Moody Cat Lays Down the Law For Over-Eager German Shepherd

Are cats naturally grumpy and moody or do we just interpret their behavior as such from the human perspective? Some days, it feels as if I can’t so much as shift in my seat without my cat letting out a yowl of complaint. But maybe she’d not bad, she’s just drawn that way? She can’t help the sounds that she make are similar to those of a whining child. It’s like resting you-know-what face, which she also has, by the way. To the human perspective, cats look and sound angry.

Except—this cat is definitely angry. And when the German Shepherd doesn’t pick up on it, there is no choice left but to attack.

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In this video, a German Shepherd is loving on what appears to be a Birman cat, a fluffy, fancy cat breed popular in Europe. Birmans are similar in many ways to the popular Ragdoll breed of cat. They have round, blue eyes, mostly white or gray fur with seal point markings, and long, silky coats. They’re also known for their sociable nature.

Related: German's Shepherd's Terrified Face Over the Family Cat Is Priceless

Well—usually sociable. Because this Birman has obviously had it up to here with her German Shepherd companion.

In the video, a large German shepherd is seen nuzzling, licking and even gnawing on the flank of the Birman. The cat seems to be tolerating this somewhat—at least, momentarily. But then, as the dog’s ministrations become more extreme, it’s clear the animal has crossed a few boundaries. The cat twists around and gives the dog a warning bite on the face.

Stunned, the dog lets go, which is when the cat hisses.

Properly chastened, the German Shepherd gets up and moves away.

That’ll show ‘em.

Speaking Cat

Cats are masters at setting boundaries and not reacting positively when you cross them. This one seems pretty tolerant — the Birman was just sitting there and taking it as the dog nuzzled its fur. The dog must have hit a sensitive spot, or otherwise crossed a line, because it was only then that the cat felt inspired to bite and hiss.

You can call that moody if you want to. I call that setting firm boundaries.

Sometimes my cats even ask to be brushed, and I’ll be brushing them happily, when they will suddenly turn around and snap at the brush. Maybe I hit a sensitive spot, or tugged a bit too hard. Cats, after all, have extremely sensitive skin.

Teaching Your Dog to Be Gentle Around Your Cat

Though dogs and cats can get along very well, they are different species, with different ways of communicating and different tolerances when it comes to playtime and other sensations. Just as it’s important to teach a dog that the playful snapping and roughhousing they may do around other dogs is not acceptable to use around human—and especially not human children—it’s also important to communicate these requirements to a dog. German Shepherds are enormous compared to Birmans. It’s not surprising that this one was playing a little too rough.

Alternately, you can just let the cat handle the discussion. This one seemed to put that dog in its place just fine.

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