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Subject: Testing a rattie around cats.....

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RatsRule!

Ratastic

09/10/2008 11:00 AM
Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone has an idea of how one might test their foster rattie to see how they are with cats. (Safely of course.) Any suggestions?

Pam&Maggie

Ratastic

09/10/2008 11:12 AM
How about put the rattie in a crate in a room and put the cat in the room and let the cat sniff around the crate and see what reaction the rattie has to the cat. Thats the only safe way I can think of. Of course Kiddah would have been going nuts in that case, but she has mellowed around the cats with time and I swear the little Zeeza six pounder cat and her are best friends now.

The Rat Patrol Pam, Maggie, Kidd Roo, Nitro and Rudy Ratbones Rescue Volunteer Ratbonerescues.com

Mitzy's Mom

PAWesome

09/10/2008 11:18 AM
Well, I just let my fosters encounter our cat and watch what happens! Cat has safe, high places to get to and she doesn't come down around the dogs much anyway as 2 of mine (Skipper and Loco) would eat her anyway....some of my fosters have been fine with her and others want to play with her....Beacan either wants to play with her or eat her...not sure which.

Mary Beth, mom to the Lollipop Kids Georgia Foster Mom, www.newrattitude.org Pics of my current fosters: http://imageevent.com/newrattitude/caradoc http://imageevent.com/newrattitude/fiona

DaisysMom

Moderator
<b>Moderator</b>

09/10/2008 11:42 AM
Are these your personal cats you are going to be testing on, or someone else's?? Are the cats dog-savvy and/or dog friendly? I think if the cat is not de-clawed and has a means of escape he/she will likely be fine. Maybe also keeping the rattie on a leash - at least at first - might be a good idea.

Tracey - Darlin' Daisy's Mom

RatsRule!

Ratastic

09/10/2008 11:47 AM
Nope- not mine- here's the skinny. a foster mom has a rattie and is unsure how this dog does around cats. She has none of her own and we have an app on this dog- who has a cat. She asked me how to go about testing the dog. Since I wasn't totally sure, I said I'd ask and get back to her. Wanted to see what you all had to say!! Thanks for all the suggetions so far. I'll email them all and see if she can figure out something. it's something I'll talk with the applicant about too to see how they'll approach the situation.

Lucy's Mommy

Terrier Terror

09/10/2008 8:19 PM
When we brought Lucy in, we made sure our cats had a safe place to go if Lucy started to bother them too much. We put a baby gate in the hallway so the back half of the house is theirs. Lucy chased them a little in the beginning but they always knew they could go some place she couldn't get her. Now, they spend most of their time out in the front of the house with us and Lucy. And if there's any chasing now, it's usually initiated by the kitties.

treble02

Alpha Feist

09/10/2008 8:37 PM
How about put the rattie in a crate in a room and put the cat in the room and let the cat sniff around the crate and see what reaction the rattie has to the cat. Thats the only safe way I can think of. Of course Kiddah would have been going nuts in that case, but she has mellowed around the cats with time and I swear the little Zeeza six pounder cat and her are best friends now. [Smile] hehe...Pam...now, you get to teach Skippy about cats....good luck and keep me posted,,,,

~ Mary, Trixi and Toa's Mommy, PROUD Ratbone Rescues Volunteer!!!

tiggarat

Bratty Ratty

09/10/2008 8:54 PM
that's a tough one...does the foster mom have any friends or family members with cats that the rattie can be around? Or maybe take the foster rattie to Petco/Petsmart on adoption day and let him check out the cats there (from a safe distance, of course)? If you explain the situation to the people at the pet store, they may be willing to help out.

Lisabeth furbabies: Lucy and Molly (1 1/2 yr old decker ratties), and Rosie (3 yr old dobie) Buddy - gone but never forgotten. "I don't think he has any idea he's a dog, really. Of course, he thinks he has a rather odd figure for a man" - Dodie Smith

GrafixGurl

Obsessed

09/10/2008 9:48 PM
Leash the dog and allow them to meet. My cat usually boxes the dogs and puts them in their place straight away then struts off. Good Luck.. hope you get good results however you do it.

Half Moon Rat Terriers http://www.hmrats.com http://www.imageevent.com/hmrats http://www.myspace.com/ratcrazy

maggiew607

Terrier Terror

09/10/2008 10:10 PM
I'm no help since the way I tested Angus was probably not the smartest. My mom has five cats, all with claws and all weighing upwards of 16 pounds. I put my little eight pound fearless dog down on the ground with them, stood gaurd, watched as he ran up to one, sniffed, then tried to grab its tail, then promptly got whacked in the face with a claw. He now respects the cats who, you know are twice his size. I wouldn;t have done this is the cats didn't outway him, plus the fact that they are dog savvy and somewhat nasty, made me feel better knowing they wouldn;t be in danger... Looking back, I probably should have thought of another way, but hey it worked.

Maggie, Mom to CoCo and Angus

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