[Puppy*Luv]

Hi there,

Next week I'll be bringing home my pup, and I'd like to know if its even possible to teach a dog not to eat the cat food? If possible, how so?

My cat gets one scoop of food in the morning, then one at night, so I guess she is free fed since she eats as she pleases until the scoops worth is gone. Is my only option to just put her food higher up and out of the pups reach?

I know everything is very tempting for pup, but I'd like to teach her that the cat food is off limit and not hers to touch.

Thanks

 

[TooneyDogs]

It's much easier to do it the way you suggested..out of reach. Same for the litter box. We keep them behind a wire baby gate with a cat sized hole cut-out.

 

[spotted nikes]

A toddler gate in the doorway of "the cat's room" will let the cat jump over, and keep the dog out. When the dog gets big, you can raise the toddler gate about a foot off the ground, so cat can go under and dog won't fit under.

 

[PattyU]

For my puppy, NOTHING is as tempting as cat food. Cat food seems like a drug or something. He wants it so bad. We feed our cat wet food.

 

[Elana55]

As said, feed cat where dog cannot get it and put cat box where dog cannot go....

I have the cat food and cat boxes in areas that are No dogs Allowed areas. She does not go in those areas and is trained not to.. but I do not trust her if I am in another room so when I can't watch she is confined. Of course I confine her when I cannot watch anyway because as much as she loves her kitties, I want no problems or accidents with the cats on the receiving end.

 

[drea]

I have the cat food and cat boxes in areas that are No dogs Allowed areas. She does not go in those areas and is trained not to..

How did you do that (the No Dogs Allowed areas)?

 

[Love's_Sophie]

Yes, yes, yes...keep the kitty food out of puppy's reach, and puppy's food out of kitty's reach. Each other's food is bad for the other, so it is best to keep it out of reach.

Keep your litter box in a gated off area, or in a room that you can put 'kitty door' on, or can keep cracked open just enough that only the kitty can slip in; and teach puppy to stay away from that area. Our cat's litter pans, food, and water are in a separate room that is cracked open; our dogs could slip in, but they have been taught not to go there. It only takes a bit of repetition for them to learn not to go to a certain place

 

[rosemaryninja]

My dogs aren't allowed in the bedrooms, and they're very good about respecting these boundaries. When they enter a "no dogs" zone, just give an "ah ah" and shepherd them out. No need to grab their collar or shout. Just body block them so they can't get in any further.

 

[Lolas_Dad]

How did you do that (the No Dogs Allowed areas)?

I have the cat litter box in the bathroom and being that my cat is male, I am male and Lola a female I told Lola that she is not allowed in the bathroom because it is a men"s room.

I have the bathroom door open all the time and she has tried to go in there so I just remind her again. That and keeping the door closed when I am out usually works. It's just that the cat has to wait till I get back before he can use his litter box. If I forget to open the door when I come home of the bathroom the cat usually reminds me by sitting outside of the bathroom and meowing very loudly.

 

[Elana55]

In my house there are no dog zones. No dogs in Bedrooms, bathrooms or kitchen. Period. I taught her by quickly crowding into her space and lleaning over her (dogs take this as a threat) and herded her out. Saying sternly, "Get Out!"

She is crated when I cannot watch her and when I go to work.

The cats MUST have UNLIMITED ACCESS to Litter Boxes so that they do not "hold it" and develop Urinary Tract Infections.

Holding it is a real problem for cats.. especially males.. and it can cause the urine Ph to rise. The less accidic urine allows bacteria to grow. It is the perfect culturing spot.. 100 degrees and wet.. and from this cat urine can develop Struvite Crystals which will BLOCK the cat's urethra. Cat is now stopped up and the backed up urine can kill the cat's kidnely function in less than 12 hours.

Having helped the E Vet pass a tom cat catheter on more than one occiasion I can tell you that is an expense (sometimes leading to a cat with reduced kidney funciton or death) you want to avoid and the best way is NEVER EVER restrict the cat's access to the litter box.

Train the dog so when you are present there is no problem. Restrict the dog's access to food and litter boxes physically if youa re not present or unable to train the dog. Use a crate if the dog's access to litter boxes and food is not restricted physically with gates.

Or let the dog eat the cat food (not good for the dog) and let the dog clean out the poop from the litter boxes (YUK and also not good for the dog).