Dogs and Cats....

This is Blake with a tiny kitten I found dumped at my house in the springtime.   It was not yet weaned and needed to be hand fed.    I kept him inside the house with the four dogs.  Yep, four dogs.   Now not all dogs like cats, and some like cats but not kittens.   Three of my four dogs loved this kitten.   My Doberman, Echo, was "Mommy".  Carefully watching that he did not stray too far when outside or get under buildings.  She cleaned him from head to toe and had to be sure to sit and watch patiently at each meal.    Echo has a long time fascination with kittens.   Years before this one,  there was a feral mother who had five kitties under a storage barn.   Although the mother was untouchable, the babies did not know to be afraid of the big Doberman who discovered them by sticking her nose under the shed.    By the time these fragile babies had their eyes open, the smell of Echo was all around them and they saw her as a surrogate mom.  
Two times a day I would go out with a plate of canned food mixed with kitten formula and tell Echo we were going to feed her kittens.  Like a proud mother she would hurry along and lay beside the plate of food as each baby took their turn.  After they ate she cleaned them off.  This Doberman  adored canned food yet she left it alone so the babies got their fill.   Often other species will come along and adopt frail babies.   When the mother cat was back Echo went in the house.   When the mother had weaned the babies I took them inside and rallied them to the vet for shots, flea treatments and worming.    When they were healthy and ready to be placed I took them, in conjunction with a no kill shelter,  to adoptions.  All were spayed/ neutered and placed in good homes.   The above kitten also went through a local humane society and when ready to go was placed in a good home as well.  
The other dogs that lived in the house were Missy ( cocker /beagle mix ) and Brasso (German Shepherd Dog).    Missy had no desire to be a mother at all.   She would get up and leave any time the kitten made it's way over to her.    An owner can not force a friendship between pets.    Brasso was having nothing to do with the kitty.   He had to be watched as he thought it might make a tasty snack.  But when Brasso dealt with adult cats he had no ulterior motives.   Each dog and cat is different.   At one time I had three adult cats living indoors with the four adult dogs and an African Grey Parrot.   There was total harmony.    It all depends upon your approach, how your cat and or dog see you feel about their relationship and how much work you are willing to put into it.    (I do not recommend ever dropping cats and dogs together without supervision until they become pack mates)
Just like human children, dogs learn from us what is acceptable and what we will allow.   Good communication, studying body language of the animals and patience is all you need to reap the benefits of a well rounded home with many species. 


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