Introduce a cat to 2 adult basenjis

[Eguerini83]

Hi, I'm from Peru and I a question about my 2 basenjis. I found a 5 months cat and my daughters want to keep the cat but I'm afraid for cat's safe. I know that they have haunting behavior because when we go out and they see a squirrel, a pigeon or a cat hey want to chase them. 3 months ago I get a parrot, a little agapornis fisher. The bird now is leaving free for the house and my male dog even play with him and let the parrot fly on his head. My female is a little bit nervous but she just ignore him. First day they were excited and want to catch him but now he flies and they keep sleeping. With the cat they were very very nervous. I put the cat in a safe room and they started sniff from the door and listen the cat "Meaw". For first 3 days I never put the cat and dogs together. 4th day I put the cat on my knees. Dogs started to get excited but then my male started to go near the cat and cat started to play with him. My dog started to play to. I give a lot of treats to my lovely dog and female started to do the same, sniffing the cat and play with him with her paws. Today 5th day, they slept together on sofa with my supervision and ate on same plate. Now my question is: can I leave them alone or better in different rooms? I always did everything with supervision and a lota lot of patient.

[DebraDownSouth]

I think you are doing things right, but I do suggest you slow down and not leave them alone for a while longer. With their prey drive, things could go wrong fast. So keep supervising and give them time to really bond and accept it as part of the family.

[ChrisF]

I like Debra's response and I think your biggest confrontation would be over food. Eating off the same plate seems like it is pushing beyond a safe zone. I have one basenji one very large cat and 3 confined chickens. Dog and cat play and co-exist fine, though the dog at times plays too rough. (The cat is elderly whereas the dog is 2 yrs old. )
I am quite sure given the chance the dog would make short work of a chicken....not giving her any opportunity. Good luck, sounds like it will work out.

[Pawla]

Go slowly. It took me 8 months to get my adopted adult basenji and older cat to coexist. They still have their moments, but I can trust there will be no bloodshed. You are lucky that you already know your b's accepted the bird. That is a great sign that you will be successful.

[Antigone]

@eguerini83 I agree with Debra. My Dog never had a hunting drive. At one point I had a Cat, my B, and a Wolf. There was a fieldmouse in the House and NOT ONE of the Predators did anything about it! Cats must be taught to Hunt by their Mothers, Wolves are the same. I have no idea about Basenjis being true Hunting Dogs, I believe they are Sighthounds and their job is to sit in Trees and spook the Prey (Lions, etc) so the Ridgebacks can bring the animal down until the Hunter kills the Animal. At least that is what they do in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I see that these Dogs kill small animals and that was never my experience. A while back there was a discussion about a competition where the Dogs had to catch a Rat. I wondered at the time if the Dog had to kill the Rat. To me that is as bad as Fox Hunting which has been banned in the US.

So please do as Debra says and monitor them closely!

A

[basenjimom2]

Please keep supervising your dogs with the cat. The cat at some point "may" go after the bird, so please be careful. Many years ago, I've had parrots, cats and dogs (not basenji's), and all 3 got along just great. However, the cats were kittens, and still a bit scared of the birds. The birds ruled the house. I no longer have any birds, but do have 4 cats and 2 basenji's. My 3rd basenji died a few months ago at the age of 17. Cats and the dogs do get along. My youngest dog right now is 8 years old, and for some reason he is starting to do a low growl and kind of charge (run at) the cats. I just yell at him to "leave it". The cats are adult and can stand up for themselves. Your cat is still very young. It will accept your dogs as long as you make sure that there is no "king of the castle" type of response from them. Supervision. When my female was alive, she would go after anything, her prey drive was that strong. At one time, she had gotten loose outside (long story) and she ended up killing a baby goat, a feral cat (wild) and a dozen chickens ALL in one day!! I had to introduce her to the cats while she was on a leash held very tightly, and I have had to use a basket muzzle a few times. I had her in a room with the cats and door closed, so the other 2 dogs could not interfere. It took a long time (several months) for her to accept the cats as "family". So it can be done. Sounds like you are doing a good job, just keep up the supervision, and Please do not let the dogs and cat eat off of the same plate anymore!! That is only asking for trouble somewhere down the road.

[janja]

The dogs are a pack. Playing with a cat can soon become something more. I would never leave them alone. If a cat starts running, they will chase it and will try a little bite (looks like play, but I wouldn’t bet on it). Take good care. I have one and a cat that was adult when the dog came and still the dog is sometimes ruff

[eeeefarm]

A friend had a Jack Russell that coexisted with the barn cat right up until she left them alone together and came back to a half eaten cat. Yeah, Russells are tougher than Basenjis, but never think it can't happen, and worse with a pack, as stated. In my friend's case, she guesses the cat likely took a swipe at the JR, and the rest is history.

[B5004EVER]

You're doing a great job introducing the cat to the basenjis, I would continue to do what you're doing, but don't leave them alone just yet. I would keep them in different rooms while you are away.
Also, as another person said, the cat and the bird will be more of a challenge, since the cat is more likely to hunt the bird. Keep the supervision going with all three species.

My basenjis always wanted to chase cats they saw outside, but did not chase the cats we had, because they had been socialized and they thought of the cats as part of the pack.

Estás haciendo un gran trabajo presentando al gato a los basenjis, yo continuaría haciendo lo que estás haciendo, pero no los dejes solos todavía. Los mantendré en diferentes cuartos mientras ustedes estén ausentes.
Además, como dijo otra persona, el gato y el ave serán un desafío mayor, ya que es más probable que el gato cace al ave. Mantener la supervisión con las tres especies.

Mis basenjis siempre quisieron perseguir a los gatos que vieron afuera, pero no persiguieron a los gatos que teníamos, porque habían sido socializados y pensaban que los gatos eran parte de la manada.