HELP!!! Play drive? Prey Drive?? Any hope???

[Rugers-Kris]

Yeah, I did think about it but Ijust can't commit to being allergic and dealing with it daily. It is horrible but at least it happened early on (otherwise I am sure that I would be so attached, as would Ruger, that I would be attempting to deal with it.).......Guess I will have to be Rugers buddy for now until the time is right to get my Fila puppy. :-/ A friend was saying the same thing....that maybe it was just this cats fur.

I am allergic to my parents cat. I have to wash any skin that his fur may have touched and I just pray that it didn't get into my eyes or nose otherwise the swelling and hives arrive. I lived with him for about 5 years so I know from experience that it can be done but I don't think that I would choose to do it again. Also he is the only cat that I have that reaction to, so you may not be allergic to all cats.

 

[Smokeycat]

If you want to check if its just this cat or all cats you could check and see if a shelter or rescue would allow you to interact with one if their cats. It won't help with Colt but if you discover that it isn't all cats you could still consider a different cat in the future.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

I may have to try that. I hadn't thought about that. Thanks.

 

[ruthcatrin]

I've got a fairly minor allergy to cats, I cope by keeping them out of the bedroom (which makes a HUGE difference all by itself, seriously, you spend hours a day in there, specifically in the bed), and taking allergy meds daily (and remembering to wash my hands if they're shedding alot), but I don't believe I've ever had a reaction so bad as hives either....and yes, some cats are worse than others. And no, hairless cats aren't nessecarly better!

 

[Smart_Family]

I get hives if a cat really rubs on me or scratches me. Besides that I don't have an issue and I worked in an animal shelter haha. My husband's the same way.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Yah, If I get scratched I swell up, even if it didn't draw blood....

 

[raechiemay]

Kris I'm sorry that it's not working out with Colt. I know how excited you were to get him. I would definitely check out some other different coated cats to see if it's all cats or just him. You know there are the hairless kind....lol. Everyone thinks they're ugly but I think they're cute in their own way. I understand the allergies though. Mine have never really liked cat dander/hair but I've constantly exposed myself to all different kinds & now the worst I'll ever get is a little bit of a stuffy nose that's not completely horrible. I've just learned that I'm more of a dog person. I have nothing against cats or people that own them. I think they're incredibly cute but I like my doggies more.

I know this is going to be kind of hard to do, but you may want to check out dogs that have the type of coat Filas have. I don't know from experience but from pictures it appears that they have a shorter more coarse coat than an EM. I know with my allergies I can have mixed reactions with those types of coats & will sometimes get hives &/or welts all over my arms, chest, face & neck. There is one type of dog that I absolutely cannot touch & those are Shar Peis. I'm not a fan of them anyway but the couple times I've come into contact with one I've broken out in huge hives all over, I get real itchy & sneezy & if the contact with the dog last more than 5-10 minutes, my throat will start to swell for some reason. I really hate allergies. They ruin a lot of things for me. Horses too. And I absolutely love horses. I actually don't care how miserable I get around horses. I'll never stop wanting to be around them or wanting to have one of my own again! Lol

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Thanks, Everyone. I think we are just going to leave the cat thing alone and wait to get a Fila puppy in the future. I have never been a big cat fan, either, which is probably why I didn't realize I was allergic to them. Rach, I would just have a fit if a Fila made me break out in hives!!! The upside is that I have always volunteered at local shelters and been around tons of different breeds of dogs so I don't think I will have issue there. Also, in order to have my Fila...I will take an injection everyday!! LMAO I love horses, too and thankfully have never had a reaction to them, either. I think maybe I just wasn't meant to have a cat.

 

[angelbears]

Kris, I have never had any problems with any type of animals. However, sometimes when I'm petting, loving on Cane I will get a red irritated area on the parts of my body that has touched him. It only last for about 15 minutes. As you said, "whats a few injections, to be able to have a Fila" LOL

 

[Rugers-Kris]

LOL Absolutely, AB!!!

Kris, I have never had any problems with any type of animals. However, sometimes when I'm petting, loving on Cane I will get a red irritated area on the parts of my body that has touched him. It only last for about 15 minutes. As you said, "whats a few injections, to be able to have a Fila" LOL

 

[raechiemay]

That's what I worry about since I'm considering a CC for my next dog. I know they tend to have a more coarse coat than an EM. But it will be worth it to get injections or take Benadryl every day in order to have one.

What's funny is I was around my friends cats last night & I got a couple welts that itched so bad I made them bleed, but the worst part of it was my nose got so stuffed up I couldn't breathe & I practically rubbed my eye raw. It was so red. I think it's safe to say I'm allergic to cats too.

