Pitbulls and Cats

[ChristisKing]

It's sort of funny how with everything else it's we shouldn't believe what the media tells us, but when it comes to Pitbulls they're automatically vicious creatures.

 

[toobfreak]

I was just wondering does anybody here have at least one Pitbull and one cat? The place I currently live I cannot keep a Pitbull, but I have a cat and hopefully I am moving soon to where I would be allowed to keep one. The only thing is that I don't want my kitty to get hurt. Especially since she didn't grow up with one and I'm afraid that she might accidentally set the dog off. One of my old neighbors even had a cat that was killed by a Pitbull so trust me I've heard the horror stories even though I really love Pitties. Does anybody know if a cat and a rescue Pittie could actually live a happy life together?

Sounds like a dicey situation that I would not advise unless the pitbull had previous experience living with a cat. Even then, I'd introduce these two gradually and make sure they get along.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Interesting, but aren't you afraid that your Pitties will turn on your kitty someday?

Nope, not at all, not without continued or repeated provocation from the cat and even then the dogs wouldn't eat her or even bite her. The few times there have been issues between the dogs and cat is when the cat starts it like I'd said in the other post. The dogs will paw at her and bark and by then we've intervened, usually a squirt bottle does the trick or we'll pull them away.

It doesn't happen often that they are all left alone in the house together, but when it has happened, we've never come home to any kind of mess that would indicate any trouble while we were gone.

Most of the time now, they all get along fine or stay out of each others way.

 

[Yarddog]

Interesting, but aren't you afraid that your Pitties will turn on your kitty someday?




Okay, I'm just curious, have you ever actually been around Pitbulls before because I've been around a lot and I never got growled at by one or bit, however I got growled at by a Beagle and both growled at and bit by a Chihuahua before.


The first time that I ever got bit by a dog in my life too. I'm not holding it against the breed though, I'm just saying. Both Chihuahuas and Poodles (another favorite of mine) have been known to be extremely aggressive. Yet nobody ever talks about this.


Tagging Yarddog because I know that they (I don't know if they're a man or a woman) have at least one Pitbull but I'm not sure if they have any cats though, but I would really be curious to hear their thoughts on this.

Ok, yes I had this dog for over 11 years but never owned a cat along with him. However... he was a really good dog! and I'm sorry to say... that he passed away a while ago.. I just never mentioned it because it's such a downer. I leave his photo up.

But anyways.. I could easily have introduced him to a cat and they would have gotten along.. and I base that on his temperment.

My Sisters husband owns a pitbull and they havea. cat.. the cat will chase it around the house. bat it in the nose.. lick its face and the dog treats it like its little baby. The cat was introduced when it was a kitten and the dog basically adopted it. That might be a key.
But the thing is, if you put a strange cat in the yard? it would go after it with violent intent for sure. Dogs are funny like that.

From reading this thread however, I think it might not be a good idea for you, basically because youve never owned one before and it sounds like you live in a place without a yard. Those dogs need a lot of space for thier mental health, as they are a high energy dog. IMO... just taking it out on a leash isnt going to do it.
Unless you give it a bad diet and it gets so fat it cant move... but that would be wrong.
I trained my dog to run 20 yds turn around and catch a frisby in mid air... return and do it over and over again.. they really love that kind of stuff, but what they really love is attention. You need to have enough free time available for a pit.. they are not for everyone. I've seen horrible results with other people.

BTW.. I didnt go looking to own a pit bull and i never would have... it was a stray and I kind of got conned into keeping it until I could find a home for it.. but no one wanted it ! lol.. so I got stuck with a dog that I never ever would have chose. Before I had this one, I felt like other posters here about Pit Bulls. I suppose they are right, but I tested this dogs temperment around people over and over again through the years.. and it was always amazingly gentle. I think the temperments of Pits depends on the dogs they were bred from. If you have noticed they all don't look the same. I believe mine was from an American Staffordshire breed, not sure if he was pure.

 

[toobfreak]

From reading this thread however, I think it might not be a good idea for you, basically because youve never owned one before and it sounds like you live in a place without a yard. Those dogs need a lot of space for thier mental health, as they are a high energy dog. IMO... just taking it out on a leash isnt going to do it.

