We started with one pet, a dog. We then got a cat, then another cat, then another dog. We had to put down our newer cat earlier this year. So, what did we do? We got another cat.
The problem is, these pets don't play well together. In fact, we have to keep them separated. Hopefully, that's not going to be a permanent situation. We're working to make that happen, but it's taking time.
Our poodle is about a year and a half old. If you know poodles, you know they're high-strung. It was evident from when we first bought the dog home, that he and cats did not get along. The new dog also went after the older dog, so much so, we couldn't have them in the same room at the same time.
Then, something amazing happened. The big dog no longer attacked the small dog. In fact, he treated her very well. If the old dog weren't deaf, blind, grouchy, and just wanted to be left alone, I think the two dogs could have gotten to be friends.
Because of how the puppy changed, we thought we'd next try getting the poodle used to being around the kitten, without eating him, of course. The dog is afraid of gates and we're using that to our advantage. We have the cat in our room and the dog in the hallway. So far, we can have the door open and both parties have behaved well. Or, in other words, they haven't killed each other or destroyed our house.
We hope the cat and dog can be friends. Each animal is different, of course, but we have faith. This could either end in success, or failure. Then, there's also the option that we have to live with temporary gates forever. I guess the animals will ultimately decide...
In time.
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