Dogs and kittens?

michellefullam

I have a friend with an out of control Jack Russell mix, and my cat has had a litter of kittens that are only one week old. How long do I have to ask her to keep her dog away for? I feel that the dog shouldn't be in the house at all at this delicate time as it visibly upsets the mother of the kittens, and I've asked her not to bring the dog around but she persists, so I need some hard facts to show her this is a bad idea. I can't find anything online relating to this matter.

Queen-Mise

Don't let her in the door with the dog....

You shouldn't need to prove that having JRT around kittens is bad, your house, your rules.

DBB

Where's your cat nursing the kittens? Any chance she could go into an uostairs bedroom (assuming you have an upstrais!), door closed, baby gate on stairs?
Mind you, this is only if you have an unexpected visit. Your friend has a bit of a cheek insisting on bringing her dog to your home when she knows the distress it's causing, and the implications of the dog getting access to the kittens. I'd be very much inclined to firmly tell her that the house is out-of-bounds for any dogs for the next couple of months.

Latatian

Does she live there? If not, tell her to eff off. Jack russells are bred to kill things- nothing against them, lovely dogs, it's what they're supposed to do, but no-one in their right minds would let them around someone else's litter of kittens if both humans and animals weren't all in full agreement.

Tell her it is stressing out the kittens' mother. She recognizes there is a predator around. If mother cats get too stressed they can eat the kittens- yes, really. Maybe that will stop her? https://www.quora.com/Why-do-mother-cats-sometimes-eat-their-own-kittens

I remember as a kid we ended up with three dead hens once from a similar incident with a terrier (perfectly friendly dog, good with kids, so the adults assumed it would be fine to visit and be let outside unsupervised. Of course the kids had to watch our pets get killed).

Try a baby gate with a lock on it for the cat room and a mobile phone that you can use to arrange all your socializing at cafes and other things, well away from your house, in future. And maybe a front door with a chain so that you can check if she has the dog with her before you the door.

If I sound brusque or annoyed it's not with you, by the way. I get it- I have had difficulty myself standing up to friends over things like this. I will not judge you if you come up with work-arounds to stop her bringing the dog in rather than just telling her plainly to abide by your rules around your cat. But you do have every right to ask her to do that.

I would suggest a compromise of asking her to keep the dog on lead when there and out of the cat room, but sometimes in these scenarios people will agree and then tell you 'it's fine' to break the imposed conditions. You know the person, I don't, so see what seems realistic and safe for your kittens.

seagull

Sod that. You've asked her not to bring the dog round. You don't need to give a reason. If she arrives with the dog, just open the door, say hello, say the dog's not coming in, and leave it up to her whether she leaves, or makes a plan with the dog. Do it once, and the problem should be solved permanently.

Milly33

I was just going to say does she live with you! If not then tis your house your rules, tell her leave the dog outside or at home.

Hard facts would be an iffy one, I would think if the cat isn't used to dogs then she might get skittish and move the kittens elsewhere or just be in general put out. They you have the if the dog got hold of the kittens issue..