mum to be - cat and schnauzer!

I have a burma cat that I dont want terrorising - will a new yr old shnauzer accept living with him?? Or am i being over optimistic, had both before but the old cat was a proper cat not a house cat. Any tips how to deal with this from day one I so would love another giant???

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Apr 20, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Schnauzer living with cat
by: Anonymous

I have a Standard Schnauzer and when we brought him into our house as a puppy he was very very interested in our cat. We tried everything that was recommended but he was obsessed by her. She eventually stayed on top of the kitchen cupboards, which is where she used to like to go anyway, but it drove my Schnauzer insane. Everytime he saw the slightest movement he would be there watching her. I am sure that with the right training, some Schnauzers would be ok with cats but mine was absolutely obsessive about her. It was a full scale, military operation when she came down to go out in the garden so personally, I would not recommend it. It is just not worth the hassle (that said, I have a friend who introduced three kittens onto her 7 year old Schnauzer and she never had any problems at all !) I think it was because my cat was already there, rather than introducing the cat after the Schnauzer. Just think carefully before doing it.
Mar 06, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Can a giant schnauzer live with a cat?
by: Anonymous

Can a Giant Schnauzer and a cat who don't know each other live together in peace? Well, yes, providing certain conditions apply and care is taken during introductions.

The cats primary defence against larger predators is flight.
Dogs are preprogrammed by their ancestry to chase smaller creatures and have fun doing so. For all that, dogs and cats are both social animals and as such, will often accept members of other species into their worlds, particularly if they have been socialised with them from a young age; after all, humans are a different species!

If a cat has been brought up with a dog, it is less likely to be fearful of them. Dogs that have been brought up with cats will be familiar with them, and less likely to chase or worry them.

Introducing a new dog to the home if you have cats, or a new cat to the home if you have a dog, can be problematic. However, it is not impossible, providing you have the right combination of dog and cat. The personalities of each are important.

Gentle, sweet-natured, or lazy dogs are more likely to be good with cats than strong-willed, active, alert dogs. Strong-willed cats that stand their ground and hiss and spit are more likely to cope with a new dog, than timid ones.

Once you have decided on your new arrival, introductions and early encounters are very important, and can make the difference between success and failure.
In fact, expect to supervise ALL encounters during the first three months, or until the cat or dog is fully integrated into your household.

Unfortunately, you cannot expect them to make friends overnight, and allowing the dog too much freedom in the early stages can lead to the cat becoming too frightened to ever trust the dog again, as well as the dog learning how much fun it is to chase the cat.

Wait until the dog is showing no interest at all in the cat, before allowing it more freedom and, even then, leave a lead attached in case you need to stop it in a hurry! Block up the cat flap for a while and provide litter trays in appropriate places. Failure to do this could result in the cat leaving home permanently.


Initially, it may be wise to give each its own territory. Perhaps the cat could live upstairs while the dog lives on the ground floor. Cats that know they can get out of danger if necessary, are more likely to venture down to meet the new arrival, than those who feel constantly threatened. Also feed the cat away from the dog.

Do not force them together, let them move at their own speed - which will probably be very slowly!

You will need time and patience if these two are to become friends. It probably will happen, but until you are absolutely sure, do not leave them alone together.

J. Kovak



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