The 20 Worst Dog Breeds to Have With Cats

There is a common misconception that cats do not get along with dogs, but this is not always true. In fact, cats and dogs can become the best of friends and live their lives happily together. Unfortunately, it’s a reality that some dog breeds just do not naturally get along with cats. This may be because they have a high prey drive, high energy, or because they can get jealous. This does not necessarily mean that these dogs cannot have good relationships with cats. It just means that they may require early socialization and training to ensure they do not chase, corner, or bark at cats. With that in mind, if you have a cat and want to introduce a dog to your cat, these are the 20 worst dog breeds to have with cats. That is, if training and socialization are not possible.

1. Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian cattle dog is a popular breed for its unusual coat, loyalty, and high energy. It is a medium-sized muscular dog that generally weighs between 33 and 49 lbs. The coat is short and comes in either red or blue with an unusual ticking pattern. This beautiful dog breed is a herding dog. This means that they have a high prey drive and will chase small animals such as cats. Australian cattle dogs may also try to herd animals – something cats will not appreciate.

2. Siberian Husky

The Siberian husky is a sought-after breed due to its beautiful appearance and outgoing temperament. It is a medium-sized dog that weighs between 35 and 60 pounds. The coat of the Siberian husky is thick and double-coated. Their thick fur helps them to withstand temperatures as low as -76°F. This beautiful breed is a working dog that was originally used for sled pulling. The Siberian husky would not do well with cats because of its high prey drive. If not properly socialized, this breed is likely to chase cats.

3. Greyhound

Greyhounds are a gentle and intelligent breed bred for coursing, racing, and hunting. They are tall, lean dogs with long legs and a tucked abdomen. They also have very deep chests, flexible spines, and elongated muzzles. Greyhounds generally weigh between 55 and 88 lbs. They have short fur, which can come in a range of different colors. The greyhound is not an ideal breed to keep with a cat due to its strong hunting instincts.

4. Scottish Deerhound

The Scottish deerhound is a friendly, dignified, and docile dog used to hunt deer, as its name suggests. It is a large dog that weighs between 80 and 100 lbs. It has a similar appearance to the greyhound but is larger and more heavily boned. The coat is harsh and wiry and generally gray in color. Because this breed was used to hunt deer, they have a high prey drive. Even with training, keeping a cat with a Scottish deerhound is not the best idea, as this breed is likely to chase your other pets.

5. Samoyed

The Samoyed is a beautiful, playful, and lively dog with a distinctive fluffy white coat. It is a medium-sized breed that weighs between 35 and 66 lbs. The Samoyed is a herding dog that assists in herding, hunting, sled-pulling, and more. This breed is not the best to keep with cats as they will pursue and kill cats if they are not stopped. Because of their stubborn nature, they may not be easily trained to stop chasing and killing cats.

6. Beagle

The beagle is a popular breed known for its intelligent and amiable temperament. It is a medium-sized dog that can weigh between 20 and 25 lbs. It is also characterized by its beautiful big eyes, large droopy ears, and strong neck. The coloring of the beagle will vary, but this breed will always have a white base color and some areas of a secondary color, with tan being the most common. The beagle is a hound breed that was bred for hunting hares. Although this breed is amiable, cats may look like prey to these dogs. On top of that, their high energy means they will tire out the cats they live with – not an ideal environment for cats.

7. Jack Russell Terrier

Jack Russell terriers are a small dog breed known for their high energy levels and fearless nature. These hunting dogs have a compact and muscular body with short legs to match and weigh between 13 and 17 pounds. Their coats are short and coarse and can come in various colors such as white, white and tan, or black and white. Due to their predatory nature and high drive to hunt, Jack Russell terriers are not usually suitable to be kept in households with cats. However, with proper training, it is possible to keep these two animals together, although it is not usually recommended.

8. American Pit Bull Terrier

The American pit bull terrier is a medium-sized, muscular, and affectionate breed. This breed can weigh between 30 and 60 lbs. The American pit bull terrier is strong, confident, and very loving, which makes it a popular dog breed. These dogs have short, glossy coats that come in a range of different colors and patterns. Because American pit bull terriers have a fighting spirit, they may chase cats even without the intention of hurting them. Early socialization is key, but this may not stop the dog from chasing cats.

9. Whippet

Whippets are small to medium-sized dogs with slender, muscular bodies and long legs. They are gentle and affectionate towards their owners and come in a variety of colors and patterns, such as black, white, brindle, red, blue, and fawn. Whippets are very high-energy dogs and love to express this energy through running and chasing. They have a high prey drive and an instinct to chase smaller animals, such as cats. Whippets are also incredibly fast, which makes catching a fleeing cat very easy for this breed. For this reason, whippets and cats should not be kept together, and constant supervision is required if they ever are.

10. Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is an incredibly popular dog breed that is part of the toy group. These adorable dogs are small and weigh between 8.8 and 16 lbs. They have short muzzles, large eyes, floppy ears, and soft and long fur. These dogs can come in a range of different colors, and many have multiple color coats. Although the Shih Tzu may seem like they will get along with cats, the issue comes from their need for affection. They can get jealous easily, and if the attention goes to the cat rather than the dog, the dog may chase the cat away.

11. Manchester Terrier

The Manchester terrier is a small dog breed with smooth short hair and comes in black, blue, tan, or a combination of any two of these colors. They are devoted little dogs that are alert and spirited. They weigh between 11 and 22 lbs as adults and have large upright ears. These dogs get along well with humans or other dogs and were originally bred to control vermin. This means they have an instinct to go after smaller animals, including cats. Because of this, it is not a good idea to keep this breed around cats.

