Husky // Lab mix and cats?

I'm going to go against the grain a bit here. Knowing a lot of huskies who live peacefully with cats and having acclimated a die-hard chasing retired racing greyhound and an Alaskan husky mix to cats myself, I'm a pretty firm believer that if you go about it right it can usually (not always) be done. The keys are vigilant supervision, training, and management. Your first responsibility is to your cats and you need to set things up so they always, always have escapes and safe places while you are training a solid leave it with the dog and running interference as necessary. It's simple, but not easy - it's a lot of work and you always have to be paying attention. You need to be honest with yourself about whether this is the kind of environment and attention you can maintain.

Having said that, a couple of things. One, a five month old puppy that someone is giving away, if he fits the stereotype of puppies being given away at that age, is probably ill-mannered/ untrained/ lacking discipline and you may have your hands full with him cats or no cats. So this particular puppy may not be the best choice. Two, having dogs and cats together is always a risk no matter the dog or the breed. I've known dogs of various breeds who have killed or injured a cat in the household after living peacefully with them for years.

sassafras said:

Yea I dig it, I just didn't take it the same way you did.

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I am going to agree with Sas....

To a degree anyway..... I am not a cat person but in 2005, I got engaged to a cat person. At the time I had an ACD and a foster dog that was looking for a new home because she had killed two cats.

Wife moved in with her two cats and Lab. Had more issues(not many but a couple) getting the Lab to settle in. Never had a cat issue.

Currently have three dogs, two of them ACD's, plus rescue dogs, dogs I am training, etc come through and never have cat issues. I have used the cats, because they are very dog savvy on more than one occasion to train rescues and client dogs to be peaceful with cats.


That being said...... I am under no illusions.

1) It is un natural for an apex predator like a dog to be "friends" with a mid level predator like a cat. In the wild the dog would kill the cat just to eleminate competition.

2) Dog and cat body language is very different. For example ears down in dogs means one thing. But something very different in cats. It is up to the owner to bridge all that mis communication.

3) Cats naturally run from dogs. Dogs naturally chase things that run from them. Something can start with no ill intent and end up with instinct taking over. What looks like a game can change if the cat gets cornered.

I follow three simple rules....

1) NEVER leave dogs and cats together un supervised.

2) No chasing the cats

3) No ambushes or drive bys on the dogs by cats.

The key is to pay attention. Not just to what the animals are doing. But at looks, gestures, who is paying too much attention to whom... etc. Deal with and re direct behavior BEFORE it turns into something..


Using the above, I have no issues and have helped a number of confirmed canine cat haters into dogs that live peacefully with cats.

You could, but it takes a lot of time and effort and even then they should never be left alone together. I have a lab/husky/mastiff mix and it took a lot of effort to get him to not go after my cat. Getting either a dog that's been screened around cats or a puppy between 8-18 weeks is best. Even then, you have to be sure your cats are good with other dogs as well. Some cats, like mine, hate dogs and it stresses them out to be around them. I have two floors to my house and keep them separated. Even when I allow my dog upstair, I keep him away from my cat because my cat tries to fight him (oddly not the other way around). So if I were you, I would do a lot of research both on training and socialization before getting a dog. Also rather than a husky/lab mix, it might be best if you got a dog who wasn't bred for hunting and doesn't have such a high energy level. Even my dog, though he is fine around cats, still has a high prey drive when it comes to most other things so I suggest a mild or low energy breed that was bred more as a companion dog. Also, it's best to look for a reputable breeder or at least pay to get a puppy or got vet checked before deciding. Dogs from a backyard breeder can end up with many health problems. My dog is from a backyard breeder, but I also had him checked by a vet before getting him and I saw his parents' medical records. It's best to go with a breeder known to sell healthy puppies with good temperaments.

I'm in the crowd that says it can be done. My Jax came to me as a 6 month old Husky/"Lab" mix. The lab part has all but been disproven. In any case, while I was aware enough of possible issues and needing to take it slowly, I've since learned I could have introduced them to one another in still a better way. In any case, Turbo (my cat) has always had his places in the house he can go but Jax can't. This typically includes upstairs (Jax is only allowed upstairs at bed time, and even then is confined to my room while Turbo can skirt under the gate and roam freely), and downstairs, Jax isn't allowed on the futon, as the end has a blanket in the corner where Turbo often soaks in the sun through the windows. When I'm gone, Jax is confined to his crate, or sometimes has free roam of the kitchen, however, Turbo has multiple escape routes to get in and out (and he will indeed go in). When home, I watch them closely. Jax will dart after Turbo and attempt to play. Sometimes his playfulness turns more into prey-mode and he seems to be truly going after Turbo. He's still learning, even after 3 months, that that's a no-go. I'll clap my hands, I'll sternly shout at him, or if handy, I'll squirt him with a water bottle. It's still a work in progress, and he definitely has his moments when he's too aggressive and goes for the neck, but it's not too difficult for me, being that Jax is confined to a limited amount of space in the house, even when I'm home. You can do it, and any particular dog may do well or may never do well, but supervision is an absolute must.