Foster Not "Good With Cats". Opinions?

Hi

I've just fostered a standard bull terrier (had them all my life so their ways aren't strange to me!) from a nice breed rescue. I got her on the premise she'd be 'OK' with cats - I think as there were a couple of cats around rescue and she'd not been reactive towards them.... but now I'm regretting not asking to see her on lead faced with a cat.

We have a 16 year old 3 legged moggy. Needless to say, foster dog's prey drive kicked in big time the second she saw the cat (despite our attempt to do it textbook style). I have succesfully introduced a bullie who'd never seen a cat in her life (2 years in kennels) to a cat. But I don't think I can reverse this with this dog. The more I look at her (and she is adorable and sweet natured), but the more I see her - now rushing out in the garden to actively find cats, and the way she is on walks with birds, etc or figures in the distance... the more ingrained it looks.

The dog is 3. She is very friendly to our existing dog although the feeling isn't mutual. (Old dog usually spends day curled up with cat - at the moment the cat is hiding on my bed, or outside!) Our old dog is blind and so finding it all a bit scary but I think we could make that one work.

Foster dog is one they were really hoping I'd adopt. I was too but - at 3 and with this breed of dog, I am worried it's an ingrained behaviour I won't be able to reverse.

In other ways the foster is a gorgeous dog - beautiful temprement. She may have something not bull terrier in her genetics - she has the worst head and legs I've ever seen on a bullie! And this morning, I swear she was 'pointing' when she saw ducks on the pond!

She has a huge prey drive very noticeable now we have walked her a few times. And this doesn't look like benign 'cat chasing'. But like the 'I'll tear your head off if I catch you' cat chasing...

We love everything about her but not this and it seems a bit unfair on our other pets if neither can cope with her (one is in danger from her) She is a sweet thing but I really feel she should be rehomed with people with no small furries.

But before I call the rescue I want to have a few informed opinions. Is this reversible? Can I risk it? I should say she is 3 and can't even do a 'sit' or 'stay' so I would need a fair bit of time to do a bit of basic training and as some of you may know, bullies are a challenging breed for that!

I have already had some excellent advice on PM from someone who knows about cat behaviour.

But I'd love to know people's opinions. She loves being in the house (they think she was kept outdoors), and is clearly thrilled to be with people. She is not house-trained but that doesn't worry me too much as I think we can crack that one. She seems intelligent. Just extremely cat aggressive. My neighbour is a bit of a mad cat lady and she has about 7 cats - all of whom use my garden. As a child I had a bull terrier who used to kill cats. It was horrible.

She is a foster not an adoption and I always made that very clear to the kids - just in case. Thing is if I keep her too long and am trying to do the undoable - they will get too attached to her. But if I take her back I feel I've failed. On the other hand, my elderly dog is stressed out and the cat is scared for her life.

I should say there is NO dog-dog aggression - she wants to play. But she is much larger than our dog, and a bit enthusiastic. She is OK with other dogs. She is great with people.

I forgot to say but as a kid, my husband got a kitten for his birthday. On his birthday, the neighbour's Westie dived over the fence and tore his kitten to pieces in front of him. So cat unfriendly dogs are an emotive subject round here.

I feel like a failure for not being double sure the dog WAS cat friendly. I also feel like I've failed my existing pets as well as the foster - who is, apart from this, a sweetheart and was so thrilled to be 'in a house'. If she goes back she will be rehomed - they have a good turnover of people coming forward to rehome the dogs. I feel the rescue did their best and the rest of their assessment is proving to be really accurate. Just not the cat thing or not our cat.

What do you think I should do?

Hi, did the rescue not cat test her before you got her ? the rescue i foster for always cat test beforehand. Its not your fault that you didn't know she wasn't cat friendly its the rescues responsibility to assess before they send on to a foster home.

Im not an expert in training, i would have thought it would take a lot of training to reverse her reactions to be honest, i suppose it depends on how much work you are willing or have time to do with her.

I it were me i think i'd call the rescue and tell them she is definitely not cat friendly and maybe someone who doesn't have cats can foster her, as you say, its not fair on your elderly cat and she will get rehomed if you say the rescue has a good rehoming turnover. Best be honest about it now i think.

I think you should prob give your existing pets a break. Throw in the cat lady neighbour and the "Cat attack" sensitivity it's a big ask. Got to be more compatible dogs in equal need out there.

Head not heart talking. I've no experience in de-cat attacking.

hmmm well i would say it MAY be possible to reverse the prey drive, BUT i would not risk it with a dog that has to LIVE with them, you may get her to the point where she doesnt chase them when out, but its a really big ask for her to stop this behaviour and then be faced with the same challenge everyday.
I just wouldnt risk it, im afraid

Sorry don't know what to add to what's been said already really n have different situation here, no other pets or children. She came to me as a 'cat chaser' (three n half years ago at three yrs old, didn't know of it) but after following advice here in last few months and working on it things have improved (touch wood). It's a shame and difficult situation for you and hope things work out for everyone, wishing you all the best with whatever you decide(sorry not much help).

Thanks for the replies so far and keep them coming, anyone who has an insight!

Yep my worry is even if I worked on it - I have to think of my cat (and to some extent the old dog's) lives in the meanwhile.

Maybe fairer to give her back now before the kids get too attached or the cat gets hurt on the premise that at least we can say now nto to rehome to cat households

Sorry to hear this-you would think that the rescue would have tested her with cats first before saying she was ok?

I wouldn't risk it if I was you-I have 2 cat-hating terriers with high prey drives and I could not ever envisage them sharing a house amenably with a cat! I have had them 7 years and can walk them past houses with cats in the garden with a "watch me" command and a clicker but if the cat moved it would be a different matter and the thought of them sharing a home with a moggie breaks me out in a sweat!

Apologies if this seems negative-just trying to be realistic.

I think you have to think of your cat and other dog, if the cat is 16 old and only has 3 legs it wont have much of a chance. I also think the sooner you send her back the better, less chance for you to get attatched to her and her to you. I dont think you have failed I think the rescue should have informed you better.

Agree totally with above.

I asked a similar question elsewhere because my mum got a cat and I wondered if my high prey drive doggy would ever be able to get along well enough to visit and have an overnight stay. General consensus was that it could be worked on if the cat/dog situation was full time, but as visitors it wouldn't be consistant enough and probably wouldn't work. So it could possible work in your case but it's whether you have the energy/ability to get through it not working at the moment and whether you think it's fair on all the pets involved.