Final Up to date on: November 1, 2022 by Crystal Uys
Regardless of the stereotype of “preventing like cats and canines,” cats and canines can stay collectively peacefully in the identical family and even grow to be greatest associates. If you’re considering of including a canine companion to your feline family, some easy frequent sense precautions will make sure that everybody will get alongside.
Why canines chase cats
Canine chase cats due to their prey drive. Canine breeds with the next prey drive might not be a sensible choice on your family, or it might take extra effort and time to combine them safely into your family. For those who undertake a shelter canine, shelter staff might be able to inform you whether or not the canine has a historical past of getting together with cats.
A canine’s prey drive could also be triggered by a cat hissing or in any other case performing aggressively towards the canine. Some canines will chase cats just because the cat strikes previous them.
Sluggish and gradual introductions
Whether or not you’re introducing a brand new canine to a resident cat, or a brand new cat to a resident canine, sluggish and regular is the important thing to profitable introductions. Create a secure room for the newcomer. Each cats and canines are scent pushed. Exchanging scents between the 2 animals by rubbing a towel first on one, then the opposite, permits them to steadily get used to every others’ smells earlier than they even meet nose to nose. All the time supervise preliminary interactions, and restrict the time if wanted. Hold canines leashed throughout introductions. Have treats readily available to reward constructive encounters. If there’s an issue, again as much as the earlier step, and go slower the following time.
Feeding time
One option to get cat and canine used to one another is to have them affiliate supper time with one another. Feed them on reverse sides of the door of the secure room. For those who finally wish to feed them in the identical area, watch intently to ensure the canine doesn’t steal meals from the cat’s bowl and vice versa. Feeding them individually might make for extra peaceable mealtimes in the long term. You may as well feed your cat in an elevated space corresponding to a counter or cat tree.
Dwelling alone
When you’ve efficiently launched cat and canine, supervise preliminary interactions. Don’t depart them alone collectively in the identical area till you may be fully comfy that they’re getting alongside. It might be safer to crate your canine, or hold your cat in a separate room when you can’t be house.
Some cats and canines could also be comfy with one another straight away, whereas others might take weeks and even months. Persistence and time will go a great distance towards guaranteeing a peaceable family for all relations.
This text was beforehand printed on Solutions.com and is republished with permission.
