Can Lurchers Live With Cats – Socializing Your Pets & More

A lurcher is a cross between a sighthound and other dog breeds, and because of their sighthound parent, many people wonder; can Lurchers live with cats?

Yes; lurchers can live with cats when they have been adequately socialized to them at a young age. Lurchers that have not been properly socialized to cats will have difficulty coexisting with them.

As with any dog, proper socialization to pets, children, and other beings in the home is essential. Below we’ll share some things you should know about Lurchers and their common behaviors around cats. This will help you get an idea if you can have them live together nit the same home or not!

Is A Lurcher Good With Cats

Lurchers can do well with cats if they are socialized to them and are taught not to chase them from a young age. As a result, it is best to get a Lurcher as a young puppy if you plan to have cats in your home. This is because Lurchers are closely related to Greyhounds, and both kinds of dogs have a strong instinct to chase small animals like cats. 

Do Lurchers Kill Cats

A lurcher could potentially kill or severely harm a cat if they have not been adequately socialized to them. This is simply due to the lurcher’s natural prey and chase drive. After all, Lurchers and other sighthounds like them were originally bred to chase and hunt small furry animals like rabbits. Although cats and rabbits appear to be very different creatures to us, humans, a dog like a Lurcher, could get the two confused if they have not been properly introduced to cats or were taught not to chase them from an early age. 

Are Lurchers Good Pets

Lurchers are great dogs that can make a great companion for the right family. Considering that a lurcher is a cross between any sighthound breed and any other kind of dog, there are many variabilities when it comes to the lurcher’s temperament. Nevertheless, lurchers are generally known to be gentle and intelligent dogs. It is also essential to know that Lurchers are very active dogs as well. Therefore, prospective Lurcher owners need to give them regular, daily exercise. 

Are Lurchers Easy To Train

The lurcher is a dog that is known to be very intelligent and pretty obedient most of the time, so they tend to be pretty easy to train. Considering these dogs’ gentle nature, the lurcher best responds to positive reinforcement training methods. It is also good to keep training sessions short and sweet to prevent confusing or overwhelming them. When you combine the lurcher’s trainability with their drive to run, chase and exercise, you also get a dog that will be a great hunting companion. In addition to this, lurchers also tend to do well in dog sports events such as agility, luring, and racing. 

This is also good news for those who are looking to have both a cat and a lurcher as pets. This is because you can train a lurcher puppy to live well with cats and not chase them. It is easier to do this when the lurcher is still a puppy, though, because the dog is still small and pretty harmless to an adult cat at this point. This way, training a lurcher to live around cats is not dangerous to our feline friends. 

Things To Consider 

You may want to consider some other things when it comes to whether or not Lurchers can live safely with cats. These include how to introduce a dog and cat safely and why proper socialization to cats is vital for Lurchers. Here are some other things to consider about lurchers living with cats. 

How To Introduce A Cat And Dog Safely

There are a couple of things that you should keep in mind when introducing a dog and a cat for the first time. These include controlling the situation and being aware of both your dog’s and cat’s body language. 

When introducing a dog and a cat face to face for the first time, it is crucial that you know and pay attention to your pets’ body language throughout the entire interaction. If either your dog or cat appears to be uncomfortable, you should back them off and redirect them with things like treats or toys. If either of your pets gives an inclination that they may become aggressive, you should end the interaction immediately. 

It is also a good idea to maintain control over the interaction as it happens. A great way to maintain control is to have your dog on a leash. This way, you can easily remove them if they lunge at the cat or if they become aggressive or overly nervous. Teaching your dog basic commands such as leave it, stay, and lie down are also great tools to have. 

Some people also choose to introduce the smell of the other pet before face-to-face interactions. This will desensitize both of your pets to the others’ smell, which tends to make the first actual meeting go more smoothly. It is suggested that you place an object with the other pet’s scent in the room when they are doing something that they enjoy, such as playing or eating. This allows them to associate the other pet’s scent with good things. 

Why Is Proper Socialization To Cats Important For Lurchers 

Proper socialization with cats is essential for having a lurcher and cat live together in the same home. This is because lurchers were initially bred to chase and hunt small furry animals like rabbits and other small mammals. Unfortunately, a Lurcher who hasn’t been properly socialized to cats could confuse them for something you want them to chase and hunt. 

As you can imagine, an unsocialized lurcher could be a significant threat to a cat. As a result, it is always best to adopt a lurcher as a puppy. This way, you can ensure that they are appropriately socialized to your cat from an early age. You also have the opportunity to train your lurcher not to chase cats while the lurcher is still small and relatively harmless to your feline friend. 

In some cases, you may also be able to find an adult lurcher that has been introduced to cats and seems to do well with them. In these cases, you should be a bit more cautious when it comes to bringing them into your home. It is always a good idea to ask a foster home or rescue about the lurcher’s previous interactions with cats, how they have acted in these interactions, and how extensive their socialization to cats has been.