Considering adopting Benenji mix, but…
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but I have a 8 1/2 year old declawed cat. The dog did not come across as aggressive at all. She's young, at 6 mo. and I do know she has a good track record with small kids (which is also important for us). She's got some anxiety with large crowds and noise. I just have a hard time thinking this dog could be aggressive toward my cat. The shelter said absolutely bring her back if there is an issue (it's a local no-kill rescue), but I really want to try to avoid that possibility. Based on what I've said, I would appreciate any feedback or advice on moving forward with this dog.
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At 6 mos, you have a decent chance of them being fine but you won't know til you watch them together. Do you know what it is mixed with?
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Rescue says hound, but her features are very dainty. Long legs, lean body. She's got the Basenji look for sure in the head and face. She's already 31lbs, so she'll probably going to get a little bigger.
My cat is very independent and as long as pup leaves her alone, I know she'll be glad to do the same :).
Thanks for the response.
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It depends very much on the cat & the dog & your setup.
I have a cat who never could adjust to the dogs. She was terrified of them. Every time she came around, they got excited because they wanted to sniff her & play with her, which freaked her out. Her instinct was to run & hide, and of course when she ran, they chased her, which freaked her out more. Even after nearly 3 years, she just couldn't adapt to them.
My current cat, Spooky, stands her ground. She rarely runs from them, and if they get to be too much, she uses her claws & teeth to tell them so (every dog under her domain has been to the vet for a scratched eye once and only once each haha). She has been known to instigate wrestling matches with the dogs. But she is a much more outgoing, friendly, trusting cat than my previous cat. Both cats were exposed to the dogs as young puppies, and I make sure I'm around to supervise interactions in case they do get too rough.
Basenjis do have a high prey drive, but generally speaking, if the cat can stand its ground, and you are there to supervise & introduce them to one another slowly, it could work out.
Good luck!