12. Weimaraner

The Weimaraner is a large dog breed known for its courageous, obedient, and friendly temperament. They are tall, muscular, lean dogs weighing between 55 and 88 lbs. Weimaraners have short coats and beautiful, unique eyes that can be light amber, gray, or blue-gray in color. Their coat can come in colors ranging from charcoal blue to mouse gray. Weimaraners were originally bred as hunting dogs to hunt large game such as bears and deer. They were also used to hunt smaller animals, such as rabbits and fowl. Because of its history as a hunting dog, Weimaraners do not do well with cats. They are unlikely to give cats any peace, so it is best to stay away from this breed if you have a cat.

13. Staffordshire Bull Terrier

The Staffordshire bull terrier is a medium-sized muscular dog that is affectionate, bold, and intelligent. These dogs can weigh anywhere between 24 and 37 lbs. They are short-haired dogs that come in a range of colors, including white, black, blue, and fawn. These dogs have wide chests, strong shoulders, and wide-set legs. Staffordshire bull terriers have very strong prey drives and will chase after small animals such as cats. With socialization, you can keep a cat with the Staffordshire bull terrier, but don’t be surprised if your dog chases your cat every once in a while.

14. Afghan Hound

Afghan hounds are beautiful dogs with long, flowing fur and an elegant stature. Despite their appearance, they are often described as aloof. They weigh between 50 and 60 pounds and come with black, cream, or red coloration. These dogs are sighthounds, meaning they rely on their sight and speed to hunt instead of scent and endurance. Because cats are often fast-moving, they trigger the Afghan hound’s natural hunting instinct, which can end badly for the cat. Due to this built-in drive to hunt, Afghan hounds are one of the worst dog breeds to have with cats.

15. Schipperke

The Schipperke is a beautiful black dog from the Spitz family, a great guard dog and companion. The temperament of the Schipperke is playful, confident, and curious. It is a small breed that weighs between 6 and 16 lbs. The Schipperke has beautiful erect ears and a double-coated black coat. Even though this breed does not pose a life threat to cats, it is a mischievous breed and can stress out cats by chasing and barking at them.

16. Pharaoh Hound

The Pharaoh hound is an ancient breed of hunting dog traditionally used for rabbit hunting in the rocky terrain of the Maltese islands. They are loyal, playful, energetic, and can be trained easily, thanks to their high level of intelligence. Pharoah hounds have a short, muscular build and a very short and smooth coat with tan, red, and chestnut coloration. They also have very large, upright ears, which help with their hunting. Pharaoh hounds have a strong prey drive towards smaller animals, and a fleeing cat will easily trigger this behavior. Although they can be trained from a very young age to coexist with cats, careful supervision is a must whenever these two animals are in the same space.

17. Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire terrier is a small breed that belongs to the toy group. It is an extremely popular breed due to its cute appearance and small size. In fact, a Yorkshire terrier will not weigh over 7 lbs. The temperament of the Yorkshire terrier is bold, intelligent, and independent. This adorable little dog has a long, silky coat and is generally tan on the head with a steel-grey body. However, it’s no secret that the Yorkshire terrier is very energetic and makes some noise. Furthermore, this breed tends to get jealous and will react if a cat receives attention. To get rid of this threat, this little dog may chase and also bark to get rid of the cat!

18. Schnauzer

Schnauzers can come in three different sizes: miniature, standard, and giant. They are affectionate animals and form strong bonds with their families. They have a distinctive beard around their muzzle with matching bushy eyebrows and can weigh anywhere between 11 and 95 pounds, depending on their type. These dogs come in a few different colors, including black, white, salt and pepper, and black and silver. Schnauzers are affectionate and alert animals, but because of their prey drive towards smaller animals, they are often not suitable to be around cats. However, Schnauzers are highly trainable, and if taught from an early age, they can happily live with cats without issue.

19. Bedlington Terrier 

The Bedlington terrier is a small-sized dog breed that has been compared to a lamb. However, the temperament of this breed is anything but a lamb. In fact, the Bedlington terrier is extremely alert, affectionate, and spirited. This breed is small and can weigh between 17 and 23 lbs. It boasts a crisp, curly coat, an arched back, and a fleecy, pear-shaped head, making this breed easily distinguishable from other breeds. The coloring of the Bedlington terrier includes blue, liver, or sandy. Unfortunately, this breed does not do well with cats due to its alertness. While Bedlington terriers make excellent watchdogs, they will chase animals away, including cats. Generally, this breed will not get along with any pet.

20. Irish Wolfhound

Irish wolfhounds are a gentle and loving breed. They are among the largest dog breeds, weighing between 105 to 155 pounds. They have long, shaggy coats, which can be black, white, fawn, brindle, or red in color. As the name suggests, these dogs were originally bred to hunt wolves. Their impressive size and speed ensure that they are fit for the task. However, their prey drive does not end with wolves. In fact, they have traditionally been used to hunt wild boars and even stags! Although cats are a much smaller target for these large dogs, they are not immune to the natural predatory instincts that the Irish wolfhound still holds to this day. Their large size only makes them that much more of a risk to cats. Therefore, Irish wolfhounds are one of the worst dog breeds to keep with cats.

Summary Table of Worst Dog Breeds to Have with Cats