Newish dog, older cat may be a problem

[Larksmom]

OK, I have previously detailed the loss of Trooper, a dog that took me a long time to find. I had strict guidelines, MUST be good with cats. Period. Well, I started looking, and amazingly found a dog very soon… I got him. He was very cowed, and quiet. Very good with the cats, totally ignored them. seemed like a good dog. Well, after 6 weeks or so, he has relaxed a bit, and now, sometimes follows the cats around the house. I have noticed on more than one occasion Bug trotting into the living room, with Sam following closely. Sam shows no aggression, but it makes me wonder.

Now the possible problem. My favorite cat, and yes, I do have a favorite, will sometimes disappear for a day or two. I am quite sure he goes to the next street over, I see him go thru the back yard to the east. He just last week disappeared for 4 days. He has never been gone that long and I was a bit worried. I know he is being fed by someone, so I posted on FB asking for people to keep an eye out and not to feed him. He is obviously not a stray or feral. Yesterday he came home for about 1/2 hour and disappeared again. He turned up again this morning, and I closed the doggie door so he couldn’t leave. I fed the menangrie, and later, whe I went to the bathroom, I noticed he was sleeping in there. He had started doing that about the time I got this new dog. Could he be afraid of the dog? Is the dog threatening him? What can I do about this? Dickens is very chill and generally not worried about dogs.

[dressagetraks]

If he just started doing this about the time the new dog came, he may just have a longer adjustment period to change than the other cats. Some cats do. Rascal, when abruptly confronted with two legitimately acquired and four dumped kittens, took one look, gave us a “you’ve got to be kidding” look, and headed out Cat Lady’s door. She wasn’t seen for about six weeks. The more independent type often do have a longer adjustment period to household changes.

For now, I’d just give the cat some more time but keep a very close eye on the dog. If you ever see any hint of aggression from the dog, of course, my advice would change.

[Larksmom]

yeah, I have had Dickens the longest of any of the ones I have now. He is senior pet in the house. The day I brought Sam home, when I opened the back gate, Bug was there. He puffed up all over immediately. BUT he followed us. walking around the yard. He sniffed Sam up and down, and let Sam sniff him too. Bug has always been more accomodating with the dogs. When Dickens first saw him he just slunk away. Sam seems bigger than Trooper or Toffee but the weight is in line with them,(51 lbs.) He looks much bigger. He also barks a bit more. He is barky about noise in front of the house, and he has a big bark.

[Zevida]

It could be because of the dog. When I was growing up and we had to take in my grandpa’s cat, one of our cats started doing disappearing down the street to the neighbors.

But it could also be something else, because hiding and sleeping in an unusual place could be a symptom of a health issue. I think it’s smart to keep him inside and keep a close watch for a while.

[Larksmom]

That was my first thought. His coat wasn’t quite as soft as usual. But the bathroom is on the other side of the cat/laundy room, and dog is forbidden from going there. when he came out, he gave the stink eye to the dog, so that reenforces my thought of the dog being the item of distrust.

[candyappy]

It may just take time. We had our cat first. He did real good with our 2 dogs. A 6 month old stray dog showed up one day and we liked him so much that we decided to keep him.

Our cat disappeared for several months after he arrived. I happened to see him in the field that borders our house after hay was cut. I brought him home and he looked amazingly good ( i had left kibble out)

I explained to the dog that Bub was here first and if they couldn’t get along he was history.

I know it wasn’t the talk but after that they did fine together. I think it just took time and as long as your cat has his own space he will be fine. I would worry about his wandering at this time though. My cat was gone for a long time and he was around but we didn’t know it.

[Larksmom]

well, he came home for a day, and hid from the dog. When he came out, he gave him the stink eye. Then he has disappeared again. I know he isnt lost. But that almost makes it worse. He is choosing somewhere else to be. Of course he is my favorite and a darling cat.

[Rackonteur]

@Larksmom

Of course he is my favorite and a darling cat.

Really? Then get rid of the dog. Either this cat is your favorite or he isn’t. If he is, think about his happiness instead of imprisoning him in your home with this interloper or letting him out to be killed perhaps in a very unpleasant way.
Poor Dickens. I would love to offer him a home with us but I have promised my cat “No more animals” because she very obviously hates having other animals around.

[Weezer]

If there’s no risk to the cat’s safety, maybe keep him in the house for a week or two to get him used to the dog and break the habit of him being fed elsewhere. Can you set up a gate or something to allow Dickens to have space that the dog can’t get to? Some one-on-one love in a no-dog zone might help him feel more at ease. It may not be that he’s afraid, but that in his old age, Dickens just doesn’t feel like dealing with a new dog.

[FrittSkritt]

Also might be worth putting an airtag on Kitty, so you have some reassurance in knowing where he is when he takes off for days at a time.

[Larksmom]

Weezer, and Frittskritt, he left again last week. I kept him in for 24 hours, then he left again. He has been gone for a week now. I am devestated. I tried a collar and it ended up in his mouth, I was afraid he would break his jaw so I took it off. I see all these cats on Cheezburger that just show up at homes that are not their own. This is the first time it has happened to me.If he does come back, I will close the doggie door, and figure out something for a collar for him but in the meantime… and the dog has been here about two months by now, and he is staying. I do not know that is even the reason he left. It is the most logical but who knows? Maybe they feed him tuna twice a day.

[Weezer]

I am so sorry to hear that he’s been gone for so long. Hopefully he is taking up residence on someone else’s sofa. I once knew a barn cat that had been missing for several weeks. The barn owner put up signs in the local subdivisions and eventually someone called to say the cat had moved in and was sleeping on their daughter’s bed. In this case, the cat was allowed to stay in its new home.

[dressagetraks]

Hopefully he will still return.

I once had a barn cat named Ruth who was gone for weeks and weeks. I had figured something must have happened to her when one day, here she came, meowing on the move as was her wont, telling me all about her adventures during her absence. I wish I had been able to understand her; she had quite a story.

[Larksmom]

I had one disappear for 2 weeks once. But because he has been gone for a night or two for about a year, I feel as if he is really gone.