My cat, Icky, is about 3~4 years old. The dog, LeeLee (a blue heeler) is just a month over a year old. I have another cat, Bagheera, who is 6~7.
Ever since my parents got the dog, things have been extremely difficult. I have tried my best, but she is one of the worst dogs I've ever known and I'm not too fond of her. She's getting better, but she still has quite a way to go.
Whenever the cats entered her field of view, LeeLee would dart over and tackle them. She thinks they're toys. Despite trying to discipline her myself, nothing ever stuck because my parents refused to do anything other than yell and smack her, which only made her think this was a game. We have a kennel, and they refuse to use it.
This continued into when she was full grown-- and overweight-- at 45 lbs (55 lbs now). Icky could be no more than 10 lbs and is probably even less. Bagheera is probably 13 lbs. LeeLee especially loves chasing after Icky and always throws her paw on him so he can't escape. Whenever she sees him, she shoots after him all the way up to my room. We had to start keeping the cats confined to my room, all their essentials in my sunroom. But my mom started complaining that my room smelled like cat piss (I didn't smell anything) and forced me to move the litterboxes to the basement.
To make sure the cats had a safe place to retreat (and to protect my room cause my door had to be open 24/7 and LeeLee jumped over any makeshift barricade) we got a baby gate. It is still up.
Overtime, Icky started going downstairs less and less. I put her in her kennel whenever I could, but without my parents disciplining her as well, she was never really deterred. Now, Icky only travels downstairs if he is certain LeeLee is either gone or asleep. Otherwise, he stays in my room.
I've started training LeeLee using positive reinforcement, and so far, it's worked great. I can now easily get her in her kennel to discipline her, she's not bothering Bagheera as much. But she still harasses Icky, and I can't force him to be around her. Everytime she gets close while I'm holding Icky, he freaks out and claws his way out of my grip.
But now my parents think I'm "cruel" and I should "let her live like a kid for as long as she can." They don't think a year-old is the time to start training a puppy, they think you should do it when they're older-- Because they're "just a puppy."
My dad thinks you discipline a dog by yelling and hitting, but hitting her only makes her more excited and playful. Hitting her is a game, and though I've told him this, he refuses to change his behavior.
My mom thinks you discipline a dog by telling her "no" and "place," but with no explanation of what "place" is and no consequence for punishment. She used to think "place" was the couch and not her kennel. When I pointed out she went to the couch when told "place," my parents dismissed me and said she knows exactly what place is.
Fortunately, they don't sabotage my training. But they never help with it either. I teach her "place," "stay," and "drop it." I put her in her kennel. I give her treats to reinforce her good behavior.
And now, tonight, I found Icky trying to hide the remains of his poop and pee in my sunroom. When I told my dad, we came to the conclusion that I would have to pick him up and bring him to the basement every few hours to check if he needed to go pee, but he admitted that he didn't care and then scolded me because "I couldn't let him shit and piss in my room." My mom is asleep, so I have yet to tell her.
They will never get rid of this dog. LeeLee is my mom's dog, she was bought specifically for my mom, and they are animal people. I also don't really want to get rid of her either. We've bonded, and now I'm pretty sure I'm her favorite too. She comes to me when she needs to be let outside, she listens to my commands, she doesn't bite me when I pet her, and she gets all excited when I come out of my room.
What do I do now? How can I help my pets to coexist? Should I continue in the positive reinforcement and try placing Icky on things out of LeeLee's reach, but still in view, or are there other methods that are more effective?
Any and all help is appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/jv2rt1/my_cat_is_terrified_of_the_dog_and_refuses_to_go/
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