Interspecies peace

How to help your dog & cat coexist peacefully

Can’t we all just get along? When you have a dog and a cat, the answer may depend on how you set up the introductions. Here’s a few tips to make the transition go smoothly.

Control the situation.
The worst mistake I seen made on a regular basis is letting the new dog (let’s call him Bob okay?) loose in the house to “see what happens”. Now, let’s think of this in human terms for a moment. You’re at home, minding your own business maybe having a cup of coffee while watching TV when suddenly a stranger walks in the door, rushes over to you and starts sniffing you all over. Do you extend your hand in a warm welcome and greet this stranger with open arms?

No. You’d be more likely to toss your coffee in his face, kick him while he’s down and call the cops. At least, that’s what I’d do.

Now looking at it from your cat’s perspective can you see why a new arrival simply running wild in the house and doing as he pleases right off the bat might cause her stress? She’s minding her own business when suddenly the door opens and in rushes Bob, a new dog she’s never seen before. He’s running wild and probably getting into her personal space. This doesn’t make for a very good introduction.

A better scenario is to keep Bob on a leash and under control when you first come home. Don’t allow him to run right up to the cat, let her come up to investigate in her own time. If Bob gets too excited use the leash to move him away, if he knows some commands make good use of them to redirect his behavior. In general, it’s best not to focus too much on making them ‘like each other’. Teaching the dog to ignore the cat should be your biggest objective and something you start reinforcing right away.

Prevention keeps kitties safe

Anytime you leave the house it’s best to crate the dog, both for the safety of your cat and for the safety of your possessions. Your don’t know much about Bob at this point. He may be a chewer, or like to soil the carpet. Do yourself a favor and keep him crated when ever you cannot supervise him. It takes two seconds to crate a dog but it can prevent countless troubles.

Never leave the dog and cat alone together. This is especially true if they’ve just recently met and are still getting to know one another. Even making a quick trip to the bathroom is cause for crating your dog, or taking him with you. It only takes a moment for him to decide that your kitty looks like a great squeaky toy. Don’t tempt fate.

Important Points

Give your cat an escape route. Setting up a baby gated area is a great way to give her a safe place. Keep the gate high enough off the ground that she can crawl under but the dog cannot.

Make the cat a positive thing for your dog. Keep some treats in your pocket and whip one out anytime your dog is calm around the cat. Calm means no whining, no trying to go after her, no pawing, no nothing. He must be relaxed and ignoring her to get the treat. Many dogs catch on quickly to this game.

Signs your dog is getting over excited and needs to be removed from the situation:

* Barking
* Whining
* Lunging
* Growling
* Lip curling
* Snapping
* The fur on his back standing up

If you dog displays these signs or is otherwise agitated crate him and let him cool down. He’s in not in the mindset to be calm around the cat and may end up hurting her if you allow him to be too close. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Crate and try again at a later time.

Some dogs are never able to live peacefully with cats. Most often dogs with a very high prey drive (chase it, kill it) have the most trouble adjusting and simply need a cat free home. This is not ‘giving up’ it’s doing what is best for your cat and for the dog who is obviously too stressed by not be able to get his prey to live a happy life with you.

However, many dogs can learn to live with cats, it may not happen over night but with a little time, training and patience from you a happy household can be right around the corner.