house when I lived on my own, now he can only have the downstairs and is not allowed upstairs. It still upsets me now :(It's not ideal at all but it's the way it is and as long as they stay out of each other's way the better! lol

Like Cassius Diz will go mental if he sees a cat in the street but he sniffs our cat thru the stair gate now and shows no major interest (he did when we first moved in though OMG), but will still want to chase her if she runs (natural), which is why we have to be on contant vigil with them. Like you I would NEVER leave them alone together.

I had a crazy situ last week when I was walking Diz in the morning and we were over our usual field. It was a bit of a misty morning so I didn't see it at first, but then suddenly there was this big fluffy cat about 2 ft from where I was walking, which was really odd!? Instantly I was like "OMG" and knew that any second Diz would spot the cat, which of course he did. Well I've never seen a cat move so fast  and I did have a hairy moment thinking he was going to grab it. But the mad thing was it ran at a bush at the edge of the field, jumped up but missed the gap. I was sure he was about to have cat for breakfast but he didn't?!? It was all so fast but the cat managed to escape unscathed... but I am pretty sure he could have had it if he wanted to. He then came running back to me all sheepishly knowing he shouldn't have done it lol! It was a relief for sure, but I still wouldn't trust him at all not to hurt a cat or any other small animal if he did actually catch it.

i can completely relate to your situation, i too am an animal lover but.....now this might sound terrible....the cat doesn't have too long left thankfully and am really looking forward to that moment, im sure my girlfriend isn't. a) the dogs will have more run of the house as we have to seperate them with baby gates etc, b) the whole episode of going to bed and getting up is a pain in the rear!! the cat constantly moans when he's on his own....like cries "MMMEEEOOWW.....MEEEOOOOWWW" every flaming minute!! it really drives me mad....and his s**t stinks!! ok he does it in his box but still! i hate it.

your dog is used to the cat like ours and probably accepts him, he just want to play, albeit roughly.

  - about the cat spotting diz and running off!!

Steviec wrote:i can completely relate to your situation, i too am an animal lover but.....now this might sound terrible....the cat doesn't have too long left thankfully and am really looking forward to that moment, im sure my girlfriend isn't. a) the dogs will have more run of the house as we have to seperate them with baby gates etc, b) the whole episode of going to bed and getting up is a pain in the rear!! the cat constantly moans when he's on his own....like cries "MMMEEEOOWW.....MEEEOOOOWWW" every flaming minute!! it really drives me mad....and his s**t stinks!! ok he does it in his box but still! i hate it.

your dog is used to the cat like ours and probably accepts him, he just want to play, albeit roughly.

  - about the cat spotting diz and running off!!

I laughed so much at your post   I really am so with you on this!!

Hey, I completely understand your thinking believe me and am actually pretty envious that your restrictions will not affect Cassius's whole life. I really struggle with that at times I can tell you, it really is a bone of contention!

And what you said about cat poop... OOOMMMGGG!!!! I'd pick up any amount of dog poop all day rather than clean the cat's litter tray out. You're so right, the stink that comes from that is nauseating!

Lis wrote:

Steviec wrote:i can completely relate to your situation, i too am an animal lover but.....now this might sound terrible....the cat doesn't have too long left thankfully and am really looking forward to that moment, im sure my girlfriend isn't. a) the dogs will have more run of the house as we have to seperate them with baby gates etc, b) the whole episode of going to bed and getting up is a pain in the rear!! the cat constantly moans when he's on his own....like cries "MMMEEEOOWW.....MEEEOOOOWWW" every flaming minute!! it really drives me mad....and his s**t stinks!! ok he does it in his box but still! i hate it.

your dog is used to the cat like ours and probably accepts him, he just want to play, albeit roughly.

  - about the cat spotting diz and running off!!

I laughed so much at your post   I really am so with you on this!!

Hey, I completely understand your thinking believe me and am actually pretty envious that your restrictions will not affect Cassius's whole life. I really struggle with that at times I can tell you, it really is a bone of contention!

And what you said about cat poop... OOOMMMGGG!!!! I'd pick up any amount of dog poop all day rather than clean the cat's litter tray out. You're so right, the stink that comes from that is nauseating!

i've lost count how many times i've threatened to send the cat to a cattery....i actually mean it though, well kind of, i wouldn't want him to live out his days in a cramped cage and nobody will take him. he hasn't got long bless him.

that cat is just a moody so and so too. Struts around like he owns the place, leaves hair everywhere then moans when you move him if hes comfy, lad doesn't know he's born!

Cat hair... MEH!!

Hahaha! He sure doesn't