Advice needed picking cat to get along with dog

As the doggy favouring half of a quintessential dog person/cat person
relationship, I have given in to my cat loving husband and will be
getting a kitty soon. I was wondering if anyone has any tips for
picking a dog-friendly cat. I could get a kitten, but I would prefer an
adult cat, as they are the ones who need the homes around here. (The
local shelter says they have no problem adopting out kittens,) What
should I look for? What should I look out for?

My dog is a large 2-yr-old lab mix, very gentle and quite shy. He has
been is close contact with cats, and seems scared of them. He has
chased a few when he saw them at a distance, but backed off if they
didn't run away. I am not too worried about the initial fear thing, as
he was the same way in close contact with snowmen, garbage bags,
blowing leaves, babies, shiny dishes, the vacuum, my husband, etc. He
is fine with something as long as he has had a chance to investigate
and get used to it. Vet says this is the difference between a fearful
personality and a cautious one.

I want to try to get a good dog/cat mix. My childhood dog, a 70 lb
collie mix, spent years terrified of my stepmom's tiny tabby cat. He
wouldn't even come in the room if the kitty was there, and the cat,
although otherwise sweet and benign, delighted in chasing him or
sneaking up and clawing his nose. They managed to stake out territory
in a largish house, but in our situation the cat and dog will be in
pretty close contact.

I have friends that have cats and dogs that love each other and others
not. It seems to be the luck of the draw. We'll live with whatever the
cat turns out to be like, but both cat and dog will be happier if they
get along. So, any advice on minimizing potential conflict and on
picking the right cat for our household?

wrote:
As the doggy favouring half of a quintessential dog person/cat person
relationship, I have given in to my cat loving husband and will be
getting a kitty soon. I was wondering if anyone has any tips for
picking a dog-friendly cat. I could get a kitten, but I would prefer an
adult cat, as they are the ones who need the homes around here. (The
local shelter says they have no problem adopting out kittens,) What
should I look for? What should I look out for?

My dog is a large 2-yr-old lab mix, very gentle and quite shy. He has
been is close contact with cats, and seems scared of them. He has
chased a few when he saw them at a distance, but backed off if they
didn't run away. I am not too worried about the initial fear thing, as
he was the same way in close contact with snowmen, garbage bags,
blowing leaves, babies, shiny dishes, the vacuum, my husband, etc. He
is fine with something as long as he has had a chance to investigate
and get used to it. Vet says this is the difference between a fearful
personality and a cautious one.

I want to try to get a good dog/cat mix. My childhood dog, a 70 lb
collie mix, spent years terrified of my stepmom's tiny tabby cat. He
wouldn't even come in the room if the kitty was there, and the cat,
although otherwise sweet and benign, delighted in chasing him or
sneaking up and clawing his nose. They managed to stake out territory
in a largish house, but in our situation the cat and dog will be in
pretty close contact.

I have friends that have cats and dogs that love each other and others
not. It seems to be the luck of the draw. We'll live with whatever the
cat turns out to be like, but both cat and dog will be happier if they
get along. So, any advice on minimizing potential conflict and on
picking the right cat for our household?

firstly investigate how to introduce the 2 slowly and gradually, lots
of info on this sort fo thing in your average cat care book (or mayeb
some kind soul out there will send you some or a link to info). This
will allow doggy to investigate the puss first , sniff him/her and they
cab check each other out from a safe distanceand with you to control
the situation and separaet them if things get fraught.

secondly, ask at the shelter for any cats who are used to dogs or have
lived with them

thirdly, (and this is just my personal opinion) i think the older the
cat the more laid back they will be and less likely to pick a fight
with the dog. i am sure someone out there will argue against this and
say "my cat savaged a rottweiler when she was 19 years old and
practically dead" but your average older puss just wants a quiet life
and someone to sleep and is less liekly (in my view) to create
unnecessary aggro. Also the really old pusses (10 years +) need new
homes the most adn are the most grateful, so even though puss may not
live for more than another 6 or 7 years it would be a good intro to
sharing a home with a cat for your dog and give him confidence with
other animals

thats just my 2 pennies worth

Bookie

ps don't get a tortoiseshell or a calico, as you yanks put it, they are
deranged, it is 1.30 in the morning here and I am up and waving about a
fuzzy purple worm on a stick for jessie who wants to play RIGHT NOW and
is in the mood to seek out and destroy anything onthe floor (socks,
hats, tissue paper). Jessie is a 16 year old calico and still mad as a
box of frogs, i think most torties are the same.

snip
ps don't get a tortoiseshell or a calico, as you yanks put it...

YANKS!!?? grumbles as she pins a maple leaf on her shirt