Mary Allen
Dogs and cats have always been considered enemies. But why is that? We have found out for you why this is and how you can get your dog and cat used to each other.
It’s wrong to say that dogs and cats generally don’t like each other. They just have a harder time getting used to each other. And there are several reasons for that.
Different body language
Body language is a tricky thing because just as you can misrepresent another human being, so can our pets.
The wagging of a dog’s tail, for example, causes a misunderstanding for our velvet paws: while the dog signals joy, Miezi interprets this as nervousness or excitement due to the typical signals of cats.
It’s no better the other way around: if a cat purrs with happiness, the dog will quickly misinterpret it as a hostile growl. If a dog raises its paw, it wants to play, if a cat does, it is a defensive gesture. So you can never please each other.
These communication problems make it difficult for dogs and cats to live together peacefully. And that is only logical. Or would you put up with someone who always felt like doing the opposite of you for a long time?
Innate distrust
This not only applies to dogs and cats but in principle all animals: out of self-protection, they have a healthy distrust of other species – after all, it could be a predator or someone who threatens their own life.
In addition, cats tend to be solitary, while dogs are considered sociable. When in doubt, Miezi just doesn’t feel like making acquaintances, no matter how enthusiastic her tail-wagging colleague is.
Hereditary enmity
In addition, genetics make things difficult for both of them: wolves, foxes, wild cats, or lynxes in the forest were not really green in the past. After all, they were competitors in terms of hunting ground and food.
Although pets no longer need to compete for prey, this behavior is still ingrained in them.
The larger dogs can therefore quickly be perceived as a threat by the delicate velvet paws. If the house tiger’s escape reflex then sets in, this may activate the dog’s hunting instinct and you have the classic dog-hunts-cat scenario, which can end badly for both of you.
Dog and cat become friends after all
But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean the two are hopeless. If you want to bring a dog and a cat together, it just needs a lot of time and attention so that the two get a chance to get to know and understand each other properly despite the misunderstandings.
A question of Temperament
First of all, the selection of a new roommate plays an important role. Both animals should ideally be compatible in character: a lively dog goes wonderfully with a self-confident cat, while old and calm animals also get along better with each other.
In general, the age should be coordinated in such a way that nobody is oppressed: If the dog is already fully grown, Miezi should be at least four months old so that he can perceive her as equal.
It is also usually easier to integrate a cat into a dog household, since dogs, as pack animals, are usually more receptive to newcomers.
Prepare them for each other
Nobody likes being thrown in at the deep end. So, very gently, get them used to each other’s smell by passing towels, toys, or other things with each other’s scents to the dog or cat. Sounds stored on the cell phone, such as barking or meowing, can also help to avoid nasty surprises.
In the beginning, a separate room with a place to sleep and feed should be set up for the newcomer anyway, which the other pet may not enter at first.
Even after they have been brought together, you should keep different feeding places so that no food envy can arise.
You should also make the litter box inaccessible to the dog. Unfortunately, our faithful companions tend to eat from it, which of course is anything but pleasant for a house cat.
The First Meeting
Dog and cat should not have direct access to each other so that they cannot injure each other. So make sure that your velvet paw is in a transport basket and the dog is on a leash. Now just put the two of them face to face and watch them get to know each other.
Praise both animals when they show openness, but don’t force this behavior and separate at the first sign of aggression to avoid leaving a negative impression.
It is also absolutely necessary to avoid the cat sitting in the transport box being eyed and sniffed too intensively by the dog. Since she cannot escape, this situation can become traumatic very quickly.
If both animals are relaxed, you can dare to free your house cat from the basket. If you also want to let the dog off the leash, you should first set up a retreat for your cat and then take the dog for a walk so that both can calm down.
It is best if there are two of you and you can pay enough attention to both animals so that no jealousy arises.
Sometimes it can take a while for dogs and cats to really get close. At some point, you can then dare to leave the two alone. Until then, keep an eye on them both, but show them that everything is normal by continuing to go about their daily lives.
Of course, this method works best on animals that haven’t had bad experiences with the other species. So it works best when both are still young animals and are already more curious.
We wish you, your dog and of course the cat all the best and much success in living together.