Leaving cat and dog alone unsupervised? (When you're out)

[Michele Kiss]

Question for those of you with a cat also. Fenway is a 1+ year old miniature labradoodle. Bella is a 9-year-old cranky (fat) cat who just wants to nap all day and be left alone. They tolerate each other. (Mostly, it seems like Fenway bugs her to play. She will hold her own but has never hurt him. More like, she'll bat him around but to date, hasn't caused damage. Sometimes it even seems like she might be playing with him?! Like right now they are running around the house. She COULD go hide on her perch if she wanted to be left alone, but she just chased him up the stairs. However, her tail is all puffy. It's hard to read them sometimes...)

My question: Do you leave your cat and doodle alone together in the house when you're out? Do you feel safe doing so?

For context... Currently when we go out, we leave Fenway alone in our bedroom (sometimes in his crate, mostly not) and Bella has the rest of the house. But Fenway barks non-stop when left alone (no matter how tired, even if we leave amazing treats, hide treat balls, leave his favourite special toys, wearing thundershirt - we've tried it all.)

I wonder if he would be happier (i.e. less barking...) wehn we're gone if he could run around the house, and if he had her for company. Even if they weren't interacting - just knowing someone else was there.

But I don't know how safe I feel leaving them unsupervised. It doesn't take much for something to go wrong.... Looking for any advice and how you knew it was safe to leave multiple pets alone. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I would say only you can answer that question. Every dog and cat are different. We have left Enzo alone in the house with our 4 cats, since she was 6 months old. Two, she knows will scratch at her if she bothers them and will give them a wide berth. The other 2,( and are the younger ones) adore her and play with her all the time. We have never had any issues and I don't worry at all. But your grouping could be totally different.

[Malenie Piscetelli]

My opinion, don't leave your cat and doodle alone together in the house when you are out. Not a good idea. It's not safe. I have a t-cup poodle and he is12 1/2 years. I have a goldendoodle and she is 16 mos old. I never put in the same room. He is upstairs and she is downstairs. I have a gate upstairs. Again, this is my opinion

[Lorrie W.]

I have a dog and two cats.  Tiger, a somewhat naughty cat, has been known to cause problems (when we are home or away) so the dog and Tiger are placed safely into their crates while we are away from the house.

[Judith and Addie]

I have a 15 month old doodle, and two cats -  a 7 yr old female and a 4.5 yr old male. When I leave the house, they are all left loose. The most important part about having a cat and a dog in a house together, I think, is making certain that there are areas where the cats can go without the dog being able to follow. In my house, part of my laundry room is gated off partly because otherwise the puppy goes for the cat poop, and also as a place for cats to hang out. The upstairs which I use infrequently is also gated off

My female wants no part of the dog, and frequently hisses at her. They tolerate each other. The male is somewhat of a friend to my doodle. My doodle, Addie, will often clean his ears, and he in turn sometimes will walk up almost against her in that back-arched, weave cats do. Addie also will try to play with him; she knows it is a lost cause to try to play with the female cat. The male  gets annoyed with her trying to get him to play, and he will chase her across a room, tail straight up and out like a bottle brush. Since the cat had been very ill a couple months ago, I told my vet about the chase and asked if it was stressing the cat. His response was that it is not the reaction of a scared cat, just annoyed, and not to worry.

[Kathryn Clark]

We have a ten year old cat who behaves the same as yours and unfortunately, an overenthusiastic doodle who just wants to terrorize our cat even though he likely thinks it's play. We were told by two trainers never to leave them alone together. You just never know if you're not 100% sure. It really does depend on the individual relationship but I know in our case, I wouldn't trust them together.

[Diane, Hurley and Sidney]

I am inclined to agree with Rosemary.  Every dog and car are different.  We had two cats when we got Hurley.   He did not seem to have much interest in them at all and they sort of shrugged him off.   We initially kenneled Hurley when we were leaving the house.  Not because of fear for the cats but because we did not know how much mischief he would get into.  It wasn't long before we would leave him for short periods free in the house with the cats.  Nothing every happened.  The cats have since moved on to kitty heaven (they lived long loving lives.  One was 22 years old and the other was 23 years old).

When we had to put the first one to sleep Hurley and the remaining cat (Nicho) stayed very close together for several days afterwards.  Nicho weighing in at 5 lbs and Hurley at 55 lbs.   Their bond was interesting. Hurley seemed to want to look after her.   When we had to put her down Hurley went to her favorite napping places and checked for her for several days.

However, Hurley's doodle girl friend has always spent many a sleep over at our house.  When she is over I would put the cat in our bedroom and keep the door closed because she seemed to think the cat was a toy she could play rather roughly with.

She learned to 'enough' which meant to leave the cat alone but I never left her alone free in the house with the cat.

Every dog is different and every cat is different.   

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Yes, we do. We have two cats that are so old, one would walk with a cane if she could.  She however, is always in charge.  We even say that when we leave.  " Behave and remember, Laz, is IN CHARGE"  We have said that for years. 

Cats and Dogs have had relationships thousands of years before you and I came along.

If you are in doubt though, get an inexpensive camera and watch into your home. I have one I rarely use. The smart phone app was 5$ and I could see everything.  It really gave me some insight as to what goes on when I am gone. Basically--nothing but sleep. Sleep.  Honestly, they vie for your attention so when you are around, there is always an issue.  Once you are gone, they probably cuddle up together 

I'm sure they are fine. Is  your dog  okay not being in a crate though?  Would he chew anything. I might be more concerned with that issue than the cat.  Cats are... well they can certainly hold their own when it comes to dogs 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I'd say you're the best one to judge.  I kept Finn penned in the kitchen and my 2 cats outside the gate when I was gone until FInn was about a year old.  I had to supervise him as a pup to get him to understand the cats were not toys.   Mistral could handle himself but Song is just too sweet.  Now that he's older, he and Song have the run of the house.  They are fine together.  

[Michele Kiss]

Thanks everyone. Funnily enough, today Fenway has been overly harassing Bella, which (together with good feedback) sealed the deal a little for me! Might wait till he's a bit older before even trying this... maybe in a year or two he'll start calming down :-) 

[Nala and Cooper]

I have a 4 year old Maine Coon Munch and 8 week doodle Nala. Nala loves to nip at Munchies long luxurious tail and he tries his best to avoid her its so entertaining! Munch is very smart he knows she is a baby and not a threat. But I NEVER leave them together unsupervised. I keep them in seperate rooms when no ones home. Better safe than sorry!