Shibas and Kittens
Every year around this time is "kitten season" and the shelters get an abundance of kittens with little room or resources to house them until they are adopted..
Usually I'll take a few to foster for a week or so, even though I am so allergic!, but last year when we did it, Tsuki was a 3 month old pup who did not have all adult teeth or prey drive and she did pretty well with the kittens and one momma cat.
But this year I'm a bit nervous to do it, with Kitsune and Tsuki both here. Kitsune has a high bird prey drive and Tsuki leaves no blowing leaf unturned..
Are kittens usually something that puts their prey instinct in overdrive or would shibas as a smaller dog leave them alone once the novelty wore off?
We took in a parapalegic kitten for 2 days (Tuesday til yesterday) but I only let Tsuki near him and she did OK under controlled exposure to it, but I didn't want to even chance it because the kitten was injured..
Anyone have any positive or negative experiences with 1+ y/o shibas and kittens??
Usually I'll take a few to foster for a week or so, even though I am so allergic!, but last year when we did it, Tsuki was a 3 month old pup who did not have all adult teeth or prey drive and she did pretty well with the kittens and one momma cat.
But this year I'm a bit nervous to do it, with Kitsune and Tsuki both here. Kitsune has a high bird prey drive and Tsuki leaves no blowing leaf unturned..
Are kittens usually something that puts their prey instinct in overdrive or would shibas as a smaller dog leave them alone once the novelty wore off?
We took in a parapalegic kitten for 2 days (Tuesday til yesterday) but I only let Tsuki near him and she did OK under controlled exposure to it, but I didn't want to even chance it because the kitten was injured..
Anyone have any positive or negative experiences with 1+ y/o shibas and kittens??
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Comments
But......given your recent experiences, perhaps fostering is not the best way for you to help out animals in need. There are so many other ways for you volunteer and help out. Jessica and Jen (Brad's wife) are both working with rescue behavior. I don't do much, but am trying to work on it. In the past, I've helped with shelter building, collecting blankets and other donated items, major clean ups (which my akita rescue does every year) and helping to find a dog or a cat a home...I'm certain you could find something that is as equally rewarding as fostering.
Kittens will most definitely going to bring out the prey drive in your dogs. They're tiny, they run around and play alot, it could be very dangerous for the kittens you foster. It's a stressful situation for animals to go to new homes. They need to acclimate and that transition should be as easy as possible. Two dogs with sensitive prey drive instincts? Could get ugly.
HIGH PREY DRIVE
While I have 4 cats. In an ideal world, I wouldn't have them living in the same house, I pry Moto off cats constantly.
I will never get another cat again.
I could never take in a cat permanently - I had one for 6 years - she was a senior when I took her in FIV+ and she lived a whole second life with me! - and never really realized my allergies were solely from the cat. And I don't think I'd ever trust the shibas out of crate with a cat if I wasn't home.. We're only taking special needs kittens who are between foster homes over the weekends so I can be here with them. But their prey drive is incredible..
Does Himiko show that kind of prey drive with the cats?
I think you are very compationate and caring for wanting to take in kittens of need. If you do I would just watch them very closly if they are together and try to seperate them as much as possible. There is nothing wrong with fostering, its just the way you do it, so dont listen to anyone else. You are saving animals, and that is not being irresponsible in my eyes, rather you are a hero for that animal.
There is the saying "The path to hell is paved with good intentions"
Miko immediatley went after the cats. She is a very primitive breed. And an animal with instincts. I simply do my best to keep that in mind and minimize the temptation. My cats are kept separate when I am not home, and I do my best to discourage excessive interest in the feline family when I am. Like I said, in an ideal world my cats and dogs would NOT live together. And it is partly why I volunteer at the shelter instead of fostering. My mission is to better as many lives as I can without infringing on the lives I have taken responsibility for.
And thank you Jamie, we do what we can to the best of our ability. I guess the problem with coming on here and asking for similar situational stories is that you cannot see what happens in our home, we maintain a peaceful atmosphere. Our resident shibas know it, they have a very good dynamic and we can monitor their interactions with the outside world calmly and assertively. I've been fostering for 3 years with no incident, I've been through aggression of all sorts, allergies, fear, anxiety, even dealing with mange and other disease. Unfortunately our last fostering experience happen to go awry and things happen, if you have a dog, you should prepare for the worst, because they are animals, especially Nihon Ken being very primitive in their breeding. I got bit, it happens, we addressed the issue and realized the foster was probably the main problem and learned from it. But I can't call it quits from one bad experience! All we can do is learn from it to prevent it from happening again. Its a horrible world and animals with no where else to go I feel I can give shelter to, even if its only two days. I don't think its irresponsible either. I wish you well with all the animals in your home!! Enjoy that Kangai! it seems like she'll always be giving you a run for your money! How is she with your cats?
I do know that someday I would like to do what your doing, by rescueing them from the shelter and become a foster. I think what you, and others do here at the forum, and all of the organizations are amazing and I would love to contribute to that someday as well. I am a TOTAL sucker of the cats and the dogs whenever I go to Petsmart or the shelters, its hard not too.
Rachael - How do you keep peace in the home? Is your kitty an indoor cat? Can most dogs and cats never really co-exist if not raised from a young age like Rui (leonberger) is doing? Because like Jamie said, I have such a hard time taking in tiny kittens then handing them over to a permanent foster, they are so small and cuddly, but I just 'know' that I couldn't do it.. but deep down, in a perfect world, I would love to keep them all.
Also there are a lot of people with Shibas and cats where the Shibas and cats are friends. I'm pretty sure Heidi's Tojo and her kitty (Riddley?) are good buds.
I don't think he would hurt them but I never got him that close either.
I'm also afraid the cat might scratch him or something bad.
As for birds he goes nuts but he has no chance of even getting one....I think although Bubba is super agile
I don't think he could get a bird unless it's injured. Blowing leaves is his crack...he can't seem to leave any
alone when it's breezy. So many leaves here right now even though the landscaping guys come several times
a week.
Good luck tsukitsune.
I was curious about Jazz and the cats. When she sees them outside our door, she doesn't bark, but whines like, "Why can't I go out and play?" - when she outside, she smells the cats (who ignore Jazz completely) and walks off. 'stache has been around the longest - about 12 years and was devoted to my previous dog, so I wasn't that surprised. Wolfenstein has been around for almost 8 years. She looks at Jazz, meows and then is on full ignore. Todd is the youngest at 4 (or so) and he seems to be puzzled at how the big cat (Jazz) gets to go inside. When Jazz comes in, a few minutes later you'll hear something hit the front door - which is Todd thinking the magic portal has opened and he can come in - no such luck for him. Todd will stalk Jazz, but if Jazz wants to smell Todd, Todd could care less.