10 Ways to Help your Dog and Cat Become BFFs
by John Devlin
Cats and dogs don’t get along, right! The truth is; both natural predators they would prefer to avoid each other if possible but with more people than ever having multi-pet households what can we do to help these long-time enemies live in harmony.
Source:Pixabay.com
Start Early
The best way for dogs and cats to get along is by introducing them at a young age puppies and kittens under one year of age are more open and accepting of new situations and can pick up on body language more easily plus they will both be keener to play rather than fight. It is a good idea to let your young puppy or kitten meet other species at this time even if you don’t intend them to live together so they will not regard them as enemies in the future.
Source:pixabay.com
Prepare your home
If you are bringing a new dog or cat into your home which already has a pet it is essential to prepare a safe place for the cat to feel relaxed keep them in different rooms to start with perhaps separated by a baby gate so they can see each other and get used to one another’s scent without confrontation and always provide somewhere high for your cat to escape too, like a scratching post or cat tree, if things become too overwhelming for her. Cat food and litter trays can be attractive to dogs so it’s a good idea to feed your cat separately and keep the litter tray out of Fido’s reach.
Introduce them slowly
Do not bring a new kitten or puppy into the home and forcefully introduce them by holding the cat close to the dog, not only will this be a frightening experience for the kitty but you are likely to end up with arms full of scratches. Take it slow, let them get used to each other with a safety gate or crate separating them initially and if this is successful let them approach each other at their own pace with the dog preferably on a lead to start with, just in case the cat flees and he decides to give chase.
Research
If you are adopting a new dog it is vital you know his background to be sure he can live and interact with cats without incident before introducing him in to your home and remember a cat’s natural instinct is to run if she feels threatened some breeds like Sighthounds and Terriers have an extremely high prey drive and are not the best choice for a multi-pet household unless socialized from an early age. Some breeds which are known to be good with cats include Pugs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Cavapoos and Havanese. Cats tend to tolerate smaller dogs better as they are not so intimidated by size but some large breeds can also be gentle with kitties and these include Golden Retrievers and the Newfoundland. The same is true if you are adopting a cat, if they have been attacked by a dog in the past they may never be able to live with another canine.
Source:pixabay.com
Exercise the dog before introduction
A tired dog will not react to a situation the same as one which is full of energy, before introducing the two make sure your pooch has been on a long walk, that way he will be more relaxed and accepting of the situation. A dog which is full of beans will just get over-excited and will make the cat more fearful. Remember any negative incidents at the beginning of their relationship will just make the process longer so do everything you can to make these initial introductions go smoothly.
Training
While cats are not the easiest animal to train it is possible and of course you should be training your dog from an early age, words like “leave it” “come” “sit” and “no” are useful commands and if your pooch will respond instantly so much the better. Dogs can generally do more damage to a cat so it is important to keep kitty safe at all times but on the other hand, do not let your puss beat up the dog either.
Use positive reinforcement
It is important to use positive reinforcement for both species once they are showing calm relaxed behavior give them a reward when the cat walks into the room where the dog is, say “here is kitty” reward the dog and vice versa this will give them a positive association with the other. Animals get jealous too, so it is vital to treat them equally don’t lavish affection on one while the other is present, it could lead to resentment.
Let the cat approach in its own time
Cats are naturally cautious creatures and do not do well when forced into situations they are unsure of, it may be a case that your two pets will tolerate each other but never be close buddies and if so it is important to accept this. Don’t try to speed things up by constantly pushing them together. Leaving them to establish their own boundaries is more likely to see them living in harmony together and sometime in the future you may be lucky and find them enjoying a nap together.
Source:pixabay.com
Separate them when not at home
Like us humans, even if your four-legged friends become good pals they will not necessarily get on 24/7 especially in the beginning, so it is essential to keep them apart when you are not there to prevent unwanted scuffles and potential tragedy. A cat will attack a dog when backed into a corner and most dogs will react which could result in a fight and if you are not there to intervene the consequences can be dire.
