Cats and Dogs

Okay so here is the confusing thing...

Bella chases the cats (we are working on it...its a long progress!)

However today I left for work, and it was really raining, and with two wet moggies meowing at me through the patio doors...I thought "Oh I'll just let them in!"

Bella has the run of downstairs, but as our stairs are in the living room, we block it off so the cats can scamper upstairs as and when.

I come home on lunch, only to find Bella asleep on the tub chair (its her spot!) with the cat on the couch!

So WHY oh whyyyy does she chase the cats while we are there, but obviously doesn't 'need' too, because they were both asleep in the living room together!? Makes no sense to me.....

Funny! Maybe it is all the extra attention she gets from you...

Maybe dog was asleep when the cat came in...what happened when they both woke up...

Collie here hates cats and there is no way to get around thatat her age so we practice avoidance. A near miss sometimes. Wee dog grew up with the cats but still is unsure and they with her. Once in the very cold winter, wee dog was found and photographed sleeping on the same chair as my huge boy cat.. not quite touching..

Maybe it's just a game to her?

It's early days here with my lot, Henry is now used to the kittens and they him, they will lay next to him and he will let them kiss all around him, he does the same to them.

However, if they think I am doing their food, or something else makes them get up quickly, Henry will chase them around. I'm not sure if it's him playing or them as they will scarper but then stop dead and it's all kissy kissy again.

I just hope they grow out of it

That is dogs for you I am afraid! they are tempted by the chase first and foremost. That is why they will ignore the cat when it is ignoring them. But when the cat moves they often can't resist.

My girls are both terrible cat chasers but snuggle up next to our dog-friendly cat on the sofa.

My dog Chloe chases the cats which come in the garden, she runs they run .

However, when we go to my son's house his two dog friendly cats just sit and stare at Chloe, I think she is a bit shocked they don't run away .

So I think it is related to how strong a dog's prey drive is and the reaction /behaviour of the cats towards the dogs at any particular time.

We thought it was for our attention too. So we tried the 'let it play out' method and Bella has had so many scratches on her nose and ears....nothing stops her!
Running out of options, drives me crazy!!
She is a very playful dog still, so hoping she does grow out of it.....fingers crossed!!

And thanks people x

I have 4 cats who regularly sleep with my dogs, but any cat in the garden the dogs will chase...

Do the cats not avoid..
One of mine has been known to tease collie... stands near then as soon as collie runs, up a tree..I am aware that if ever collie caught cat there would be blood shed. Not sure whose.

But what happened when the dog woke up that time.(question mark not working)

I'm lucky my cats were used to dogs being around every now and then so they knew how to handle themselves when our big new bundle of fur joined our family, and with that she was quick to learn that the cats had a respected place within our "pack."
But, as others have said, when she sees them run, either in the house or outside, then she's still likely to chase. Thankfully though our current cat knows to just stop running. Once stopped the pooch just stands there, not sure what's happening, or starts play-bowing, which makes us inclined to agree that it is more of a game to her.

I have had cats in the past which have been secret stirrers with dogs though. Our old tom cat used to walk under my sister-in-law's black lab, tail in the air and tickle her belly, but when she danced about all excited to play, he would give her nose a quick tap to calm her down. He'd later be found relaxing on a mat happily letting the dog lick out his ears!
I think my sister-in-law did a great deal of training with her dog though, with a lot of indoor on-leash activities with cats around, rewarding and praising good, calm behaviour and not letting her dog off leash indoors around cats until she was confident that her dog would not approach the cats in an excited manner.