Monday, May 24, 2010

Are Greyhounds good with cats?

Im talking about the dog breed, not the bus.. hehe.
My family and i are thinking about getting a greyhound, but we have 2 cats. If we got a greyhound, do you think that the cats would be okay with it? Would they adjust? Because we have gotten dogs before and the cats have hid and hardley never came out. So, is it diffrent with greyhounds?
Answers:
Greyhounds (especially puppies) are notorious for chasing everything that runs, so if the cat would try to run away from the dog it may be in danger. Sighthounds in general do not do well with small furry animals, but if any of them would it would be a Greyhound. Since the cats did not do well with the dogs before, then they probably would not do well with another dog. I would doubt that it would be different because the dog is a Greyhound.
no they are verry compitive.
It just depends on the dogs nature, but over time, the cats might get used to the dog, but if the dog has an agressive nature, it might not be good.
Some can be okay with cats, but I would never completely trust a sighthound around cats.
From the sound of your past experiences, it sounds like it's up to the cats.
Well probably not. I have heard that is how Grey hounds are trained to run on a track.
No, Greyhounds are TERRIBLE dogs if you have cats! Greyhounds are SIGHT hounds, which means that they will chase anything in sight! Even if you get a Greyhound puppy and introduce them at a young age, sight hounds were bred to chase and kill things like that. You should probably steer clear of all hounds unless you're planning to get a scent hound (eg. Basset Hound, Bloodhound, etc.).
A retired Greyhound?
You need to ask will the dog be ok with the cats. You have to keep in mind they are sighthounds and they are bred to chase small furry things.
If you are getting a retired racer, I would take with the rescue people...they would be able to place the right dog with you. BUT..you are still going to have to train the dog to co-exist with your individual cats.

I hate to tell horror stories as it doesn't apply to the breed as a whole, but the individual dogs., but I watched as 2 very sweet Greyhounds ripped apart a little Poodle as it trotted by them in a pet store. Didn't bother the other Poodle who was walking, but went right after the one moving at a faster pace.

I would just do alot of research on the dog you want to get and plan on having some professional training just so nothing happens. They aren't mean dogs, they just have a high prey drive.
I personnally have a few friends involved with Greyhound Rescue and know of at least three cat fatalities that belonged to my rescue friends (more than one couple) , they no longer have cats, but find fresh remains of cats that have wandered into their yard. If you have to have a cat with these guys, get a Tiger!
The prey drive of greyhounds varies greatly. I own two retired racers and two cats, and the cats boss the greyhounds around. When I brought my first hound home, my very timid cat went right up to her. She knew instinctively that the dog was no threat to her. Note, however, that I wouldn't trust my greyhounds with cats outside the house. The outside world has many exciting stimuli that can heighten a dog's prey drive.

If you want to adopt a greyhound, make sure your adoption group knows that you have cats. When you take your new friend home, keep the hound muzzled for a while to make sure it is not overly interested in the cats. It's always better to be safe than sorry.
I have an ex-racing greyhound and am involved with my local greyhound rescue.
As with any dog or dog breed, friendliness towards cats varies.

It IS possible to find a cat-friendly greyhound. I know of a few foster homes that take in greyhounds to test their ability to live with cats, and many are just fine.

I have 2 small dogs, and my greyhound loves them. He鈥檚 actually scared of them! And when I take him for walks, he walks right past cats.

So, yes, greyhounds CAN be good with cats. Contact your local greyhound rescue group, fill out an application, and wait for them to contact you. They will assess your home and your cats to let you know if there is a greyhound that would fit in well.

Good luck! And please feel free to email me if you have any other questions about greyhounds 鈽?
Greyhounds are good with cats. I have 3 cats %26 a greyhound. I'm a placement rep for Greyhound Adoption Center in the Sacramento CA area. When we place a greyhound in a home with cats, it is cat tested first and those greyhounds that we place in homes with cats usually have a low prey drive. The cats should be supervised during the initial phase of introduction. Then once they become more accustomed to each other, they can be together unsupervised for longer periods of time. Actually, they are all a bunch of couch potatoes when I'm at work!
If a puppy is raised around cats it's usually OK with them, although the cats may never love him! I've found that the cats usually win any squabbles anyway. BUT Greyhounds are a bit different to other breeds, they're racers and are hard-wired to chase small, fast moving animals (eg the mechanical rabbit or lure on the racetrack). you won't be able to stop a greyhound following it's natural instincts and he will chase the cats. Whether you think you (or the cats) can deal with that is a personal decision but 'forewarned is forearmed' as they say so at least you'll know what you're letting yourself in for!

Good luck

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