Are German Shepherds Good With Cats? A Good Question for Pet Lovers!

GSD Advisor Team

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First let’s have a look at some of FAQS…

A few weeks ago, I adopted a kitten. After some research, I found out that German Shepherds are very popular family dogs and their owners rave about them; however, I’ve heard the opposite as well. Are they good with other animals? Can anyone help me decide if this is true or not? Thanks!

Answer: Yes they are good with cats! My friend has one of those and he absolutely loves it. He tells me about him playing with the cat all the time. Yes they really do like cats but make sure u have lots of time for training your dog to behave around new pets/strangers. My dog hates any animal at first sight but I brought home a cat and after a week or so he was fine with it Yes…my GS is really good with cats. I had to train him though, bc he’s such a large breed dog. But once he was trained LOADS of fun!

YES, german shepherds are good with cats but I think you should get another type of dog like a golden retriever because they shed ALOT and also they’re hypoallergenic. hope this helps Reply Delete yes for sure just take your time training them and socializing them together things will be fine the only thing that may happen is that the cat might scratch the dog’s nose as both my dogs have been scratched by our kitten.

YES, german shepherds are very good with cats in fact my cat is really afraid of anything but my dog and when I adopted a second dog the cat just became friends with them both within about one week.

YES, you can train your German Sheperd to know that the kitten is just another pet in the house, not prey. Socializing them young helps too so they learn to respect each other’s space.

My dad has two German Shepherds and they act like any other animal around them (cats, rabbits, hamsters etc). I think what makes it easier for them to get along is if you raise them together from day dot. If you do this then yes 99% of the time they will be fine. However, if you get a kitten and then go on to get a German shepherd, they might not like the fact that the kitten is running around.

My husband and I had an older rescue GSD who absolutely loved cats! She would let her little sister (a 10 week old tabby) crawl all over her and pounce on her, she never tried to bite or anything like that – she was more of a play-buddy than anything else. But…if your dog is still young enough for some training, it’s possible it may try to play too roughly with your cat so be sure to teach it how far it can go before either animal gets hurt. And don’t leave them alone together unsupervised until you are sure they can get along.

All of these comments are totally untrue. I have a 2 year old German Shepherd and she hates cats so much to the point where even if my cat is in another room, she will cry to go get him or tries to find him. If you get a GSD be very careful about it because they aren’t good with other pets. This is not just my dog either, everyone I know has had this same problem. One person actually got their cat killed by their GSD. Honestly, if the cat’s alive at first it won’t stay that way for long.

My two GSDs hate cats…they’ve learned over time to tolerate them but never forget to give them dirty looks if the cat is in their path. They are TERRIFIED of our Chihuahua, but that’s another story!

My German Shepherd loves my cat and cat loves him back. We had to take some time for them to get along but they’re friends now.

YES, they can be very good with cats just test it out first before leaving them alone together just in case, most dogs do not like other breeds/species differently than they are I don’t know if this helps any or whatsoever I’ve never tried one on one training with a german shepherd.

Cats and German shepherds

As an owner of both a cat and a dog, I have different opinions on each. I love them both equally but for different reasons. If you are someone who likes dogs or likes cats, you should read this.

When people see me with my cute little dog, everyone wants to pet him and knows his name before they even ask mine. They ask what he is and then talk about how small he is. He has never bitten anyone although strangers want to touch his teeth! Well…he might nibble here and there but he’s harmless.

My cat gets the normal “aww”s when people see her for the first time because she is so soft to the touch (she has very fine hair). People make comments like “I bet she’s so soft”, “does she really sit on your lap?”, “you’re so lucky”! But they never bother to ask her name.

The dog gets extra attention because it is easier to recognize him than the cat. The cat goes about her business and no one knows that she exists unless you tell them or show them a picture of her (like me right now). I think the reason why people like dogs more than cats is because of their size. People say that you can’t judge a book by its cover (i.e its body) but unfortunately, most people do just that! If you want something with personality, go for little Miss Kitty. You’ll always get affection from her if you offer it first!

Will a german shepherd kill my cat?

I’ve had my new kitten for a week, and I noticed my German Shepherd seems a little on edge. She’s fine with the kitten if she’s in her crate or on my lap, but as soon as the kitten is loose, she tries to attack it. I’ve been able to break up their fights before they escalate into anything serious, but I’d like to avoid that. This may not be possible as some people have told me German Shepherds will always try to dominate cats.

While most dogs would rather spend time with humans than chase after pesky cats, they usually realize pretty quickly that felines aren’t part of their “pack.” However, there are some dogs who do not take kindly to cats at all, especially if the dog has never lived with one before. If your dog has never shared her area with a cat, she may consider the kitten an intruder and try to remove it from her territory by force. This is where you come in!

