As many of you may know, we have a cat that we have kept totally separate from Ami who, when he arrived, had an enormous prey drive. Kitty initially though she would intimidate Ami in the same way she intimitaded her previous housemates, an old Bassett Hound and a small terrier of some sort. Didn't work, Ami lunged, almost took my arm off and kitty made it to the nearest tree while she contemplated the new state of affairs.

Last fall, Ami and kitty met on the porch as I was taking Ami out for a walk - at that time they sniffed noses cautiously and Ami and I went on our way. Kitty spent the winter in the garage complex, patrolling for mice. Ami occasionally was in the garages but Kitty was always up high in the rafters.

This weekend, I was taking kitty outside and had her in my arms. Ami came up, sniffed and started to play bow and woo...very interested but like he wanted kitty to play with him, not become his lunch.

Is this auspicious? Do people think I can begin to integrate them. Granted, this morning there was a stray cat well up in a tree, I assume because one or both dogs were chasing. Archer lives with cats - one hates him and makes herself scarce. The other loves him and actively engages in, even initiates play. When it gets too much, Tony cat just goes limp...yes, in Archer's mouth.

Would y'all start trying to let Ami and Miss Kitty come to know each other?

Do they ever get play time while you have Ami on the leash?

We already had the cat when we brought Klaus home, but any chance he gets he WILL chase the cat. Down the hall, off the bed, down the stairs, etc. At first it used to freak me out, what would happen when he caught him? My cat has no claws and a flat face so he can't easily bite him. When he does catch him Klaus will want to play, he tries to mouth lightly like he would another dog but our cat just hates it and gets away from him. So they kind of have a love hate relationship, Klaus means well but for the cat it's too much and too rough so they just yell at each other... literally. The cat meows before Klaus even touches him and then Klaus starts wooing and it's just an earful. They sound like they're fighting but they're really not. Klaus wants to play and the cat is annoyed. I however would prefer Klaus to leave him alone - may even look into an e-collar in the future.

Overall, if you want them together I'd say start it out where you can control Ami and read very closely on their body language. I wouldn't let them free play until you feel absolutely comfortable with it because even in our situation the way Klaus tackles him sometimes play or not we break it up. Of course some kitties like dogs and if that's the case you might have an easier time!

I agree with Haley, introductions need to be slow, and you controlling Ami. All my life I have lived with huskies and gsds and always had cats too. It may be your scent on the dog and cat that makes the dog and cat accepting of each other, where as a stray not so much? Just my 2 cents, but watching the two interact will give you an idea that Ami accepts the cat as yours and belongs on property, and would rather play vs eat. It's been a month since I put my cat down, and Miya still looks for miss kitty every morning.

Ok, so mebbe not Last night, while the dogs were in the house, I went out to feed and water Miss Kitty (she lost here garage priviledges - kneaded a car cover into a fluffy nest and left scratches on the hood of the WRX ) I was pulling burdock out of her fur (why, oh why, do we have TWO long-haired animals, I do not know!).

Wayne, thinking that Miss Kitty had gone walk-about again, lets the dogs out...Archer, as only Archer can do, came storming up to the woodshed to see me...Miss Kitty, thinking there was a healthier place to be left in a hurry, leaving deep skid marks in my palm and, after getting to the top of the wood pile, dumped a whole bowl of water into my upturned face Spittin' mad, I was and I will not repeat what I said to dear Hubby when I got in the house.

I really don't care if Ami and Kitty play - I just don't want him to eat her.