Good point. There are several different kinds of pitt bulls but the thing to keep in mind is that they were originally bred for dog-fighting. Supposedly, much of their aggressiveness has been bred out now, but no one here can tell you how an individual dog that is unknown will interact living with an unknown cat beyond generalizations.

But you are right. Any pitt bull will need a lot of room and a lot of attention because these are high energy dogs that take a lot of time and commitment to take care of.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

It's sort of funny how with everything else it's we shouldn't believe what the media tells us, but when it comes to Pitbulls they're automatically vicious creatures.

Before getting a pittie, with or without a cat, I would suggest to do alot of research about the breeds (Pit Bull is an umbrella term for several different breeds, but have similar characteristics). so you KNOW what you're getting yourself into. They are not anything like a Lab or Retriever or any other breed for that matter.

They are independent, stubborn and tenacious.....and that can be said for ALL terriers such as Yorkshire, Jack Russells, Airdailes, etc. The first 3 years of life can be a wild ride of puppydom that you would need to establish yourself as leader, set rules, limits and boundaries and be consistent with them and never let them 'get away' with breaking those rules because they will test you every chance they get. But as long as you treat them like family, reward good behavior and establish an emotional bond and they finally figure out life is good with you......then you'll be rewarded with the best damn dog ever. Professional training can help alot too.


To me, they seem alot like kids and you'll get out of them what you're willing to put into them. But they are not for the faint of heart by any means.

 

[The Irish Ram]

Any dog can be mean regardless of the genetic line, but some dogs are bred to be mean. It doesn't mean they are mean 100% of the time, but they have a propensity for viciousness. And get 2 or more and pack mentality takes over.

 

[toobfreak]

Any dog can be mean regardless of the genetic line, but some dogs are bred to be mean. It doesn't mean they are mean 100% of the time, but they have a propensity for viciousness. And get 2 or more and pack mentality takes over.

That's the problem with a rescue dog, you don't know what you are rescuing them from. They might have come from a home where the owner abused the animal, or even trained him to be an attack or guard dog. So unless you are raising animals together from young, you really need to enter every situation with an animal like a pitt bull with a little caution until you can test and really get to know what you are dealing with.

Aside from their individual characters, these are adult animals who don't know each other and their chemistry together might be anything from loving to toxic.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Any dog can be mean regardless of the genetic line, but some dogs are bred to be mean. It doesn't mean they are mean 100% of the time, but they have a propensity for viciousness. And get 2 or more and pack mentality takes over.

It's not that they are bred to be mean, pits are bred to fight by stupid owners/breeders that train the dogs to fight. They are not born mean, they are raised and trained in harsh conditions. Those same owners/breeders only keep those dogs that will produce their desired goal of the biggest baddest fighter/winner for the money roll. Any of the dogs that don't step up to the task are either killed or dumped or who knows what because they are a liability.

But I do agree about the pack mentality, and that happens with many dogs & breeds.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

6 dogs, 2 cats, no pitbulls. Cats get along OK with all dogs unless cornered. Cats will fight each other to the death. They do not get along. One lives upstairs. One lives downstairs.

 

[MostBoringManInTheWorld]

I was just wondering does anybody here have at least one Pitbull and one cat? The place I currently live I cannot keep a Pitbull, but I have a cat and hopefully I am moving soon to where I would be allowed to keep one. The only thing is that I don't want my kitty to get hurt.



Especially since she didn't grow up with one and I'm afraid that she might accidentally set the dog off. One of my old neighbors even had a cat that was killed by a Pitbull so trust me I've heard the horror stories even though I really love Pitties. Does anybody know if a cat and a rescue Pittie could actually live a happy life together?

If I were you, I personally would not test your hypothesis, especially given your uncertainty.

But I'm not you.

 

[SaxonJackson]

The two can be the best of friends but it depends on the personalities of the cat and the Pitbull. There are lots of YouTube clips of the two getting along perfectly.

 

[toobfreak]

The two can be the best of friends but it depends on the personalities of the cat and the Pitbull.

All things are possible. You just never quite know what to expect in the animal kingdom.

 

[Hellokitty]

I've had cats and dogs all my life. Growing up we had cats with Huskies, and a cocker spaniel, all got along well, As an adult I've had cats with labs, and now corgis. Labs great, 1 of the corgis is aggressive and we only have 1 cat now who's 15 so we keep them separated. The cat stays mostly outside and in front yard, and we have a large fenced backyard and have at every home. I wouldn't own a dog without having a fenced backyard.

