Rocky in Prey Drive or just having fun?

Cheetah the cat is getting a bit more confident and now ventures downstairs, and when Rocky is in the garden she goes right up to the back door, only thing is Rocky can come in suddenly and she does a runner! Guess what Rocky does? He runs after her!! (no barking just running) Luckily I have caught him each time - but I'm not sure whether hes running after her to play with her or his prey drive has kicked in and he wants to eat her!!!?

Hes always wagging his tale when he sees her tho! What do u guys rekon?

Both in prey drive and having fun, but I'm not really qualified to answer and I'm not absolutely certain. I've read that when a dog chases, that's prey drive. Sounds funny to watch,but must drive you crazy

Bit of both, but I wouldn't rely on the fun side outweighing the prey instinct! My dogs always wag when they spot a rabbit, but I know what they would do if they caught one.

Star will chase our cat if he runs, but will also chase the kids if they run. If a cat chases Star she runs.

She has caught the cat a few times but just puts her paw on him to pin him down and lick him

Azz

Chester is exactly the same with our cat Archie... i wouldn't worry too much Cheetah will soon sort out Rocky.

Its just playtime but the cats don't see it as that

Azz I would have to say that is prey drive. I think Presa's have a strong prey drive as do C.C.'s. This happened to me with Zoi and my cats and I put a stop to it A.S.A.P. Its starts off as play but never let your dog chase the cat, the cat must have status above the dog or the cats could get hurt at some point.

Thanks for the help guys.

Only thing is Cheetah is being too nice! She now let's Rocky get nose to nose with her but shes never swiped at him, but I wish she would just once so Rocky knows those claws are lethal! But she just growls and hisses and makes a 'calm' retreat when shes had enough.

Hi Azz

I don't know that much aboout Rocky's breed, but Luna and Bella (GSD) both chase the cats, but not to harm them. When or if they catch up, they want to play.

My kitten - who I gave up for adoption, took a swing at them when the dogs got to much. Actually I was more worried aboout the dogs than the cat

Of course they were/are not allowed to chase the cat, and I stop it everytime. They can sniff at eachother, but if the cat wants to leave the dogs are not to follow.

Luna is very good at this now. Bella is still pretty flimsy - and jumps up every time the cat moves, so I'm trying very hard to control it and teach her that this is not acceptable.

To me it sounds like they are getting use to eachother. Its a fine line, because if you keep Rocky back to much they may never be able to settle down together - but I'm no expert.

Good luck

Jeanette

Hmm.. I would not recommend letting him find out what claws do, tends to make dominant dogs want to fight back. You may be OK with Rocky, but Lia would kill the cat. On the whole she is fine with them, in fact she ignores them if they walk past, but if they run so does she, or at least she used to. The only time the cat ever bashed her, she was 4 months and went into a rage, if I hadn't been right next to her and able to pick the cat up, she'd have either done serious damage or worse.

This doesn't mean they can't learn to co-exist, and even get along well, it just means you need to be careful, and try not to let the cat feel so threatened she has to use her claws; it may make Rocky more respectful, or it may make him want to fight back, I don't think it is worth finding out which.

Hi Lizzy

Well I learned something today. I didn't think they would attack like that!!!

But then again as I wrote I don't know much about the Presa and have a labrador myself She's a big softie.

Here is a picture of Luna and Oskar. I don't know if you can see it, as they blend in eachother, but he is lying over her back and biting her:



And this is how they also looked sometimes:



Jeanette