Why does my dog slime my new kitten?

June 17, 2006 11:27 AM

Why is my dog sliming my new kitten?

I have a 2.5 year old male, neutered yellow lab and I've recently introduced a three month old male, neutered kitten into the house. The dog and kitten seem to get along ok so far, but the dog does this weird thing. He often corners the kitten and nuzzles him--no biting, no licking, no mouthing. He just uses his lips and gets the kitten all slimy. Why on earth would the dog be so intent on doing this?

posted by gokart4xmas to Pets & Animals (7 answers total)

Are you sure he's not just giving the kitten a good sniffing and the sliming is a byproduct?

i find that my dogs frequently need to re-sniff the other pets, problably to make sure they haven't changed while the dog wasn't looking.

But then, my dogs are kinda wacky.
posted by quin at 12:15 PM on June 17, 2006

I'm tempted to say your dog is making the kitten smell like a dog in order to help himself bond to the kitten as a new member of the pack.

I'd be very interested to know how much pack members mouth new puppies the way your dog does your kitten.
posted by jamjam at 12:57 PM on June 17, 2006

Our dog did this to a kitten, I think it was sort of a paternal thing as it rapidly turned into him carrying the kitten everywhere in his mouth, sleeping with it, defending it from other animals etc. The kitten was slimy pretty much until he got big enough to fend the dog off but no lasting harm was done.
posted by fshgrl at 3:29 PM on June 17, 2006

Totally off-topic but when I read this I read it as why is my dog sliming my new kitchen. And I thought - how bizarre, must read this thread more.
posted by heartquake at 5:43 PM on June 17, 2006

Can't help with the why, just a "my dog does this too." The dog in question is a Scottish terrier younger than the cat in question by about 2 years. I think they're both interpreting it as affection of some sort, because the cat has an easy out from where he's typically cornered, and if the other (asshole) dog comes a'sniffin', he gets out immediately. I would definitely describe it as a "nuzzling" - it's different than the sniffing she does at different times, but the mouth stays closed. And she doesn't get the cat all that slimy, but she's not that drooly of a pup, so maybe that explains the difference.
posted by ferociouskitty at 7:18 PM on June 17, 2006

I don't have a good answer but it makes me giggle every time I read your post. Honestly, I'd be happy that the dog likes the new critter. I'm guessing he is totally baffled by the thing cuz to him it sorta looks like a puppy, sorta feels like a puppy, but makes weird noises is kinda skinny. I, personally, would love a picture of this sliming. Sounds adorable.
posted by radioamy at 1:45 AM on June 18, 2006

I read this I read it as why is my dog sliming my new kitchen.

Glad I'm not the only one that saw that.

And... poor kitty!!
posted by melt away at 8:52 AM on June 18, 2006