[andragonous]

We have a seven year old Golden retriever. We rescued him when he was 2 and have had him for five years. We have two cats that were in the family for years before we had the dog. We taught our dog very quickly to leave the cats alone and I have never known him to hurt them or chase them. He will occasionally bark at them or growl at them if they try to take his food or get too close to him. But these instances are rare. For the most part he ignores them.

However, in the last two months both of my cats have had nasty wounds that look like a bite. They're not particularly deep; just large scabs really. I thought it was strange that it happened to both of them but I didn't suspect the dog because he's never shown much aggression towards the cats at all. Also the size of the wound (maybe the size of a large coin) made me think that they'd been bitten by something much smaller than a golden retriever. However, I recently heard him bark very aggressively at one of the cats. I didn't see exactly what happened because I was only alerted when I heard the dog bark very aggressively. I then saw the cat run away. Maybe it's in my head but it seemed more aggressive than when he's barked at the cats before.

My questions are:
1. Do you think it's likely that the dog bit the cats in light of what I've told you?
2. Does anyone else have an experience of a dog showing no aggression towards cats for a long period of time, and then suddenly changing their behavior?
3. If so, what could have caused this change?

 

[sassafras]

It's not impossible, but if a dog the size of a golden retriever seriously bit a cat, generally speaking I'd expect the cat to be pretty badly injured.

Is it possible the cats are fighting with one another?

 

[Dawnben]

My dog bit my cat 2 times and the wound was about the size of a quarter. They lived together for 2 years then we moved and the problem started after the move. We did this to correct it. I gave the cats the upstairs with a baby gate to allow them a safe place.
Diamonds in the Ruff

 

[revolutionrocknroll]

Are they indoor or outdoor cats?

 

[andragonous]

Are they indoor or outdoor cats?

One is almost constantly outdoors and the other spends most his indoors but does go outside daily. They could have picked it up from anything but I found it strange that they both got bite marks on separate occasions in a short space of time.

 

[andragonous]

My dog bit my cat 2 times and the wound was about the size of a quarter. They lived together for 2 years then we moved and the problem started after the move. We did this to correct it. I gave the cats the upstairs with a baby gate to allow them a safe place.
Diamonds in the Ruff

Interesting... trouble is I could be speculating about things like this and I have no idea if he actually bit them or not.

We did used to have the upstairs as a no dog zone (the cats have always been allowed upstairs) for hair related reasons but have relented in the last year and allowed him to sleep upstairs outside of bedroom. Retrievers are extremely clingy and he doesn't like sleeping far from the pack.

Perhaps this infringement on cat territory has caused some friction.

 

[andragonous]

It's not impossible, but if a dog the size of a golden retriever seriously bit a cat, generally speaking I'd expect the cat to be pretty badly injured.

Is it possible the cats are fighting with one another?

Possible, they do scrap occasionally but have never given each other much more than surface scratches. Now they're getting older they fight a lot less anyway.

And each of the cats received their wound on separate occasions.

I don't know... it just looks more severe than what the cats have would done to each other.

 

[MrsCunningham]

Is it possible other cats from the outside got into a bit of a tussle with them?
?

 

[RaiderBaider]

How are you cats behaving around the dog? Different? Or typical behaviour?

I ask because a month ago my cat got knabbed by a coyote and did soft tissue damage in his hip joint (either from the attack or getting away we will never know). He needed surgery to shave the head of his femur so that he wouldn't be in pain anymore and is just starting to get around semi-normally. Raider is a kitty chaser. My husband asked how I knew it wasn't him and this is how I know: if anything, Sprocket and Raider have gotten closer. Because of sprocket's personality, if my dog attacked him he would not be behaving this way. Heck he wants outside so bad but as soon as the door is opened he takes off.

If your dog has been attacking your cats... I'm you pretty sure will know. Just watch the cats around the dog. They will let you know.

 

[dibbythedog]

Its difficult to say. Whereabouts are the wounds?
If your cats go outside , there could be a new cat on the block.
It it possible you cats could have picked up ringworm or something?
Might be worth having the vet check them over.

 

[mathilda]

i would keep the animals sparated when you can't supervise until you know more.
It could be the dog, but it could also be that the cats are fighting among each other.