Yes, dogs and cats can live together, peacefully in the same house, without separating them! We get often the question on how to make dogs and cats live peacefully together. Here is my take on it.
I have 16 cats in my house, some were not used to dogs before, and are not trusting them . And I have 2 dogs , and I foster dogs. All are living a peaceful life together. BUT I needed to put in some measures and rules.
Your belief drives the ship!
When I grew up my family had a cat Miss Marple and a long hair sausage dog Elvis Presley, it was never an issue that they were cat and dog. So I grew up with the impression that this was normal. I heard that cats and dogs don’t get along, but I never really experienced it. That’s a big part of my confidence and my ability to get cats and dogs to accept each other. I have no fear bringing cats and dogs together- and that’s the first step for making it able to have a friendship between a dog and a cat. It depends on you belief and mindset!
Don’t judge!
I experienced already everything, from little kittens who are scared of dogs, to small kittens rubbing on dogs to big cats standing their grounds when a dog chases them to big cats hissing and scratching dogs, to a dog attacking a cat. BUT in my house we were ALWAYS able to turn the situation around , and make the cats comfortable and the dogs relaxed.
A crucial part is that you don’t judge. The animal who defends or chases does it out of instinct. It all depends on how you react on the situation. Especially afterwards.
The animals follow your energy!
The cat as well as the dog follow your energy. You have to calm down yourself and you have to be really aware of the room, of the start of the conflict between cat and dog. Then you have to undo it, you have to avoid to create the same situation again. Create safety measures, by e.g. be always around when your cat and dog meet each other ( especially at the beginning) , be alert on their reactions esp. body language, and interact straight away when the cat starts getting stressed or the dog becomes alert and seems to want to chase. Have safety measures for the cat in place, give her higher up places where she can go up, and the dog can’t go . Put in measures so both can relax fast again.
Signs of imminent chase and run between cat and dog:
Cat: ears going back, fluffy tail, cats cat growls.
Dogs: ears perking up, dog stares at cat and seems very alert.
Your reaction to an imminent chase and run between cat and dog
Tell the dog off
Talk calmly to the cat – try to calm it down with your voice
Give the dog a distraction, e.g. a chew stick or distract him with your voice or a toy.
The cat will relax, and see that there is no danger.
STAY CALM BUT FIRM!
Preparation:
Have a separate place to eat – away from cats – for the dog. He needs also a safe space to sleep. A dedicated space just for him.
e.g. My dogs eat in the living room, whereas the kitchen is the food area for my cats, and they all respect it very well. My dogs know which are their beds, and if a cat sleeps on it, they look at me to take the cat away, and I do that. We have rules in our house, and the cats and dogs respect them more or less. It gives them all safety and security.
First moment of introduction:
Put the dog on the leash and let them sniff the cat, but the cat has to be aware of it, not when it sleeps, that is scary for it, if it wakes up and a dog face is in her private space :-) , make sure there is enough distance between the dog and the cat so the cat cant scratch the dog. Separate them when you are not in the room with them.
First days:
Be always around when the dog is off the leash with the cat in the same room. Be aware of the moments when the cat moves, and the dog becomes aware and wants to chase. Intercept ( see above
First weeks:
Play with the cat in the same room as the dog , and show the dog that it is ok that the cat moves and plays, and he can just watch.
e.g. I normally play with a feather with my cats, and the dogs just watch, after a while they even fall asleep. After the play I give all a treat, even the dogs, so they feel good, and not left out.
Long walks as much as possible
In general, give the dogs a lot of time outside on walks so their energy is gone when they come home, don’t get scared when a cat wants to be close to the dog, make sure there is no jealousy about food . And it’s also healthy for your mind and soul.
Frequently asked questions
It really depends on the dog and the cats character. We have often older cats for adoption who are totally lovers, and will not be intimidated by a dog, and we have some kittens who we have since 3-4 weeks of age and they never lose their fear of dogs. It all depends on the cat not running too much and the dog being monitored.
It depends on the dogs experience with cats too, was it ever scratched or hurt by a cat? Is it a traumatized dog? The best is to talk to us, and we can tell you which cats/ kittens we think would be the best with a dog.
I have the feeling it is easier if you have the cat first, as cats love to have a territory, and dogs then accept that. But I think it really depends on your place, and on the animals you adopt
I think if they can accept each other, that’s all you can wish for. That cats cuddle up to a dog and they lick each other is a bonus gift. I have cats who do that, but then I have cats, who still hiss from time to time at my dogs, and its ok. They don’t hurt the dogs, the dogs don’t chase them and they live together in peace.
No, my dogs still get a little crazy when they see a cat outside, especially if it’s not my cat. One of my dogs, is really happy to see cats, and wants to play with them, but then she gets hit and scratched, as some cats are scared of her coming up to them. My other dog will in bad moments chase cats outside. I need to be alert, when we are in my neighbourhood.
My theory is that they learn it from each other, unfortunately when I have fosterdogs , my dogs, who hardly chase cats, start to become territorial outside of our house and chase our cats. My solution, the front of the house is for the dogs, the back for the cats. And inside is the peace zone.
I am still learning about dogs, but the best advice I can give: calm yourself down and all will follow. The best feeling in the world is for me to lay in the evening on my sofa, with my dogs and cats cuddling up, no fights, no stress. Beautiful souls sharing the living room and enjoying the time together.