Ray has always displayed a really (REALLY) strong aversion to cats!
In his early days with us, we noticed this trait. It was not that he seemed uncertain about them, but more that he was actually threatened by them. His reaction typically would be an aggressive charge accompanied with some loud barking which was his standard procedure for making things go away.
If he had the experience of cats that I have had, he would have known that many cats have a worse attitude than he does. They would likely sit and watch this oncoming dog and, at the very last moment, whip a set of claws across his nose before taking off very fast. Cats will often confront a much larger animal regardless of the potential outcome (they have confronted me!).
It would be my guess that somewhere in his history, there was an altercation with a cat… and he still remembers it!
His aversion to cats goes beyond trying to threaten them whenever their paths cross. He even goes looking for them! Around here they will often sit in the middle of their home’s driveway, or they will relax under a car. Ray knows this and, if he sees vehicles in a driveway and knows that there is cat around somewhere, he will put his head down low enough so that he can see under the parked vehicles. I shudder at the thought of what would happen if Ray was not on his leash!
Our vet (more precisely Ray’s vet!) has a cat who seems to run the office there. It is usually curled up in a basket on the reception counter, and seems to be very congenial and happy supervising the business from there. One problem with that arrangement is that Ray can reach up higher than the reception counter, which he did on one occasion and generally caused a stir as the “office supervisor” took flight (literally). There have been other occasions when the cat has decided to change locations upon Ray’s arrival, but they are now ready for him.
We recently took Ray for a “happy visit” to the vets as he is due for his annual check up very soon. As soon as he entered, one of the receptionists grabbed their cat and took it to another room! I have mixed feelings as to whether to be amused or embarrassed by this new office protocol caused by Ray.
“Leave it!” has been very effective when getting Ray to ignore edible objects found on the ground and, to a lesser degree, with leaving squirrels alone. We are going to try and expand “leave it!” to include cats! The problem, as with anything Ray related, is getting the timing right. The challenge is seeing the potential problem and issuing “leave it!” before he has started on his agenda. A piece of hamburger in the grass can often be seen well in advance of reaching it and, more importantly, it does not move. Squirrels are tricky because they can hide from us behind tree trunks, but Ray knows they are around. By the time we see it, Ray has the leash under extreme tension as he tries to chase and, once he is focused on a squirrel, no amount of “leave it!” will generally have any impact.
Given that he seems to feel much more strongly about cats than he does squirrels, it is difficult to be too optimistic about “leave it!” the next time he sees a cat but, currently, that’s the only weapon in our arsenal! Time will tell!
Our two dogs (and our previous adopted dog) grew up with cat companions but are still very wary of the lethal claw swipe to the nose! They enjoy being around our two cats but are very keen on chasing any strange cat which tries to enter their backyard. I’m glad the vet nurses made their move first with Ray 😉
PS many vets here in Melbourne have office cats – it somehow seems to work but I imagine the vet nurses are on the ball 🙂
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Hi Carolyn. I can well imagine that Ray is just one of a number of “customers” for whom they would have to prepare. One can only assume that the pros of having an office cat outweigh the cons! 🙂
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Had to laugh at the scene in my mind at seeing the receptionist take flight with the cat! GL at teaching Ray to “leave it” with cats! Maybe you all need to get a cat and you could train him that way. I know a lot of dogs and cats that have learned to be friends 🙂 or at least tolerate each other.
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We know our limits! No additional dog, and no cat for the immediate future! 🙂
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How strange a vet’s office has a free-wheeling pet of any kind to add to the mix of what can be an already unpleasant situation.Good luck with the timing thing which will be even more critical when Ray encounters cats.
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It will be interesting for sure! As for the “office cat”? It is so well behaved and out of reach of most of the “customers”, and we often see people petting it so I guess it serves a purpose… unless you own a Ray! 🙂
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Oh this was funny, visions of cats being held aloft for their safety.
My parents dog of many years ago hated cats, and would chase one at every opportunity. That was until one rather fat furbomb stood her ground and hissed at him. The dog could not stop as he was at full speed, so decided to put on the anchors and sat down, taking a considerable amount of fur off his hind quarters. The cat simply glared at him then, stuck her tail high in the air and sauntered off. He never chased her again, and instead crossed over to avoid her!
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If Ray was ever allowed off-leash, I can well imagine that would be his ultimate experience. Total humiliation (or he would kill it)!
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Maggie and the rabbits have an agreement now: they don’t run away, and she won’t chase them. (They know she could chase them and why she doesn’t. She knows they know and that she’s too old to catch them!)
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Ray and rabbits? Hmmmmm! I think that we’ll have to wait for him to age a little before he lets them share his territory (or any other territory)! 🙂
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Amy here. Rotties were bred to kill large wild cats. It is still part of their makeup. Have you ever seen a Rottie drag a 110 pound tech across the treatment area of a vet clinic and kill the clinic cat? I have. Please be glad the employees there have the sense to relocate the object of Ray’s focus.
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We have always thought that while his body is predominantly Shepherd, his personality seemed more Rotti! Your comment just supports that. Thx Amy.
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haha I enjoyed reading this. My dog LM has the same sort of attitude towards cats as Ray does, and can see them even when they are stock still hiding in shadow.
At the vets however, she behaves; thankfully. It’s like there is a truce – even though there are several Vet’s cats wandering around on the counter.
I just assume it is the hunting instinct; certainly in LM.
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The vet visits are a little “sensitive” but there’s not much we can currently do. Removing the cause of the problem (CAT!) seems quite logical! 🙂
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