Why does my dog stare at my cat so much? Are they best friends?

Your older dog is probably just curious about the new kitten. As long as he is not doing anything to harm or frighten the cat I would let them continue to get to know each other. Female kittens can go in to heat as early as 5 months of age. However, even if she is in heat it should not affect your dog or make him more interested in the cat.

Hello, relationship between dogs and cats takes time to develop. Ideally you should introduce your cats to your dog slowly to allow them to get used to each other. Keep a distance between them and see how your dog reacts towards them. If he begins to chase after them, then remove them from he same room. If he is curious and your cats are tolerated your dog then allow them to interact with one another. This may take several weeks to allow them to assimilate, but often, dogs and cats cat get along well. Hope this helps and best of luck.

There is no specific answer for this question because every dog responds differently to cats. If you truly think your dog is just interested in cats and does not want to hurt her, then allow them time to interact with each other (under supervision of course) as often as you can. The more Phoebe is around the kitten the more used to her she will become.

Some dogs have a very high prey drive, and it may be that the cats running away trigger this instinct in her, even if she doesn't hurt them. Working on desensitizing her to the stimulus (cats) through training techniques such as BAT (Behavioral Adjustment Training) may help her start to ignore them. Usually this works by starting from a point far enough away that she doesn't react, and gradually moving closer to the target while redirecting her behaviors. Redirection with toys and appropriate treats can also help. At home, making sure to have baby gates up and places your cats can get to up high that your dog cannot can help ensure they have a place to relax and observe without being constantly bothered by Nova. Redirecting her behavior to something else when she gets too focused on the cat, either by practicing some training in a different room, going outside, etc can help. You also don't want to let the kitten and Nova be unattended together as even the nicest dog can accidentally hurt a smaller cat in play.

It sounds like Griffin is VERY interested and excited about the new kitten, and is likely trying to check her out. If he gets too in her face, I would definitely break it up and distract him with a toy or treat elsewhere. Making sure your kitten has places to escape such as a high up perch or beyond a baby gate where Griffin can't get to is also a good idea. It is also best to make sure pup and kitten are always supervised when together as even the friendliest dog may accidentally injure a tiny kitten without meaning to!

It looks like your dog loves your kitty. Since your cat is a lot smaller than she is there maybe a bit of mothering involved. It is nothing to worry about. It gives your cat comfort and also gives Lulu comfort.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is just part of the more typical behavior for a dog and the way they tend to respond to cats. If this becomes an issue and she is becoming aggressive towards your kitty, I would encourage you to contact a local qualified dog trainer who can work with you in person as most of these behaviors can be improved with in person training and time. Good luck and have a good night!