<font color=009900>Well, as many of you know we lost our dog last week. It's been a tough week, but my wife did say last night that she would like another dog. What I would like to do is get a young dog and a cat at the same time. I'm hoping they will bond and be able to keep each other company when we're not home. </font>

<font color=CC0033>I was hoping to get some of your thoughts and experiences with this sort of thing. I am absolutely not going to buy an animal since there are way too many looking for a home for free. </font>

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Well, I have a dog and six cats and my mom has a dog and three cats, so I know they can get along, LOL.

My suggestion...a golden retriever mix and a tabby cat. Both have very loving personalities (my tiger cat is loving on me as I type this ;) ) and are good with people, children and other animals.

Check the rescues as well as call 'round your local vets.

I know *my* vet has a plethora of "free cat/dog to good home" posters and this way, even if you aren't getting a kitten/puppy, you can get a pet already housebroken and spayed/neutered with shots.

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OH! And if you are getting a puppy/kitten combo, make sure you do the "dominance test". You gently try to roll the animal onto its back and hold it there a couple of minutes. If it *won't* let you put it on its back, it may be too aggressive/dominant and might not get along as well as a more submissive pet.

Also, personally, I'd suggest a female dog and a male cat. I've just found the temperments of female dogs are preferable (and they don't have to pee on every blade of grass and hike their legs to your favorite bushes in the yard ;) ) and that male cats are "calmer" once fixed than females. They are a bit more laid back. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 12-21-2004, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: Lady Sedai ]

Yeah, I've been checking the SPCA site for local pets, but I really want a dog, no bigger than Sasha was. The cat I'm not too concerned about, since they're all about the same size and it's a matter of luck as to the type of personality you get.

Well if that's Sasha in the picture (and a very pretty dog it is [img]smile.gif[/img] Just sorry she's missing.) she looks to be a golden/beagle mix. So you could still look for the beagle mixes or even bassett mixes. Heck, my Jojo is right at 30 pounds and comes to just under my knee and she's a cocker/beagle mix.

But as to cats...trust me on this...after having more than a dozen cats in my life, it's not a toss-up what kind of personality the cat is going to have. There are *some* breed indications. Some are more fiesty, some more laid back. [img]smile.gif[/img] Tabby cats and black-and-white domestic shorthairs are more laid back when grown (and fixed), long-haired cats are divas and attention seekers, but very loving, etc. [img]smile.gif[/img] I've had all kinds and every one is different. Plus, it depends on what's happened in their life before you got them, too. If you get one from a kitten and are gentle and loving with it, it's more likely to be a lapcat. If you play "rough" with it, it's more likely to bite (even if not in a mean way, it still hurts).

Just some info from my years raising/training domestic animals. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Oh...and check out my edit to my first post if you haven't seen it yet. ;)

It's not necessarily the luck of the draw with a kitty, either. [img]smile.gif[/img] One thing you can do is be sure the cat is alert and notices you as you come up to the cage. If it is climbing the cage and crying and reaching out at you it is likely a more agressive purrrsonality or one that is likely to prefer being an only cat (though most get on fine with a dog). My first cat was like this and he was a joy to have but he did NOT get along with other cats and I had to keep him separate from them most of the time. This kind of kitty often does best in a single cat or cat/dog home where the people have plenty of time to pet/pay attention to him. If you want a feisty kitty, be sure you don't have a super agressive/alpha type puppy.

If the kitten/cat stays far back in the cage or is trying to hide it may be sick or a very skittish kitty who isn't likely to want a busy or noisy household nor, perhaps a very hyper puppy for a playmate, but would love a nice quiet home with one or two adults.

If he/she is neither way back nor climbing the front of the cage but is bright eyed, curious and alert and watching what you do, you may find that one to be middle of the road type. My current kitties are middle of the road types but one was scared as a kitten (while being boarded) and she's now wary of strangers but most loving and sweet with her people.

I've never had a dog and cat combo but several relatives have done so over the years and very successfully. Starting them out as kitten/puppy is a good idea. [img]smile.gif[/img] Be sure the kitten has places to go that the puppy can't reach (such as a tall scratching post/kitty furniture) in case she/he is feeling like a nap away from the pup.

I hope you find your perfect pair, Variol!

edit: Lady Sedai, I have to say that the description of longhaired cats you gave is far FAR from my experience! Not all long hairs will be 'diva's...well and also I've known a few ornery black and whites and tabbies! LOL For the most part, I've found the orange and black/grey tabbies to be fairly easy going but as they are not 'purebred' they have different genetic/personality makeups just like most people. [img]smile.gif[/img]

As for long hairs... according to my vet they do tend to be more mellow than short hair domestics and I did find that to be the case with my Shu kitty. But he was far from a 'diva'! LOL He was the sweetest, most adorable kitty you could imagine and even though the other cats picked on him (I had my aggressive kitty at the time) he was always wonderful and sweet with me and he never 'demanded attention', but often sat nearby when I was in the living room or kitchen and only very late in life did he become a 'lapcat'. [img]smile.gif[/img] But I loved it!

[ 12-21-2004, 08:52 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

Oh, and Variol, GOOD FOR YOU! Choosing to get your new pets from a shelter instead of purchasing them!!!! There are so many who needs homes, as you said, and you'll be doing your part to help out. [img]smile.gif[/img]

As Lady Sedai said, a female dog and male cat works well. My aunt has that combo, and got them both young (a short-hair orange stray and a black lab). The cat is a bit older than the dog - it was bigger than the dog when she got the puppy.

They are fast friends; I've seen them sleeping together in a heap, and the cat is SO not afraid of the dog. :D

Wow, awesome input everybody! We really would like another female dog and I didn't really care about the type of cat, but it's certainly something to consider.
Sasha is an American Eskimo and Spaniel mix.
The main thing is that they're for each other, so I need them to get along.
I'm having a tough time finding a small dog like her. Everybody seems to be getting rid of their big dog and I don't want to make that mistake.
The more advice the better. :D

I have a golden retriever and a black Labrador retriever, both males, both excellent family dogs. The black Lab is big buddies with our cat and they play all of the time, but they grew up together. I really think that is the key. The Golden, who is a rescue, BTW, pretends that the cat doesn't exist.

I grew up with tons of cats, my mom kept a good 20 to 30 at some point, some only inside cats, some only outside cats.

Dogs and cats can get along, and getting them both at a young age does help. Also the breed of cat or dog makes a difference. While no dog or cat are the same, I actually would hesitate having a tabby cat with a dog. Not to say it can't be a match made from heaven, but just saying that tabby cats are more active, and seem to have bigger, stonger personalities than other types of cats. Now said personality may be a sweet loving one, or it may be a rowdy scratching attacking one, you just never know with tabby cats. I personally love them, but whenever I get one I accept the gambling aspect of it LOL. [img]smile.gif[/img]