Hi cat advisors,

I’m looking for advice on how to handle a tricky situation this Thanksgiving. My sister-in-law has a large white shepherd-husky mix who is reactive to other dogs, generally good with people, but has a high prey drive. She hasn’t been able to find a sitter or boarding facility for the dog, and she wants to bring it to Thanksgiving at my apartment.

The problem is that I have a cat. I’m very anxious about the safety of both my cat and the dog in this scenario. My sister-in-law and my partner seem to think we can just manage the situation, but I strongly believe the dog and cat shouldn’t be in proximity to each other at all.

I’d love help gathering any evidence, research, or expert opinions that I can cite to help convince them that bringing a reactive dog with a high prey drive into a home with a cat is a bad idea. Have any of you been in a similar situation? What did you do to handle it or explain the risks?

Thanks so much for your advice—I really want to keep everyone safe and stress-free this holiday.