Keeping The Peace: Helping Your Dog Live Peacefully With Your Cat
Dogs and cats can get along. The key is to introduce them properly, and create an environment that encourages them to share territory. Many owners make the mistake of bringing one animal home with another already present, and simply hoping for the best. This rarely works out well.
In the space below, we’ll provide a plan for helping your dog and cat live peacefully under the same roof. You may find that they accept each other’s presence with little interest in interacting with one another. Or, they may become friends. Leave that to your pets. The main priority is to discourage signs of aggression stemming from territorial dominance.
Factors That Trigger Tension Between Pets
It is natural for any canine or cat that already lives in a home to feel threatened when a new animal is introduced to it. Both animals will likely show signs of territorial aggression, even those that normally have a mild temperament. For example, if you own a dog, bringing a new cat home is likely to stimulate a reaction from him. Your canine, the resident pet, will be motivated to protect “his” home, letting the cat know that the territory is already claimed.
Another common cause of tension between dogs and cats is an instinct toward chasing those that are smaller. Given that most canines are larger than cats (assuming both are adults), the former tend to chase the latter. This activity can escalate until both animals display aggressive behavior.
Guidelines For Establishing A Peaceful Household
The best method for ensuring your pets get along is to adopt both when they are young, and allow them to grow up with each other. This helps to minimize feelings of territorial aggression. It also tempers both animals’ prey instincts (cats occasionally chase smaller dogs). If adopting both early in life is not possible, you can still create an environment that encourages peaceful interaction – or, at least tolerance.
Supervise every moment your canine and cat are in the same room. If one or both animals show aggressive behavior, remove that animal immediately. Also, in the beginning, limit the amount of time your pets are exposed to each other. Gradually increase the exposure over several days.
Your resident pet – we’ll refer to your dog in this role – should have full run of your home with the exception of one room. Place your new pet (your cat) in this room, and keep the door closed. It is a good idea to place a baby gate behind the door to prevent your cat’s escape. Let your two pets become accustomed to each other’s presence. Even though a door separates them, they will catch the other’s scent.
Next, have a friend manage your canine while you manage your cat. Open the door so your two pets can see each other; keep them both several feet away from the baby gate. If both remain calm, provide treats and praise so they’ll establish a positive connection with the other animal’s presence. Again, limit their exposure to one another in the beginning, and increase it over several days.
Supervised Interaction To Increase Your Pets’ Comfort
Your dog and cat will eventually grow comfortable enough with each other to occupy the same room. Don’t leave them alone together. Instead, keep your canine leashed, and allow your cat to remain relatively free. Maintain control of your dog at all times. Use treats and praise with both animals to reinforce the positive connection they had formed earlier.
This process of acclimating your dog and cat to each other can potentially require several weeks. While they may never become inseparable friends, they will eventually learn to share your home without fighting.
