Getting a shy dog to like a cat

Question

I have a very nice, well-behaved cat who seems to like one of my dogs very much (probably because she does not get up in his face like the others). He likes to sit with her, but she is very nervous around him and panics. I have had this dog for seven years or so, so I know her very well and I know she is skittish anyway, but I think she would like the cat quite a bit if I could get her to stop panicking around her. I think her fear of the cat comes from the use of his claws, but they were removed six months ago and she still has not gotten over it. I have tried a few times to hold her gently when the cat approaches, but that only made it worse. Keeping one of them busy with treats does not help much either, for some reason.

Does anybody have any ideas about this?

Answer 1

I wouldn't try to force a relationship on them. It sounds like your dog is giving the cat the respect the cat insisted on before it was de-clawed. If you don't pressure them they might decide to be friends on their own. If you try to push the dog into it it will likely make the dog avoid the cat more.

I don't know a lot about cats but it may be that what you are seeing is that the cat likes the dog because the dog isn't interested in the cat at all. So for the cat, this dog is a no-pressure situation. For the dog, this is a high-pressure situation. If you let them alone the dog may realize over time that it can trust the cat. Or it may not, but if you try to force the situation you will likely be adding more pressure for the dog which is why it would avoid the cat even more.