Introducing an Irish Setter with a Cat

Despite the misunderstanding, a lot of pet dogs and felines can cohabit peacefully. Follow these easy to follow actions to find out how to best introduce your Irish Setter with a cat.

1. Make sure your Irish Setter knows fundamental commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’ and ‘down’ before meeting.
2. Make a safe area for both your Irish Setter and feline, where the other family pet can not go into.
3. Keep them separated initially, for the very first couple of days. Make sure both Irish Setter and cat have had the needed shots.
4. Feed your Irish Setter and your feline on opposite sides of a closed door. This helps make them affiliate each other’s existence with enjoyable things.
5. Once they both can consume calmly next to the door, commence having meet and greets in a common space of the house. Keep the first couple of sessions short and calm with your Irish Setter on a leash. Award both family pets for really good behaviour.
6. Proceed these face to face sessions every day. Ensure to conserve your pets’ favourite treats for these sessions. If your feline wants to leave, allow them to, but make sure your Irish Setter does not chase. Attempt ending the sessions just before any pet shows indications of stress or resentment.
7. When they seem like they’re getting a long well, allow them to hang around in the space with each other. If any stress appears, return back to the previous steps and repeat them.

Why do Irish Setters Hate Cats?

Not all Irish Setters hate cats, some get along with them. When Irish Setters do dislike cats, of the most typical reason is quite straightforward. Like all canines, Irish Setters still keep a few of the hunting reactions that they were originally reproduced for. This is why Irish Setters like going after all moving items, whether it’s a ball, rodent, or a cat.

Given that the majority of felines will escape when they encounter, it’s simple to see why they are understood for not being friendly with each other. Irish Setters in fact enjoy chasing felines not due to the fact that they hate them, however generally since a quick running animal triggers a strong, natural behavioral instinct to chase overcomes any training or socialisation.

How to Stop Irish Setters Chasing Cats?

Training your Irish Setter to stop going after cats takes time, training and consistency, however the benefit of not needing to fret about them continuously going after is well worth it. Here are the steps of how to stop your Irish Setter from chasing after cats.

1. Keep your Irish Setter on a leash while loose when your cat is in the same room.
2. Whenever your feline is close to your Irish Setter, stop what you are doing and get your Irish Setter’s focus. If he listens, give him a treat!
3. Keep awarding your Irish Setter up until the cat disappears. If the cat remains give your Irish Setter a chew reward or toy so they remain focused on their reward.
4. Regularly redo the above phases and you’ll see your Irish Setter instinctively sit and look up to you when they see the feline. Do not forget to keep awarding them!
5. If they are now automatically taking a look at you each time the cat remains in the room, they’re prepared to be using a longer leash. If they still attempt to go after the cat at this point reel them in and go back to step 2.
6. Finally, take the long leash off and allow your Irish Setter and feline in the very same space. At this moment your Irish Setter should know not to chase the cat, but if they do go back to step 5.

How to Stop Irish Setters Killing Cats?

The very best method to ensure your Irish Setter would never ever kill a feline is to raise them with felines when they’re a pup prior to 3 months old. At this age, they will usually wish to play with the cats and will not see them as prey.

If your Irish Setter has eliminated a feline previously, its best if you keep them in an open, enclosed area. When taking them for walks try to prevent going after dusk and prior to dawn because that’s when cats are very active and likely to be wandering the neighborhoods.