People with dogs and cats...help please

We need some advice.
We're considering fostering kittens but Gracie comes first (as she should). She has had very limited contact with cats. The neighborhood cats she chases and acts like she would eat them. The ones at Petsmart through the window she ignored. The kitten she met face to face at Petsmart she smelled with no other effects.
The ladies from the rescue said their dogs also want to eat outside cats but their inside ones they like/tolerate. I saw this same applies to most of the dogs on this forum as well (in a thread).
The only time we've ever had another pet here was my mom's gsd ( that Gracie has known and played well with her whole life) But Gracie was completely intolerable of Angel being in our home.

Opinions please.

I wouldn't do it, personally. If she ignored a cat she met on neutral ground, but didn't like a dog in her home, that would tell me all I needed to know. I'm sure some will disagree with me, but that's just my experience. We have dogs and cats and they live separately.

One thing you could do is let them meet on neutral ground, and then take them home together (can you take the cat on a trial basis?). Keep them separated, but able to smell and see each other, just like you would with a new dog. Then progress to supervised time together.

I won't take the chance. I know many dogs live peacefully with cats, though. It all depends on your situation.

Thanks for the input Four. We can take it on a trial basis. If Gracie doesn't like them they go to another foster or to boarding. I know she wouldn't do well with an adult cat. But I think with a kitten she knows it's a baby.
I wish we would have brought my mom's puppy (the gsd went to the rainbow bridge) over when she was younger but they never wanted to Gracie does great with the puppy but once again, that's not at home.
If we do it I will keep them seperate until we see how it goes.

Zoe will definitely chase after cats we see on walks and bark like crazy at random ones from the car, but she was 100% fine with Maiya from the moment she stepped out of her kennel after I adopted her. That said, Zoe grew up around cats, from a kitten she wrestled with at 8 weeks old to my Sabrina who put her in line and taught her - not without bloodshed on Zoe's part (her poor tiny puppy nose!) - that you respect cats' personal space.

But she definitely has prey drive and is DA - can't be around other dogs, can't have another dog in the home. But she tolerates Maiya zipping around being a crazed kitten, including leaping onto Zoe and "bear hugging" her at times. They often sleep together on the couch.

From how you say Gracie has been around cats in different situation, I would say she sounds exactly how Zoe is. I never take it for granted, though, and wouldn't leave her alone with a cat and introduce with caution. We have been able to foster before bringing Maiya into our lives and it went fine with Zoe.

I really hope it works for you!

Thanks Sparrow. We're hoping (I have hubby and 2 girls) that she does ok. We plan on fostering two in the hopes they won't be quite so frightened. IF it all goes well we'd like to adopt two. We got Gracie when the girls were very young, she adores them but everyone knows she's mine. We thought it'd be nice for the girls to have a pet of their own.

Since Gracie is bigger making sure the kittens have somewhere they can go in the event they need to is good to do. Occationally even dogs who grew up with cats loose their bananas it seems. My cousins dogs one day decided that they should chase her cat, all had lived together for 4-5 years, poor Boots ripped out a couple nails trying to get to the top of the cupboards to get away. This was while no one was home.

But we have 3 dogs and 2 cats, Bristol is the only one that was raised with cats from a pup. Gage was 8 months old and I dont know if he had seen a cat before moving in with us, and Diesel was a year and i know he hadnt seen them. But they are all good together. They even treat each of our cats differently, they know they can harass and play with Paper but they just leave Casper alone. Paper will play and harass them right back, Casper just walks away. When Paper has had enough he jump up on the table or the cat tree and the dogs know that he is to be left alone, those are his safe spots.

Thanks Ruffiangirl, that's good advice. I also read to keep them in a small room with their litterbox to start. I'm thinking my bathroom or the laundry room. Also I read it's important to not let the kittens get in Gracie's "special" places.

Have eight dogs living with seven cats, and a few of the dogs are cat questionable (er..would probably be listed as NO CATS if they were tested and for adoption ). If you were going to foster I'd explain the situation to the rescue, maybe they can even have someone come over and help you integrate the kitten/s with Gracie. I wouldn't leave them alone together for several weeks/month even if she seems totally great, and if she is a bit iffy, I wouldn't leave them alone at all.

My cat questionable dogs are much better with a confident /dog friendly cat than a shy cat, or kittens.

Thanks Crazed. We will definitely keep them seperated for an extended period of time. I have messaged them and they know about her situation( not being exposed to cats ever) Still debating the pros and cons with the hubby (although I'm pretty sure he's on board now) Next step will be a home inspection. When we move further in I'll ask about choosing more confident than timid babies.