Malinois with a cat?

C
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Hi,

I'm thinking about getting a Malinois but I already have a one-year-old cat. Is this going to be a problem?

Thanks for your help :)

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9 answers
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    • C
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    Sky, Thanks, I’ll do that :) I hope everything goes well ^^ Do you think it’s possible my cat will play with the puppy? ^^ Thanks for everything in any case :)
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    Sky
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    He's just a puppy, so there’s a good chance he’ll be a bit boisterous at first, even if it’s only play; but as he grows up, things should settle down once he’s figured out how the cat works and the cat realises he doesn't mean any harm (especially since if the cat gets annoyed, they’ll probably make it very clear! :p).

    There are bound to be people on here with loads of tried and tested advice (and probably more thorough than mine, as I don't have a cat myself besides the neighbours' ones :p), so if you follow their lead you should get there, especially with plenty of consistency, patience, and gentleness :)

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    C
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    Hi Lumaziis,

    Thanks for your reply :)

    It’s lovely to see that it can go well :)

    How did you go about introducing them? Was the dog kept on a lead? And were the cats free to do as they pleased?

    So, did you have to tell the dog off every time he was a bit rough with them? I’m asking loads of questions because this is going to be our first dog and I really want everything to go smoothly :)

    My cat is a tiny little thing; she had lots of health problems when she was a kitten, so she’s still quite "fragile".

    She likes playing, but sometimes she just wants a bit of peace and quiet – will the dog respect that? lol^^

    I’d love for everything to go as well for us as it has for you :)

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    C
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    Hi Lo2505, Thanks for your reply :) I hope it’s going well. Otherwise, we could hold the dog and the cat so they can have a "sniff" of each other; that way, if there’s any sign of an "attack", we can separate them quickly. I’ve also read that a dog can get on perfectly well with a cat inside the house, but it’s total war once they’re out in the garden – how do you handle that?? My cat is a year old – do you think that might be less complicated than with a kitten?
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    L
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    I live with four cats and a Malinois, and everything is going brilliantly.

    My Malinois arrived when he was 5 months old. He’d never seen a cat before, so we introduced him to the four cats in the house (aged 9, 6, 5 and 7 months), starting with the grumpiest one, our 5-year-old Maine Coon. She wasn't happy about it at all, but since the Mali was young, he didn't react.

    We did the introductions while keeping the dog on a lead to stop him from rushing at the cats. We then made sure he was always supervised, keeping him with us whenever he was in the same room as them.

    We told him off when he was being too boisterous with them, and he eventually realised they were his companions. Nowadays, it’s all going very well; they play and sleep together. The Maine Coon still has a go at him, but he doesn't react and usually keeps his distance from her.

    As a precaution, they’re never left in the same room when they're home alone, but when we’re around, everyone gets on great!

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    I've got a Malinois and a cat (not mine, but part of the family). They spend time together; my Mali absolutely loves playing with him, but the kitten isn't quite as keen. It’s likely to be more of a struggle for the cat than for the dog. To introduce them, there’s nothing special to do really, other than not forcing the contact—otherwise, you might end up with a few scratches. Just let them get on with it while keeping a close eye on things. And if your cat scratches your dog, make sure to watch the wound. Cat scratches and bites get infected very quickly and easily. :) Otherwise, they can usually live together without any issues! :)
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    C
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    Hi there, Thanks for your reply :) She’s never lived with a dog before, but the neighbours have dogs, so whenever she’s in their garden and the dog barks, she just heads off. How should I go about introducing her to the puppy? Are there any particular methods? I really hope it goes well. Do you have a Malinois and a cat too?
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    Sky
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    Hi, I don't think it’ll be a problem. It depends on the cat's age (at one year old she's still young, so it seems perfectly doable to me), her relationship with dogs, and how she’s introduced to the puppy. You want to make sure he doesn't see her as a toy or some kind of scary beast, basically so he doesn't end up chasing her or being too afraid of her...
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    C
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    Just to clarify, the Belgian Malinois (female) will be a puppy once she’s been weaned.

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