As soon as the kitten begins roaming free throughout your home, your dog will follow along shortly after. If your German Shepherd sees that you are intervening into their battles, she’ll learn very quickly that it’s fine for her to act aggressively; unfortunately, this will only make things worse in the long run. To avoid any issues between your pets, pay close attention to them while they are together or crate them when you cannot supervise. The more your pets fight, the more likely they are to continue fighting with one another in the future.

Following these simple rules will make living with both cats and dogs much less stressful for everyone involved. If you have any other questions or concerns about how your pets act when they are together, make an appointment with your veterinarian today.

One of the most common questions German Shepherd owners ask themselves is “Do German Shepherds hate cats?” or “Are German Shepherds cat safe?”

As a dedicated shepherd owner, you want to protect your cat from your dog. The relationship between these two animals can either go very well or terribly wrong. There are many circumstances and reasons why dogs and cats might not be the best of friends. However, there are also plenty of examples where they become inseparable pals.

One thing we know for sure is that every animal has its own personality and temperament. In addition, it depends on how you bring them up living together in the same house.

Before answering this question, let’s first do a recap on both species:

Cat Facts

Cats are probably the most popular pet in the world. They love to spend hours playing by themselves or with their human friends. Another characteristic is they all look somewhat alike, even if they come from different breeds. This is because they evolved to become part of our homes and their main survival instinct became to get along perfectly with humans. Their affection makes them perfect pets for both adults and kids who want a low-maintenance animal that purrs when it’s happy instead of barking non-stop!

Since cats are hunters by nature, you have to teach your German Shepherd early on that the cat belongs to the house too so there’s no need to chase it down. It will be difficult for your shepherd not to see itself as the “alpha” and become protective over its territory.

If you were wondering why your shepherding keeps chasing and barking at the cat, it’s probably because he sees it as a threat or prey. It will take patience and time before they realize that the cat is on their side and not an enemy to be feared. In addition, proper socialization from puppyhood onwards will make a difference in how both react around each other.

Q: Why do cats wash themselves all the time?

A: Cats are very clean animals by nature. So much so that they love to spend hours cleaning themselves with their paws and tongue. They groom themselves up to five times a day! However, this does depend on their breed, age, health condition, and overall personality.

Q: Why do cats knead?

A: This is something kittens do with their paws to stimulate milk flow from the mother cat. As adult cats, they still do this when they feel comfortable and happy. You can recognize this by seeing your cat push its paws down on top of you or another animal who’s lying beside them. It might happen especially after a mealtime or before sleeping.

German Shepherd Facts

As mentioned earlier, German Shepherds are one of the most popular pet dogs in the world today. They rank first among breeds that need lots of attention because these intelligent animals love spending time with their human family members. They also love having an active lifestyle which will allow them to not only release excess energy but also stay in tip-top shape.

On the downside, German Shepherds are very protective and territorial. This means that strangers will need to pass their test before they can be trusted around you and your family. As such, it’s important to socialize them with other pets like cats from an early age so they won’t be afraid or threatened by any sort of company!

A well-trained shepherd is a good match for your cat because he will know his boundaries and make sure the cat stays within the safety zone at all times. If both get along, there shouldn’t be any problems which might lead to fights between them.

Are German shepherds aggressive with cats?

Q: My 12-year-old daughter recently moved in with us after living only with her mother since birth. Our new house has 3 cats, and I am afraid she might get too rough with them. She isn’t used to animals and seems very frightened of the cats (she even cries sometimes when they look at her). She does love animals, just not sure how to approach them. We have had dogs all of our lives and some of these were breeders that we raised from pups and showed in local dog shows along the way. Short story is that we want a German shepherd, but my concern is about it getting too aggressive with the cats if they run out of fear. Can you offer any suggestions?

Answer and suggestion

A: There are many possibilities to consider when you’re considering adding a German shepherd to your family. For starters, if your daughter is young and cannot be consistent with her interactions with the cats, I would seriously reconsider getting another dog at this time. Dogs are pack animals and, as such, they thrive on structure. This means that everyone in the family needs to work together toward one common goal of providing the dog with rules she must follow, which includes not chasing any pets or livestock on the property!

A German shepherd will need at least an hour of exercise each day (more during active puppyhood), so daily walks or jogs are important not only for the dog’s physical health but also for her mental health. If possible, involve your daughter in these walks and hikes to provide her with an opportunity to bond with the dog. German shepherds make wonderful family pets, but they require a lot of thought, planning, and structure in order for everyone to live in peace!

I would like to add that you might talk with your daughter’s mother or someone else who knows her well enough about how she gets along (or doesn’t) with animals. Perhaps this person can also help you come up with ways for your daughter to interact more positively – and confidently – when it comes time for the new pup to meet the cats. I wish you all the best!

Conclusion

The relationship between cats and dogs depends on how you raise them together. If you are patient enough to work with them every day, you will notice quite fast how both species learn to coexist without any problems.

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