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Do cats in dog households usually fight back if the dog gets too aggressive? I want them to get along not have a cat that is acting like prey by running away constantly.
We currently have two dogs and two cats, and we've had a shifting cast of beasts of both types over the years.
I think the answer to your question depends to some extent on the relative sizes of the dog and cat, and the basic nature of the dog. No sensible cat is going to stand its ground if it's confronted by a snarling Ridgeback, Rottweiler, or German Shepard. Every instinct of the cat tells it this is a fight it can't win, and it will flee.
There's no doubt that virtually any dog larger than a cat could seriously injure one and even kill it. Cats obviously have claws (at least those outside of America - where declawing is seen as perfectly normal - do), so they are able to defend themselves to some extent, but if you have a dog who's determined to kill the cat, the pain of a few scratches is likely to only infuriate the dog even more.
I'm no expert on dog psychology, but I think you need to make it clear to the dog that the cat is part of the pack, and any display of aggression or chasing is not acceptable behaviour.
As far as the cat goes, it's pointless to try to modify its behaviour; cats do what cats do, and that's it. The best you can do is make sure there are several safe places for it to retreat to whenever it feels threatened. If it knows that, no matter where it is in the house, it can quickly retreat to place where the dog can't get to it, then it's more likely to be more confident around the dog.
I understand that you want everything to be harmonious, but you can't force this relationship. Hopefully, the animals will get used to each other, but they will do this in their own time. The cat needs to learn that the dog is not a threat, and the dog needs to learn that the cat is not a home invader that's a threat to the pack, and nor is it a toy to play with.
Bear in mind that the cat won't give a damn what you think about the process, but dogs are very good at picking up signals that humans are anxious about something, so you need to try to stay calm so the dog doesn't get the idea that it's actually the cat you're anxious about.
Of course, all this assumes that the dog is not one who has attacked and killed cats in the past. If it has, then I think you have serious problems, and it would probably be wise to get rid of one or the other.
I appreciate your clarity about the differences between cats and dogs in terms of giving a stuff what their owners want or expect them to do.
However, some cats don't know they're smaller than dogs: I used to have a tiny Brown Burmese, a neutred female, who not totally intimidated a pitbull when a friend was minding her for me. They ended up cuddling up together, but the pitbull would move away from the fire if the cat stared at her when it wanted that spot. She also terrified semi feral camp dogs when I lived in a remote Aboriginal community. Oh how I miss her!
Holy shit... You really went to town. Thumbs up everyone for boo, for caring
Blow your dog he just wants some pussy. You know how boys are mean to girls they like
Depends how big the dog is and whether or not the cat has claws (dont declaw your fucking cat its so cruel. Their claws are their fingers. Youre amputating their fingers and it huuuurts. Causes all kinda of arthritis in their arms to)
Yes they do mate, completely normal. Also I really like the word 'hostile'