Whippets/lurchers And Cats?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
Does anyone have any experience owning these dogs and can they be trained to be OK with cats?
I’d like to get one but can’t if they will always instinctively chase cats as I will be making regular trips to my mum’s house and she has 4 cats.
I know greyhounds, whippets and lurchers have all been bred to chase small furry things, but I was just wondering if anyone has had any luck getting them to not do so?
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I have a whippet cross Lurcher! and my neighbour is ..well.. a bit cat crazy.
I can say that i have no problem with him chasing or even bothering the cats.. i mean he would greet them with a sniff !
An angel really
But i guess its where you get them from and how they are brought up. If your getting one from a shelter then they might not get used to the cats.
I would suggest getting a puppy and bringing it up with cats – that way the dog might get used to them
I don’t own a lurcher but my auntie has two. They have been round plenty of times and not bothered the cats.
However to be certain, if you are getting a puppy then take it round to your mums lots of times in order to get it use to the cats and begin this as soon as you get it. That way it will be used to the cats and will not want to chase them. Maybe if your mum will let you borrow a cat from her for a few weeks while the dog settles in.
Dogs can get on with cats as Ive brought up my dogs with cats and then kittens with my dog so they will all get on if socialised.
My neighbour has had both Whippets and previously, a Lurcher. She was doing fine until her last Whippet who, as a puppy, chased and killed a feral kitten shortly after he arrived! She was horrified as at the time, they had 3 cats as well as their other older Whippet. However, after that transgression, he lived quite happily with their cats (they are now all died, but not at the hands of this lad). The cats had the upstairs, with access to the outside. Mind you, when I used to sit them, I was always aware that this boy was ‘eyeing’ the cats as they came and went and I didn’t entirely trust him!
So yes, it can be done!
ps We now have a Whippet ****** puppy but no cats in residence, and none come into our garden either. So the jury’s out with her!!
It depends on the individual dog. I have a lurcher who likes to chase our cats with the aim of playing with them. We have just adopted a big ex-racing greyhound and he is great with the mogs, not interested in them at all.
In the past I owned a rescue lurcher who had ben used for rabbiting. She was very keen to chase but I managed to detrain her over a period of weeks.
Lurcher/ sighthound types are no more likely to chase than any other breed, its just that their speed means they are more likely to catch.
my dog is a whippet and at first he was a bit naughty with the cat but the cats will teach him. they will give him a scratch and he will learn his lesson! don’t worry it will be fine. every time he does something naughty towards the cat discipline him..
Good luck
No more or less likely than most other dogs.
Well they would be less likely to do that if they’re raised around cats.