Although there are a lot of cats and dogs living together, there are others that fight all the time. Here is what you should know and do!

People who love all four-legged furry friends suffer the most from the age-old battle between cats and dogs. This rivalry has become so much popular that it turned into a proverb “do not fight like cats and dogs”.

The difference between the personalities of dogs and cats may instigate this rivalry but you have to dig deeper to understand the nature of their relationship. Dogs are more social and friendly animals. They love being around humans and sharing happy moments with their owners.

My Dog Hates My Cat What Should I Do
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Cats, on the other hand, try to remain aloof. They are more temperamental and even sometimes appear cold. Although there is no supporting data for this statement, the disparity in personalities of both pets affects the choice of people in choosing pets.

Cats v/s Dogs

In a battle between both species, dogs are always supposed to be the instigator but this is not always the case. Your cat can turn hostile to dogs even if they are friendly and gentle.

Pets become a part of your family when you bring them home. They seek your love and attention and hate it when they have to share that love and attention with other pets.

So this jealousy can be the foundation of the rivalry that works both ways. If your cat hates your dog and putting everyone in trouble, then you have to understand the root cause of this hate game. The most common reasons are;

Did Not Socialize With Dogs As Kitten

The kitten stage is the most important period in a cat’s life. This is the time when they socialize with their siblings and mother, start eating solid food, play, wean off, etc.

But most importantly, they must be introduced to dogs and other pets. If they are not socialized early, they will feel strange and intimidated when they will encounter the dogs later on and end up hating them.

Bad Experience With Dogs

Cat and Dog Fighting
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Another common reason for this rivalry could be any unwanted bad experience between your cat and the dogs previously. So your cat has associated negative vibes with the dogs and gets hostile every time they see dogs.

Being Protective Of Their Territory

Dogs enjoy sticking to the same routine; whether it is the couch to sleep, playing with you, or their favorite toys and food. Any new addition becomes a threat to their territory and they respond to protect it.

The Introduction Was Sudden

While introducing your cat to the dogs, make sure this encounter is not sudden or confrontational. Cats get frightened of a sudden introduction and may develop aggressive feelings towards dogs. After all, they are routine-loving animals; they deserve a careful introduction at least.

Can Cats and Dogs Get Along?

Of course; these two four-legged furry creatures can get along and even develop a friendship. A study shows that 17% of households have both cats and dogs as pets, against 12% of households with cats as pets only.

You just have to understand the relationship between these two species and the root cause of this rivalry. If you are planning to bring a new pooch home, make sure to prepare your home for their arrival beforehand. Also, when riding the dog home, do not forget to use the best car vacuum for pet hair to tackle the shedding problem.

If your cat did not socialize with dogs as a kitten, you can’t rewind the time and start the introduction, of course. Similarly, you have botched the introduction, now what?

It is said that time is a solution to many problems; this isn’t different. Both cats and dogs will get accustomed to the new circumstances because that is what pets do. Take your time; both parties will call the truce one day. But you can do some measures to quickly resolve this rivalry and get a sigh of relief. For instance;

Provide Your Cat With A Safe Space

Cat and Dog Friendship
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Cats love to be in an alone and safe place; they see dogs as a threat because they think dogs will snatch their privacy and space. So, get a safe space for your cat so they can enjoy their me-time.

But bear in mind they should not feel neglected; choose a place that is alone but within your sight. You should also do the same for your dog to placate this rivalry. Separate space doesn’t mean physical space only; it also includes toys and food. Also, they shouldn’t be left unsupervised for the sake of their safety.

Exchange The Possessions

Your cat can stay in a separate area and away from your cat, but the best is to see both these furry creatures playing together. For this, you have to introduce them slowly and progressively.

Once your cat gets comfortable with the space, take one step further by exchanging their possessions, such as blankets or toys. This way, your dog’s odor will reach out to your cat and let your cat know about the new furry addition to the territory.

Train Your Dog

Luckily, even the most disobedient dogs can turn into gentlemen with proper training. With treats and positive reinforcement, train your dog to stay away from areas where your cat most likely hangs out.

Reward Them

Now it’s time to shorten the distance between your cat and dog and use treats to appreciate the cat after a successful interaction. Your cat may hiss or get frightened, but it is completely normal. Just make sure no one attacks the other animal and they can easily go to their private place.

Make sure the encounter is supervised and do not scold or force them to be together, otherwise they will associate negative feelings with this encounter and a friendly relationship will become impossible.

Let Them Loose

After two or three weeks, they can roam freely in your house because your cat has now accepted this cute furry addition to the territory. If they enter one another’s a private place to sniff or inspect, worry not; it is normal. In fact, it is one step further to an amazingly beautiful journey.

You can now feed both of them together in the kitchen and let them rest together in the living room. This is just a question of time. They met each other, took some time, and then start living together. They have their private area to relax without any worry.

Make sure to meet the needs of every pet in your home and create positive energy in your home to nurture a friendly and peace-loving bond.

Other Tips

  • Always supervise until you realize how both of them will get along.
  • Do not forget to follow the routine of your pets as it was before.
  • Give them your attention and time as much as possible.
  • Give them enough time and space to get accustomed to the new dynamics.

When your cat will realize the dog is not a threat, daily needs are being met, and the territory is not getting harmed; there is a beginning of an incredible journey between your cat and dog, defeating the long-standing norm of cat and dog rivalry.

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Author Yusuf Can Ekinci

Father of two cats named Tzatziki & Ouzo. Our small family tries to live without harming any living being. I am a small time farmer who tries to apply natural farming methods. Favorite activities: watching wild life at nature, passing time at home with my cats...

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