 

[Robtouw]

Cruiser has been around my cat Badin since the day he came home. Badin is about 6 months older. We have tried our best to get Cruiser to behave well around Badin and nothing has worked. Badin is an outdoor cat who lives in our barn. They have a weird relationship. Cruiser chases her at any given opportunity, she baits him and tries to get his attention. They are both nuts. Cruiser has caught Badin during one of the chases, he held her down and gave her a good licking and let her go, which surprised me because he usually stalks her like he is the cat and she is the prey. I was happy he did not intend on hurting her. On one occasion Cruiser & I were sitting on the steps in the sun, he had his eyes closed in one of his brief lovie moments, and she came up and rubbed up against him. He thought it was me petting him, when he opened his eyes the chase was on! Chasing Badin is how Cruiser broke his leg. I guess what I am trying to say is that my guy has a tendency to stalk and chase our cat and has made it clear there will never be a real "friendship". I don't trust Cruiser with her, but I don't think he would hurt her intentionally. I don't know if this helps you make a decision, but at least it does suggest that its a common behavior for your dog to act this way towards a feline.

 

[TN Dogues]

We have had dogs & cats live together peacefully for the past 20 years. Even had a couple of ferrets too. All living with 'prey-driven' dogs.

We use a very small room to introduce them. Usually a bathroom. It has two benefits. #1 the room is too small to allow chasing. #2 the vanity and toilet tank can be a place where the cat can be out of dog reach. Cats need a place to be able to escape up high.

I sit on the seat and monitor the cat and dog interaction. I will hold the cat BUTT FIRST towards the dog and allow a sniff. If the dog's eyes dilate or the ears perk forward, then I give the dog a poke with a finger and say 'NO'. When he relaxes his stance, I praise. You have to learn to read a dog's body language to see agression before it escalates into a bite. So, I don't allow the dog to 'focus' on the cat. After a few minutes of this, most dogs will calm down.

Now if the cat gets too upset in the meantime, I will put him on the tank behind me. I will also use treats to encourage the dog to sit and focus on me. I will command the dog 'down' and every time he is laying down ignoring the cat he gets a (very small) liver treat.

Also, if the dog sniffs the cat and acts calm he gets a treat.

Don't be in a rush. The first interaction can take up to two hours. Do it daily. Each day should be less and less time needed to get the dog to ignore the cat.

Dogs can take up to two weeks to accept a new member to their pack...

The next stage is getting the cat to like the dog. This is WAY HARDER. Cats can take up to 2 MONTHS to accept a dog.

Only attempt the next stage once the dog has accepted the cat being held right up against him. (he must tolerate the cat touching him).

We used a ferret vitamin called Ferrit-Vite. It came in a tube and was like molasses. We squeezed a bit out on the cat's face and let the dog lick it off. And then we put some on the dog's front leg and let the cat lick it.

Every time for the first two months, both the cat and the dog would get treats when they were in the same room together. AND ONLY when they were together. Like me sitting on couch with cat in lap and dog sitting in front of me nicely would get treats for both.

That way the dog and cat associate each other's company with good things.

It takes time and lots of patience. But if we could get a pitbull to not eat a ferret, you should be able to get your mastiff to not eat a kitten. :scared2:

Give it time...

 

[TN Dogues]

One other thing...a baby gate is a great way to allow the kitten a place to escape where the dog can't go.

The last kitten we introduced we used the baby gate. We put it in the hallway. The kitten's water and food were on top of the vanity in the hallway bathroom. So, he could jump over the gate and be in the living room with the dogs or go back to safety. It was his choice. After about 2 months we removed the gate.

This was our female APBT, Daisy, and our two cats. She was a crazy hyper dog who loved chasing small animals - squirrels, birds, lizards, etc. The cat she is laying on was a rescue we got at over a year old.

Just wanted to show you it is possible to have dogs & cats love each other...

 

[m0rg4n]

I think you may have mixed up their names. You have a dog the size of a small horse and named the cat after one. =)

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Thanks for all of the advice everyone but as I commented earlier in this thread, it turns out that I am highly allergic to kittens, so Colt had to go back to his original family. :-(

LMAO m0rg4n I had never looked at it that way (Horses) I am a gun enthusist and they were both named after guns. LOL But you make a valid point!

 

[Robtouw]

I forgot to mention my last OEM, Buddy, brought home his own cat. He was driving us crazy to go out one day, and went to the far pasture, wiggled under the fence and disappeared for about 15 min. It was totally unlike Buddy to sneak off, we never had issues before. He came home dirty, carrying a scruffy black kitten in his mouth and just walked in the door like he was carrying a toy. We tried to find the mother and other possible kittens, but never did. Cassidy was a cute little calico and a great cat! She stayed outdoors but they were great friends! Cruiser however.......I've given up on him being friends with Badin. He gets along well with the horses, chickens, hubby...

 

[dogman#1]

BTW, My wife and I are both allergic to any animal with fur but cats especially. We tend to get used to our animals over time and are not allergic to them but if we go to another home with dogs and especially cats we cant stay that long. When we got our first Fila her saliva would gives my wife hives and my skin would get slightly irritated, she realized we dont like the licking and doesnt do it...much. Our other dogs didnt do that to us and the fila pups that we raised never caused that either. We do get other people's pups from time to time and some make my wife get hives too when they lick her.

 

[TN Dogues]

...missed the post about you being allergic...

I know there are some cats out there that are non-allergenic. But they have curly fur. Can't remember the breed at the moment.

Sorry your new furry friend did not work out for you.