 

[ChristisKing]

Nope, not at all, not without continued or repeated provocation from the cat and even then the dogs wouldn't eat her or even bite her. The few times there have been issues between the dogs and cat is when the cat starts it like I'd said in the other post. The dogs will paw at her and bark and by then we've intervened, usually a squirt bottle does the trick or we'll pull them away.

It doesn't happen often that they are all left alone in the house together, but when it has happened, we've never come home to any kind of mess that would indicate any trouble while we were gone.

Most of the time now, they all get along fine or stay out of each others way.

We have a yard just not a big one and no fence but plenty of people get out and walk their dogs even if they don't have either. I suppose that you could always take dogs to the dog park as well but I don't trust dog parks. It's more about the owners for me than the dogs though. However, the cat being the problem goes through my mind as well as one of the neighbor's Pits temporarily lived with a cat and the Pittie wanted to be friends but the cat was the one who didn't.

Ok, yes I had this dog for over 11 years but never owned a cat along with him. However... he was a really good dog! and I'm sorry to say... that he passed away a while ago.. I just never mentioned it because it's such a downer. I leave his photo up.

But anyways.. I could easily have introduced him to a cat and they would have gotten along.. and I base that on his temperment.

My Sisters husband owns a pitbull and they havea. cat.. the cat will chase it around the house. bat it in the nose.. lick its face and the dog treats it like its little baby. The cat was introduced when it was a kitten and the dog basically adopted it. That might be a key.
But the thing is, if you put a strange cat in the yard? it would go after it with violent intent for sure. Dogs are funny like that.

From reading this thread however, I think it might not be a good idea for you, basically because youve never owned one before and it sounds like you live in a place without a yard. Those dogs need a lot of space for thier mental health, as they are a high energy dog. IMO... just taking it out on a leash isnt going to do it.
Unless you give it a bad diet and it gets so fat it cant move... but that would be wrong.
I trained my dog to run 20 yds turn around and catch a frisby in mid air... return and do it over and over again.. they really love that kind of stuff, but what they really love is attention. You need to have enough free time available for a pit.. they are not for everyone. I've seen horrible results with other people.

BTW.. I didnt go looking to own a pit bull and i never would have... it was a stray and I kind of got conned into keeping it until I could find a home for it.. but no one wanted it ! lol.. so I got stuck with a dog that I never ever would have chose. Before I had this one, I felt like other posters here about Pit Bulls. I suppose they are right, but I tested this dogs temperment around people over and over again through the years.. and it was always amazingly gentle. I think the temperments of Pits depends on the dogs they were bred from. If you have noticed they all don't look the same. I believe mine was from an American Staffordshire breed, not sure if he was pure.

I understand your POV as well as the others on here saying what you're saying but I'm really sorry about your doggie.

Any dog can be mean regardless of the genetic line, but some dogs are bred to be mean. It doesn't mean they are mean 100% of the time, but they have a propensity for viciousness. And get 2 or more and pack mentality takes over.

That's sad too since Pitbulls were originally bred to be the nanny dog.

All things are possible. You just never quite know what to expect in the animal kingdom.


View attachment 1187469 View attachment 1187471View attachment 1187470

Umm yeah that last picture is all cute and all (as are the others) but I'm pretty sure that that cat is well fed. I love birds too but I would never have a cat and a bird at the same time as they're predator and prey animals.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

We have a yard just not a big one and no fence but plenty of people get out and walk their dogs even if they don't have either. I suppose that you could always take dogs to the dog park as well but I don't trust dog parks. It's more about the owners for me than the dogs though. However, the cat being the problem goes through my mind as well as one of the neighbor's Pits temporarily lived with a cat and the Pittie wanted to be friends but the cat was the one who didn't.

Cats are very territorial and so it is very possible the cat could be the problem for having any dog. Sometimes they're fine, sometimes not. It all depends. Or like with ours, she instigates any trouble then runs & hides when the dogs react. And it has taken her 2+ years to finally show some kind of acceptance of the dogs. Like I'd said some days they all get along just fine and the cat will allow the dogs to sniff her butt, and they'll all 'kiss' and make up. Then there's days when the cat wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, and it's like she challenges them to a duel.

