A cat and a dog in the same house: how to make pets friends

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

"Like a cat and a dog" or "friends forever"? This article will help you learn how to make friends with your pets.

There are people who are incorrigible cat lovers, and there are also incorrigible dog lovers. And between these two groups of animal lovers, disputes often arise about which of the pets is better to have, which of the two pets is kinder, smarter, more affectionate, etc. Such disputes can already be ranked as eternal.

And there are people who do not participate in such discussions for the simple reason that they cannot classify themselves either as dog lovers or cat lovers: they belong to both.

It is about the third type of people, or rather about their pets, that we will talk today.

Major stumbling blocks

Struggle for the owner's attention

Many have heard the phrase "The cat walks by itself." I also diligently believed in this truth: my domestic cat is very affectionate, never rebellious when trying to stroke or understand her, but she herself rarely seeks human attention, preferring to do her own business. More precisely, she had such a demeanor exactly until the moment when the second four-legged pet appeared in our house - the Pekingese.

It was here that a fierce struggle for the attention of all family members began: a competition entitled “Who will run to the door faster and meet the owners”; if someone stroked or took on the handles of one person, aggression immediately began on the part of the other.

Sometimes the situation can take on sharper turns: the cat, seeing that the dog is being taken for a walk, with its desperate meows will insistently demand that they also take him with him.

Those who are going to have a cat and a dog in the same house should remember how jealous animals are - almost like little weather children. Promise yourself to try to give the same amount of attention to both pets - this will prevent hostility between them.

Food

If you have a cat at home, then you know how they eat: even if they have a full bowl of food, but have no appetite, they will not eat against their will, but leave it for later and return to her during the day. Dogs have the exact opposite attitude to food: they will eat whatever is in the bowl and ask for more.

Coexisting in the same space with the dog, the cat will have to rebuild its gourmet habits: returning to the bowl during the day will not have the desired result, since the dog, having eaten its food, will also grab a portion of the cat.

Remember that overeating is harmful for dogs. Bearing in mind that a certain percentage of the cat's food will be eaten by the watchdog, try to make sure that both of your pets are full, but do not overeat.

It is also worth remembering which dogs are beggars and how often it is difficult for us to refuse them a tidbit. Keep in mind that there are certain dog breeds (for example, pugs and Pekingese) that cannot have sweets - only special dog treats.

Fight for a place

It is unlikely that you will be able to avoid the action between pets under the general name "Who is the boss". The fight will be fought for any place in the house. Even for the place in your lap. Therefore, prepare in advance for the fact that while your pets get along together, there will be no peace in your house.

Things to keep in mind if you are going to have a dog and a cat in the same house

If you don't have a single animal yet, but you want to have both, then you should take a kitten and a puppy, not adult pets.

This will make it easier for them to get used to each other, and neither of them will feel that someone else has taken his place in the house.

And if you already have an adult cat or dog, then you should not immediately tune in to the fact that he will dislike the newcomer. It is quite possible that your pet will treat the new pet as his kitten or puppy: he will take care of him and play with him in every possible way.

If you've noticed an increased aggressiveness in your dog / cat, think twice before starting a new pet.

If animals to one degree or another show aggression, jealousy of their owners, hostility towards other animals, then you should think carefully before starting a second pet, because you can endanger the health and life of a new pet.

If you are not sure that you can surround both pets with the same attention and love, then you should postpone in order to get a second animal.

Remember that dogs and cats are very sensitive animals that will immediately notice the lack of attention from the owner. They need care, love and affection, and if one of the two feels that the other is being paid more attention, this can provoke hatred and aggression towards the second animal.

Think about whether you can handle the responsibility for two lives.

Think very well. If you are going on vacation, is there a person among your loved ones who will agree to look after your mini-menagerie? Cats usually require less grooming - you don't need to walk with them three or four times a day - but with a dog, things are more serious.

Think about your daily routine: if you’re at work all day, will other family members be able to take the dog out for the day? Are you ready to wake up sometimes at 6 a.m. if your dog has a urge to use the toilet? Can you accept the fact that you have to walk with your dog in any weather - in 40-degree frost, and in 40-degree heat, and in a blizzard, and in rain, and in slush - and after a walk, bathe your pet?

Answer yourself these and other questions BEFORE you start your pets. After all, only because of our human irresponsibility and cruelty there are now so many homeless animals on the streets.

Observe the reaction of both pets.

Study a couple of books about dogs and cats, study their reactions. Reactions can be completely different, for example, a dog wags its tail when it likes something, and a cat wags its tail when, on the contrary, it doesn’t like something. Gleaning information about such reactions in advance will help you to recognize the emotions that your pets are experiencing, and most importantly, how they are attuned to each other at a certain moment

Don't stay out of the way.

Especially at the very beginning, when your pets are just beginning to get to know each other, do not let things go by themselves. Try to bring them closer: come up with games in which both pets can participate at the same time, take the cat with you for a walk the next time you go to walk the dog, or just roll with the pets on the sofa and watch a movie

Whether two different pets can get along in the same house depends not only on themselves, on their characters and habits, but also on their owners - you should never forget this

And to all those who still doubt that a cat and a dog can become friends while living in the same house, I suggest watching this short video.