Help request number 2 for me today, re. my 20 week old puppy, Max!
I have 3 cats at home - 2 Ragdolls (Arnie and Sly) and a Maine Coon (Jordie). The Coon and one of the Raggies will be 11 years old this March; the other Raggie is just 10. Although they've lived indoors all their lives, they've had a pretty varied existence - lots of house moving, including a 2 year stint in the USA and the inevitable quarantine upon return.
All three are extremely affectionate to me and generally everyone who visits my place. One of the Raggies, Arnie, is a bit of a 'mamma's boy' and basically sees me as his reason for living - he won't have much to do with anyone else and is extremely protective of and jealous over me.
Since Max the puppy came to live with us, things have been a little difficult for the cats - I've summed it up as partly genuine fear of the puppy, partly pissed off at the puppy's arrival and partly the fact that he's like a mini tornado who disrupts their peaceful feline existance!
Jordie, the Maine Coon, has been the only cat to socialise with Max. He hisses, growls, clobbers Max on the head etc., but he's never hurt Max and seems happy enough to be in his company. Jordie weighs approximately 12kg and could VERY easily hurt Max if he wanted to, be he seems to practice genuine restraint. They also play 'chasey' around the house together, Max jumps all over Jordie etc., so I think Jordie's hisses/growls etc. are all bluff and an occasional warning to Max when he gets out of hand and starts being really annoying. Or biting him!
It's a different story with the Ragdolls, Arnie and Sly. In the first week I had Max, I bought a baby gate to block off half the house - the bedrooms and bathroom, plus one of the balconies, are off limits to Max. The cats are all fed down that end of the house, their litter trays are in the bathroom, they sleep on my bed and they have a large balcony all to themselves for fresh air and sunshine. At this point, Jordie is the only one to voluntarily venture into the Max's area - the living and dining rooms, the kitchen and the other balcony. We've had 'touching noses through the baby gate' with the Raggies, but that's as far as it goes.
Max means no harm to the cats - he just wants to play. However, when he 'greets' the cats, he charges up to them with his tail wagging, tongue out etc. to say hello. The cats view this as a threat and are NOT interested in playing with him (except for Jordie) or even being in the same room as him. I have a dog trainer for Max and he suggested putting Max on a lead and tying him to a table leg while I bring the Ragdolls into the living room. Max can still see us and be with me, but he can't get near Arnie and Sly. I'm trying to do this once a night, but the Raggies aren't really interested. They hang around for 5 minutes, keeping one eye on the dog and one eye on the nearest exit, then scoot back to the safety of the gated portion of my house.
For those that don't know, Ragdolls are VERY people-oriented and often described as the 'dogs of the cat world' - my two even play 'Fetch'! Before Max arrived, Arnie and Sly were always in the same room as me and, very often, sitting/sleeping on me. They've never really 'grown up' as such and would play with each other and their toys etc. every day. I know that Arnie and Sly miss me a great deal - they often sit on the other side of the baby gate and cry constantly to get my attention, calling me down to that end of the house. Nothing to do with food - they just want cuddles and affection! Prior to Max, Arnie was my substitute dog - he followed me absolutely EVERYWHERE and we had daily 'conversations'. He's a real chatterbox and a very intelligent cat.
Anyway, I'm thinking that it would just be easier to let the dog have the run of the place, 'force' everyone to live together in one big furry family. Except I don't want Max near the litter trays (I've heard all the dog eating cat poo stories!) and I also leave dry food down for my cats all the time. Dry cat food, being all protein, is VERY attractive to Max and I don't want him scoffing all their food. Additionally, my bed is the cats' domain and I don't want Max sleeping up there too. Personally, I don't care, but I know the cats would care VERY much and they were in my life long before Max. The cats also need a place to escape Max when he gets too 'crazy puppy'.
Does anyone have any advice for me? I'm sorry for the long-winded post, but I'm really quite concerned about my two Raggies, Arnie and Sly. They've had my full attention for 11 years and they seem SO hurt that I'm no longer totally accessible to them without them having to put up with Mental Max trying to play with them. Sly in particular is absolutely terrified of Max and cries pitifully every time he comes near.
Many thanks again!
Cheers
Annie