Part of that I think, is because of our 2 previous dogs (Jack Russell and a Lab/Shep/Pit mix) whom she just loved them to pieces, but they were old and eventually had to be put down and she considered the pit pups to be evil invaders.



IDK your situation or what happened with your previous dogs, but if your only looking to get a pittie because you've heard they can be really great dogs without knowing what all went into getting a great dog, then I'd suggest you get another more laid back breed but only if you can commit yourself to them for the rest of their lives. Some of what you've said in other posts suggest you move alot, and I can only assume that means some places don't allow dogs like where you are currently, which suggests you may have had dogs in the past but had to rehome them because of such rules and if that's the case, then please don't get any dog until you can stabilize your own home/living situation. Sorry and I don't mean to be rude or to have assumed too much here, but if you can't guarantee a lifetime commitment to a dog then maybe you shouldn't have one, regardless of breed.

Pets of any breed or even species are not disposable just because they have become an inconvenience.

 

[ChristisKing]

I don't move a lot just planning on moving soon. I did twice when I was a kid and I haven't had a dog since I was a young adult. As for Pitbulls, I love the breed because I've volunteered walking them before and I love the neighborhood Pits. I just don't know much about owning one I have to admit.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

I don't move a lot just planning on moving soon. I did twice when I was a kid and I haven't had a dog since I was a young adult. As for Pitbulls, I love the breed because I've volunteered walking them before and I love the neighborhood Pits. I just don't know much about owning one I have to admit.

Then do alot of research about owning one and the pros and cons you may be faced with and how best to deal with it. Ask questions of your neighbors or others that have them, especially the hard questions of any problems or challenges they've had and how they've dealt with it. And one thing is for sure, if you get a pit or any dog and they make a mistake or defy the rules or whatever.........yes correct them firmly, but do not ever raise your hand to them, even if you are pissed off.

I agree with others about getting a pup is much easier than taking on an adult that may have a bad history, either from the dog or previous owners.......but the other side of that is encouraging breeding more dogs that will often end up in already overcrowded shelters. Getting a shelter dog does or can come with alot of unknowns, that may become a problem for you. I would suggest to volunteer at a shelter, spend time with them and find one that you 'click' with. Ask at the shelter if they know the dogs history, how the dog has behaved while there, any problems, what kinds of things the dog has reacted too, both positive and negatively, etc If you can, maybe get a senior dog that is too old to care about chasing prey anymore and proving itself and just wants to live out it's days being a lazy cuddlebug.

And btw, pits do have a strong prey drive that could be a potential problem with cats, if they see the cat as prey. It would depend alot on you and how you introduce them and behave around them both and it also depends on the particular dog and how it's wired. Every dog (every animal) has their own personality, quirks and behaviors, you just have to find the one that fits your situation.

There is alot to consider before ever getting a pet and even more to consider if that pet is a pit bull so do your research first and don't take just one or two sources, but as many as you can get so that you are well informed and realize that what works for one, or even a dozen......doesn't always work for you. Best of luck

 

[ChristisKing]

Then do alot of research about owning one and the pros and cons you may be faced with and how best to deal with it. Ask questions of your neighbors or others that have them, especially the hard questions of any problems or challenges they've had and how they've dealt with it. And one thing is for sure, if you get a pit or any dog and they make a mistake or defy the rules or whatever.........yes correct them firmly, but do not ever raise your hand to them, even if you are pissed off.

I agree with everything that you're saying especially this part. I would NEVER hit a dog or any animal unless I was defending myself or a loved one.

 

[toobfreak]

We have a yard just not a big one and no fence but plenty of people get out and walk their dogs even if they don't have either.

Still, unless the yard is just a tiny patch of grass, it probably would be a good idea to put a fence up so that you can at least let the dog outside to get air, a little activity, and to do his business so you don't have to walk him 2-3 times a day. Remember, whatever the weather, year-round, a dog like that will need let out, walked, exercized, and gone to the bathroom. Every day no matter how you feel, whatever the weather. You really want some yard you can let him out into.

Umm yeah that last picture is all cute and all (as are the others) but I'm pretty sure that that cat is well fed. I love birds too but I would never have a cat and a bird at the same time as they're predator and prey animals.

Yep, I thought the same thing. That kitty must be very well fed and had been around parakeets all its life in order to have any modicum of safety. I've had cats too and cats and birds just do not mix--- cats just kill birds even if they don't eat them.