I've gone through many posts containing to cats and adult huskies and haven't found any that sounds like our situation.

My fiancé and I recently moved into a one bedroom trailer it's small but was enough room for us and our 3 cats (minus the husky). My fiance, Josh, has had Bolt for 5 years. When he got to big to be in the house (this was all before we met, also when he was young living at his mom's) he put him outside on a running chain. Once we met and moved we discussed bringing Bolt with us. One concern of ours was him eating the cats. He wasn't an aggressive dog and usually got teased on a regular basis by the mini dachshunds his mother owns. He never retaliated.

Fast forward a few months and we made a wild decision to bring Bolt over to just see how he'd react. With leash intact we being him inside. To our surprise he hasn't eaten the cats. It's been a week now. My older cat has stood her ground with him and he leaves her alone. However, if he sees the other cats he wants to chase and sometimes nip.

I do have to say that at times I'm fearful. Bolt isn't aggressive but he is a Husky. I've done a lot of reading on his kind. To be honest, I'm shocked at how well behaved he is inside.

I just need some tips on how to get him to not chase and how to make the cats comfortable. I don't want him to go back to his grandmother's where he'll be put back on a chain and won't have much companionship. I also want my other fur babies to not be scared. My fiance's cat is so afraid she won't come out for food or water (the other cats come out for food and water).

Bolt does try to play with the little kitten (4 months old). The little cats is super playful, just not with Bolt. He'll try to sit next to the cats to be with them. It's like I get mixed signals from everything.

Has anyone been in this situation before? Bolt does get lots of outside time. My fiance and I work opposite shifts. Someone is always home and I walk him every two hours. He has a chew toy and his own spot to lay at.

Thanks in advance!

My son has a husky mix and 2 cats that coexist in a small house. He got the dog as a 4 mo old pup, one cat was an adult and the others was a tiny kitten he found in the road. The adult cat wants nothing to do with Archer (the dog) - even made her thoughts know when she, staring the dog down as she did it, peed all over Archer's bed (a cat hate crime, so to speak ). She has until very recently, stayed away from Archer. Most recently, she is staying in the room, just glaring. Archer and the kitten love to play - they chase all the time. BUT, and here is the but. My son and DIL have to be vigilant - huskies play rough and mouthy - Archer will put kitties whole head in his mouth, he will pounce. When kitty finds it too rough, she curls up in little fetal ball - at which point the humans rescue kitty. Archer is never inside the house alone with the cats - if they leave he is either on his tether or over here at Grammy's house.

My husky, Ami and cat. No go. Yet - I am seeing some possibilities but for now, cat is and has always been outdoor cat (she adopted us). When Ami (and Archer) are outside, kitty is in the garage - Ami so far wants to chase her. Now for the interesting part...about a month ago, I did not know kitty was on front porch when I was taking Ami out, on leash, for walk. When I opened the door, kitty did not run, but stayed on the porch, mewed and stretched her face towards Ami to sniff. Ami, instead of pouncing, stretched his head out to sniff and the two touched noses. (I did have superwoman hold on that leash and very short leash at that.)

Interestingly, Ami, who has very high prey drive, likes to pounce on voles, field mice under the snow on our walks. He usually ends up killing them, at first it was in one pounce and he would eat them. After a while, instead of biting them, he would sort of paw at them, when he killed them, he would look disappointed. Most recently, he found a vole under the snow, play bowed to it, pawed at it without touching, bounced all over as it ran away, play bowed some more (the vole was not interested in play, imagine that ). We went on our way with vole still alive. The point of this is that I think Ami is learning to moderate is approach to little furry things.

We do, when it's hubby and I outside and dog is on leash, have one person hold the cat and pet her, in an attempt to show Ami that kitty is a family member. I do believe it is the cat that has to determine the boundaries...it is possible that after a time, as long as Bolt does not chase her, you may see kitty warm up to him. But if the cat runs, the dog will chase.

Just a second ago Bolt was chewing on a bone when the little cat came over for attention. Bolt was laying next to me with his back turned. He turned abs looked with no interest but then he got up and wants to inspect I guess. That part scares me. Bolt, to me seems like his prey drive is high. I'm just really hoping it works out. He has the living area while the cats hang in the bedroom and I miss them. I do enjoy Bolt being here. He's a bit of a clown. I love his personality. He's absolutely beautiful. Thanks for the advice.

WPskier has written an excellent post on integrating cats and huskies...you can look through her posts or search cats and find where she has posted about them - the main point I got from her description is to interrupt the stalk/prey sequence as soon as you see the dog look at the cat...do not let the dog start a staring thing, I wave my hand in front of Ami's face to break his concentration (actually, to not allow concentration on the cat to begin). As soon as he looks at the cat, I wave my hand, say "uh, uh, uhhh." and keep him moving (he is always on leash if kitty is loose).

You will have to be vigilant for a while, until cats have set the boundaries and you feel comfortable. It may be soon, it may be a long time or it may be never. You will have to judge. 35 years ago, I was naive and my husky killed my kitten, so I am super cautious...paranoid says husband.

I've been having the same problem with our husky puppy Klaus. He is 3.5 months so a lot younger than yours, but still he has some sharp teeth and a very high prey drive - chases anything that moves. The only thing we have been able to do that helps a little is when he first starts to look at the cat do anything in your power to make yourself more interesting - call to him, show him a toy and have him focus his attention to you. Anytime he chooses you over chasing the cat shower him with praise. Although this only works maybe 30% of the time for us I have seen improvement. Just very very slow improvement.

Definitely takes some time and lots of consistency. As Amy mentioned, the cats need to set the boundaries.

We have two huskies and three cats, one cat loves the huskies and will curl up with them, one cats really could care less, and he has a disability so he can't move very fast, so the dogs don't chase him.

One of our cats does NOT like the dogs. They will chase him until we call them off or the cat takes a stand. The dogs have started to learn when they have gone too far with the cats. There have been a few scratches when I didn't call them off soon enough, and honestly, that seemed to have helped more than me trying to distract them. They kind of established their own hierarchy

Bolt listens very well. At the most has just nipped at the cats. I'm just fearful. Mainly because he still scares me. His size is over whelming. He knows commands and is pretty good at learning. Him and my fiance's cat have gotten into it. They fought. I think he got more injured. I'm trying my hardest to distract him when a cat enters the room.

Earlier after a walk, he wanted to play and in his play mode he ran into the bedroom (I'm assuming to find someone to reciprocate) and he was met with my fiance's cat.

As much as I'm scared, I want Bolt here with us. There was a time my fiance thought he'd have to get rid of him and he balled his eyes out. Even though I am cautious with Bolt. I love him. I want to do all that I can do to make us a happy family.

Also, we found his papers at his mother's house and he is going to be 8 this year. Which is older than I suspected.

The little cat came walking out today. Bolt was either too tired or just content with the lovin he was getting to pay attention.

Last night every time she'd come out I'd act like a goof ball and try to get his attention. Then my fiance brought him to the kitty. He was real easy with her.

My heart says he won't hurt them
Not intentionally but my brain screams "NO!"

Our dogs and cats are not allowed to interact. If we see the cats try to interact with the dogs, we shoo them away, and the girls are not allowed to 'play' with the cats. Prey drive isn't about aggression at all, often with pets, to them its just fun play. I would not let your guard down, but it sounds as though you are doing very well.