Observation
Watch out for signs of strife, if your cat is constantly hiding, a young puppy or kitten is always annoying an older animal, or your dog is exhibiting stressful behaviors like constantly licking his paws or panting excessively, there may be an underlying issue. It is essential to look out for signs that the two may not be getting on as well as you think so you can work on making them both happy.
So, there you have it dogs and cats can get along and live together in perfect harmony but it takes time and patience, depending on the animals age, personality and breed they may be able to live together peacefully but it is also important to remember that some will never get along and you may have to resign yourself to living in a one species home. That being said, if you are successful, cats and dogs can become good friends and some develop an extremely strong bond, so good luck and let’s hope your pets don’t end up fighting like …. well you know!
Author Bio
John Devlin
Owner – Dogsbarn.com
Husband, father and avid dog lover. Currently the proud owner of George a pedigree Golden Retriever that barely leaves my side. However, cute this sounds a little break from the dog hairs every now and then would be nice!
Informative Article. I would like to know if by any chance if you have tips of getting a grown dog and a tom cat dwell better together. I cant seem to get them work together. I will apply the tips above. Cheers.
Hiya! Ah adults may be slightly more difficult. Who is the “aggressor” the dog or the cat?
The Cat. He does not seem to like any animal around him.
I will add, that there are many big breeds of dogs, who are very good to live with cats too. I have one of them, a mix of German Shepard + some other strong dog. We got him as a puppy, the cats were then 9 years old and did not have good experiences with dogs, but they were allowed to raise him to behave good to them, which have been working ever since and the dog will soon become 5 years and the cats are now 14 years old.
I have had mix of German Shepard and cats before and just the puppy come after, if not in same time, they will find a way to live together.
Awwwww thanks for your experience. 🙂
If you’d like to maybe we could feature a guest story on your success introductions? 😀
Thank you for your offer and maybe a little later, when I have energy again 🙂
🙂 whenever you can
Great post, really informative. We could never get a dog however, as one of our cats, Flash, really seems to hate dogs. He growls at them as they go past the house, if he sees them from a window.
I’m assuming he had a bad experience with a dog, perhaps while he was on the streets before taken to RSPCA.
Poor Flash. :(. I wonder how he would react to a puppy tho. Baby animals seem to pose less of a threat to adults.
That’s very true. Although I think the cats are enough for us. Especially as I wouldn’t be able to walk a dog, given my mobility problems. I’ll just carry on loving all my kitty cuddles ?
🙂
Breathtaking post, Marc so beautiful and little angels and darlings. Such wonderful pictures too and once brought them together from childhood they can surely be friends.
Indeed 🙂 its all about doing the right introductions.
Yes absolutely true Marc
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Any suggestions on getting two adult male (neutered) cats to reside happily in the same small apartment?
They have been outdoor friends for many years but I have some trepidation with the thought of allowing the younger cat indoors. He has a special warm bed on the patio. His person passed away about a month ago at this apartment complex and Sunshine (he’s an orange tabby) seems to have adopted me and I feed him at least twice a day. He was outdoors mostly even before as his owner said she had trouble keeping him in. My own dear Diavolo is about 50/50 indoors and out. So far we are working out as a cat family. We’ll see how it goes. The apartment manager is delighted I have taken over his care. Several of the neighbors are helping with cat food.
Wow! Does this mean two 15 lb cats on my lap?
Ah! Since they already co existed in the same territory it might be easier than others.
If they are both indoors together it’ll be important to show Diavolo that he still has his space and resources so it’s important to make sure that there are multiple bowls of food and water. If they use litter trays indoors two of those at least.
Playtime is also a good way of having “good moments together” so playing with maybe a rod toy or something that flings from one to the other.
Lately when we introduced Renegade we put Feliway diffusers in the House. It produces a pheromone that queens use in cat colonies to keep the cats from unnecessarily attacking each other which could upset the queen and her unborn / born kittens.
Let me know how you get on and I can also get advice from a feline behaviourist!
Interesting. Think I might be putting somevof it into practice too as I try to gradually introduce my Labrador Dudley to the parent’s cat…